Smiles All Around
USC College students celebrate commencement 2005
The following is a montage of photos taken on May 13 during the festivities of USC College commencement 2005. During the ceremony, commencement speaker Neil Armstrong told the over 30,000 celebrants that the degrees awarded at commencement demonstrate the ability to learn. The day marks a ‘threshold’ for the graduates, said valedictorian and USC College graduate Katherine Trefz (Political Science and History, B.A., 2005).
The family of USC College grad Beza Merid (Comparative Literature, B.A., 2005) of Orange County had a hard time containing their excitement over Merid’s recent accomplishment. Here, he’s joined by his aunt, Asni Zike (right), and brother, Esseye Merid.
Newly minted USC College graduate James Buenaventura of La Habra, Calif. sported leis made of crisp greenbacks with his traditional cap and gown.
Dr. George Cassady, ’55, and his wife, Linda, came down from the San Francisco Bay Area to celebrate with his fellow Half-Century Trojans at the 122nd commencement. After receiving his USC degree in history, Cassady went on to Duke University for his medical degree and became a specialist in perinatal pediatrics. A Presidential Associate, Cassady said the best part of the day was seeing the excitement of the young graduates.
Graduate Jennifer Perey (History, B.A., 2005) of Hawthorne, Calif., celebrates with her aunt (left), and mother and father (right).
Karen Barnard (Biological Sciences, B.S., 2005), far left, led the procession of graduates into the 2005 USC College sciences satellite ceremony. A budding marine scientist, Barnard, joined by her fiancée Kristopher Kubow (Class of 2002), mother Kay and father Bill of Atlanta, Georgia, won a Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Research.
Justin Obra, 22, from Pearl City, Hawaii, received his B.A. in sociology and political science.
A proud father of graduate Brendan Wright (Political Science and Cinema/TV, B.A., 2005) celebrates the day with his son and wife. The family was in town from Portland, Oregon.
It’s been a tradition for years in the Moshy family to snag front-row seats at the crack of dawn when a family member graduates from USC.
This year, it was to congratulate Michelle Moshy (American Studies and Ethnicity, B.A., 2005). So big brother John arrived on campus at 5:30 a.m. and used Post-It notes to reserve seats for the rest of the family who were on their way from Ventura County. John received his degree in 2000 from the USC Marshall School of Business. After John, there was sister Lisa (’01, business), and brother Michael (’03, theater). (Photo, from the left: Louise Joseph (grandmother), Richard (brother), Amses Joseph (grandfather), John, and Lori Moshy (mother).
The must-have accessory at this year’s commencement ceremonies? A cell phone, as used here by USC College graduate Matthew Stringer (Interdisciplinary Studies, B.A., 2005) to locate the rest of his well-wishers amidst the tens of thousands of people gathered for the day’s celebrations. Stringer, who developed his own major combining animation and creative writing, is joined by his mother, Kathy Butler of Arizona (left), and aunt, Margery Stringer Payne. This summer, he will work with an entertainment industry agency in L.A.
Graduate Rae Lauren (Political Science, Ojai, CA) with her mother (left), father and brother (right).
One of the first things graduates wanted to do before lining up for the processional was to have their photo taken with Tommy Trojan. Grads and their family members lined up patiently waiting for their turn. William Steuber (Economics and Political Science, B.A., 2005) stands with his mother, Susan Powers, while his brother takes the shot.
Sisters of sorts: Graduates Catherine Manalang (English and Political Science, B.A., 2005) of San Francisco, Calif., and Valancie Jackson (Political Science, B.A., 2005) of Los Angeles, Calif., with their USC Zeta Sigma Phi sorority sisters (from l to r), Casey Spruill (Psychology and Communications, B.A., 2006) of Palmdale, Calif.. and Marquita Goodman (Psychology and Social Work, B.A., 2006) of Illinois.