Do you feel homesick while in college, or do you miss old habits, such as regular church music or a church home? The USC Gospel Choir provides a space for students not only to use their voices through the power of their music, but also to continue their same Sunday traditions from back home on USC’s campus.
Every Sunday members of the USC Gospel Choir gather to lift their voices in prayer before sharing their gifts at Trojan Church or the city of Los Angeles. The gospel choir provides students with some forms of normalcy that may not always be available on college campuses.
Yasmeena Sharif, a Junior Jazz Voice Major & Theatre Minor from Newark, New Jersey, serves as the Vice President of the USC Gospel Choir has been taking voice lessons since she was seven years old, and her entire life has revolved around the art of music. Performing in school music, jazz bands, and choirs, her instrument has served her well in various spaces, including providing her with a new place to call home on Sundays.
“I have always liked Gospel music. I always liked listening to it. So part of the reason I wanted to join the Gospel Choir in college was that I really wanted to connect with the genre in a way I hadn’t before. It has brought me a lot of emotional safety here on campus, and I have made so many amazing connections in my time as a member.”
The USC Gospel Choir is under the leadership of Antun Foster, who has worked with some of the best in Gospel music as the Musical Director for artists such as members of the Winans family and The Clark Sisters. While some may think the USC Gospel Choir is only open to students, Angel Chisolm, a section leader originally from Detroit, Michigan, brings not only a strong voice but also carries on a strong legacy within Gospel Music.
“I was brought on as a section leader because of my experience in church, so I was happy to be trusted with the responsibility of being a leader in this choir. I grew up on Gospel music 100%, my mother is one of ‘The Clark Sisters’, so I have been singing my entire life. Gospel music has been everything. It has influenced everything musically in my life.”
Members describe the choir as a space that was there for them when they didn’t even realise how much they needed it until they truly needed it. Giving them a reason to get out on a Sunday and do what they know best, praising God’s name through worship.
“When I joined the Gospel choir, I was going through something very heavy. I remember
Having a dream and God spoke to me and said, ‘Your praise will bring on deliverance.’” Autumn Henderson, a USC Master’s student and social media director for the choir, shares how the Gospel Choir not only helped her persevere through her academic troubles but also helped her tackle a nasty divorce.
“Once I started singing, it brought so much healing to my life and my heart. In my Master’s program, it was very difficult, so I knew when I came to Gospel Choir that I would get rejuvenated to go back and handle what I needed to handle on the backend. It has been a huge blessing in my life.”
Lifting up voices in praise and worship every Sunday can be easier said than done, especially when you are used to a certain form of praise. Christian Sharp, a junior studying Behavioral Economics & Music Theory Minor from Atlanta, Georgia with strong roots within the church was having trouble finding a place where he could use his favorite instrument and continue doing what he loves, singing for the lord until he found the USC Gospel Choir.
After only a year of membership, Sharp has taken the choir under his wing as President and sees it as a truly God-given gift. “It reminds me as President, that true representation is not symbolic—it is felt, heard, and protected, and it is our responsibility to make room for it across our campus.”
“The USC Gospel Choir is a sacred space where music becomes memory, faith finds its voice, and identity is honored without explanation,” Sharp said.