USC hosted the Trojan Family Weekend on Friday, Nov. 7. The annual celebration is an occasion for parents, families and alumni to connect and share new memories in the campus community.
At USC Annenberg, the day started with a special breakfast gathering. Dean Willow Bay spoke about the various opportunities that students at Annenberg can get access to.
One of the biggest attractions for students is the Annenberg Media Center, which functions as a professional newsroom and provides students with an immersive learning experience.
Some parents visited the media center in the morning, before the workday began.
After the breakfast and short tour through the Wallis Annenberg Hall and media center, Trojan families moved to the old Annenberg Building.
The auditorium (ASC G26) hosted the session ‘Building the Annenberg Portfolio: Maximizing the undergraduate experience’. Student Panelists Taylor Altman, Sammy Bovitz and Jade Bahng spoke about the variety of resources available across the communication, journalism and public relations industries for undergraduate students. The panel was hosted by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Career Development, Suzanne Alcantara, and the Assistant Director of Career Development, Jacqui Allen.
Later in the day, Dr. Vanessa Abernathy from USC Keck School of Medicine and Student Health psychologist, spoke about mental health and how families can support students during their college journey.
Simultaneously, some families also joined the ASC Historic Renovation Tour where Annenberg leaders went through the ASC building, designed by acclaimed architect A. Quincy Jones.
The final session for Annenberg featured USC student Isabella Strahan, the daughter of former NFL player, broadcaster and entrepreneur Michael Strahan, in conversation with Dean Willow Bay. They reflected on Isabella’s college and personal journey, her legacy and how storytelling, human connection and education is shaping the future of journalism, communication and public relations.
Strahan’s father said “hello” to everyone in the audience through a phone call.
While the sessions at Annenberg concluded late in the afternoon, large crowds of families from all over the different USC schools were hard to ignore.
Some showed off their ‘Proud Trojan Parent’ badges, while other families brought their succeeding generations of Trojans along.
Sid Edelman, an alumna who graduated with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 1978, brought along his son Reed Edelman, who also graduated from USC with an MS in Criminal Justice in 2024. They said that now they are saving up for Reed’s son, Raylan, who they hope could be a future Trojan.
Later in the afternoon, tailgating began at Alumni Park for the Trojan Family Game Day Experience. The USC vs. Northwestern game took place in the evening at the Coliseum.
Most families were seen in USC merchandise and donning the cardinal and gold colors with pride. The tailgate featured diverse food and drinks for purchase.
Overall, Trojan Family Weekend was an eventful day where families and USC alumni were able to share new memories and revisit old ones as well.