USC just got a little closer for Trojans based in Europe: With a delegation of university leaders led by President C. L. Max Nikias on hand, USC’s newest international office officially opened this week in London.
The office serves as headquarters for USC’s efforts to attract talented prospective Trojans from across the United Kingdom and the continent. Located on Bedford Square in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood, it is a center for recruiting, education and research partnerships and more.
“The USC community is eager to continue building on the network of partnerships and collaborations we have established here thus far,” Nikias said.
“In addition, our London office, which will act as our headquarters not only for the U.K. but for all of Europe, will play a vital role in helping us achieve USC’s ambition of attracting the world’s most talented and creative students.”
Katharine Harrington, USC vice president of admissions and planning, echoed Nikias’ excitement about the new office and opportunities it presents.
“There are many, many excellent students in the U.K. who would thrive at USC,” she said. “The new office increases exponentially our ability to reach those students.”
The office will be led by Priya Rana Kapoor ’93, MFT ’06, who is enjoying introducing USC to people who are not familiar with the university.
“They think we’re a small school in California,” said Kapoor, a third-generation Trojan. “But then I start giving the numbers for our research and academics, student enrollment and contribution to L.A.’s economy, and you see jaws drop.”
European presence
The new London office builds on USC’s existing European presence, which includes:
- The Queens’ College Cambridge-USC Exchange, an opportunity for USC undergraduates to spend their final fall semester studying at the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s most eminent and long-standing higher education institutions.
- The Oxford Consortium for Human Rights, which hosts academic seminars on human rights, global conflict, humanitarian aid and peace building at the University of Oxford and elsewhere. The consortium’s executive director is Lyn Boyd-Judson, director of the Levan Institute for Humanities and Ethics at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
- The dual degree offered by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in partnership with The London School of Economics and Political Science. The partnership was renewed this week in a signing ceremony attended by Nikias and USC Annenberg Dean Willow Bay along with their London School of Economics counterparts.
- The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s popular study-in-London programs.
USC is one of the United States’ top universities for attracting international students, and it welcomed more than 11,380 foreign students for the fall 2017 semester. Its nine international offices stretch from São Paulo to Seoul.
“The best way to understand the role of USC’s overseas offices is to think of them as ‘embassies’ located in areas important for the university,” said Paulo Rodrigues, associate vice provost for global engagement.
The offices have a broad mission, Rodrigues said, “but it comes down to helping USC faculty, students and administrators be successful in whatever they are set to accomplish in different regions of the world.”
International offices not only work with USC Admission to recruit prospective students, but also support student study-abroad programs, facilitating research and academic partnerships and forge relationships with alumni.
Strong alumni community
USC has a strong alumni community in London thanks to graduates such as Walter and Jen Ladwig, who have long galvanized Britain-based Trojans through the USC Alumni Club of London. A volunteer group run by USC graduates, the club has been an invaluable resource for students and alumni.
Now, through the university’s newest outpost, Kapoor hopes to build student internship, mentoring and networking opportunities through relationships with alumni and corporations.
The London office — steps away from The British Museum — joins USC’s 9 international offices.
BY Elisa Huang AND David Medzerian