Though Beong-Soo Kim served as interim president since July 1, 2025, the announcement of his official position as USC president Wednesday has sparked conversations across campus about his new role.
In his time at USC, Kim has started multiple projects to encourage thought leadership, including his podcast “Trojan Talks.” He has also worked to make campus community and innovation a priority, hosting USC’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit in November 2025 to discuss the impact of AI on campus life.
“My focus is trying to just enable students to be their very best selves, to develop their education, the skills that are going to serve them — not just in their first jobs, but throughout their entire lives,” Kim said in an exclusive statement to Annenberg Media.
Kim also launched the Presidential Open Dialogue Project in October 2025, in an effort to foster university-wide forums centered around 21st century challenges.
“I’m trying to create a campus community where people can express differing viewpoints respectfully and listen to each other and learn from each other,” he said. “And I think we are well on our way.”
In an email statement to the USC community, USC confirmed that Kim was unanimously elected by the Board of Trustees. He now serves as 13th president of the university.
Kim’s nomination came after public controversy surrounding his predecessor, Carol Folt. Her retirement came after months of scrutiny, including national conversations regarding the school’s over 900 layoffs, along with their response to pro-Palestine student encampments in 2024.
As he steps into his new role, students discuss his potential to succeed in his role.
Zahraa Chajne, a sophomore legal studies student, said she thinks Kim has backing from the student body.
“[H]e should know that he has a lot of support from students, and if he knows what the students want, then he should not feel intimidated,” she said. “Just hear from students’ perspectives, instead of the elites. Hear what students want, what they need, what seems the best right now.”
For the newly elected president, the students are top of mind as he enters this new chapter. And that’s exactly what Kim said he intends to do.
“I have students on my open dialogue project, student committee, and wherever I travel across the world, I always see graduates,” he continued. “And I just think with amazement at how many things our students end up doing around the world.”
Before becoming president, Kim served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office before becoming a partner at Jones Day. Before he was appointed as USC’s senior vice president and general counsel in 2020, Kim served as vice president and assistant general counsel at Kaiser Permanente.
Despite chaotic circumstances, Kim said he enjoyed his time as interim president.
“I have absolutely loved getting to know the students at USC,” Kim said. “I have made it a point of trying to eat at the dining hall to get to meet students there.”
He is also a passionate cello player.
“[As someone who comes from] a musical background … I thought that was just amazing,” said Rolan de Jesus, a freshman tuba performance student, of Kim’s musical involvement. “He shows great talent…and to become a president of an entire university…that’s insane as a musician.”
Beyond his accomplishments, Kim is an L.A. native with deep Trojan ties. His parents both graduated from USC.