USC Trojan Family Weekend kicks off for students and families

Trojan Family Weekend officially kicked off Thursday, bringing together families, alumni and friends to campus for four days of celebrations that highlight student life and Trojan traditions.

The festivities run through Sunday and include panels, open houses and school-specific events such as Friday’s home football game against Northwestern University.

“We are tailgating and cooking hot dogs before heading to Greek Row to see the fraternities and then going to the game,” said Amelia Marshal, a Marshall School of Business junior. She and her family will spend time cooking hot dogs and walking to Greek Row before going to the football game.

“I’m really excited to show my parents what a game day looks like here,” Marshal said.

Carson Simonson and his family are also heading to Greek Row.

“My parents are coming to my sophomore fraternity house,” the Leventhal School of Accounting sophomore said. “We’re having a pregame with all the parents before heading to the Sigma Chi tailgate.”

Other activities include several events hosted by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the School of Cinematic Arts and the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

At Annenberg, families attended the Dean’s Breakfast, a “Building the Annenberg Portfolio” session, which included a tour of the renovated ASC building and “Storytelling and Connection,” a conversation with Dean Willow Bay, broadcaster Michael Strahan, and his daughter, USC student Isabella Strahan.

The Glorya Kaufman School of Dance is hosting BFA class observations, a “Taco Tailgate” and a “Breakfast with the Dean” event. The School of Cinematic Arts is offering a Dean’s Reception, student showcases and panels on the future of film.

With so many events planned, students still said the weekend was about sharing campus life with their families.

“We didn’t sign up for anything specific since we are local,” Vanessa Amaral, a junior majoring in international relations and global business, said. “It’s more about hanging out and enjoying the day.”

Ireland Foster, a junior studying gerontology, said her family has been looking forward to the weekend for weeks.

“I’m so excited for my parents to come,” she said. “We’re going to my sorority’s tailgate, then the frat tailgate, and after the game, we will grab dinner and just have a great night.”

Brenden Zbanek, a junior studying communications, said his family was flying in from Cleveland to experience USC’s gameday atmosphere for the first time.

“My parents and little brother are coming out and we are going to dinner and exploring Los Angeles since my brother has never been here,” he said. “I am excited to show them what USC’s all about.”

USC introduced increased campus security last year, including requiring pre-registration and IDs at entrances, following a series of protests in early 2024 that led to several gate closures. Visitors were required to register and show identification last fall to access the campus.

This weekend will be the first time families and guests can visit campus freely for the festivities.

To learn more about Trojan Family Weekend, visit the event website here.