Commencement 2017: The Big Day is Here

Graduates, families and friends — more than 60,000 in all — participated in USC’s Commencement 2017 festivities on the University Park campus on Friday, May 12. USC conferred 17,144 graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Degree candidates, Half Century Trojans, faculty and distinguished guests formed a processional leaving Bovard Auditorium at 8:30 a.m. USC President C. L. Max Nikias presided over the main ceremony at 9 a.m. in Alumni Park. Individual school ceremonies followed at locations across campus.

Actor and USC alumnus Will Ferrell delivered the USC commencement address. Ferrell, Suzanne Dworak-Peck, David D. Ho, Gary Michelson, Helen Mirren and Mark Ridley-Thomas will receive honorary degrees.

Read more Commencement coverage and student profiles

Watch the recording of the grand academic procession, followed by remarks by university leadership, the conferring of honorary degrees, addresses by the the valedictorian and commencement speaker, and the turning of the mortarboard tassel, which marks the moment when members of the graduating class officially become USC graduates and alumni.

View photo slideshows from Commencement 2017 events:

USC Dornsife’s Commencement took place Friday, May 12 on the University Park campus. Photos by Mike Glier.

USC Dornsife’s Ph.D. hooding ceremony took place on Thursday, May 11 at Cromwell Field. Photos by Mike Glier.