Two USC Dornsife alumnae are recognized for their achievements and dedication to social service

An international relations major at USC Dornsife, America Ferrera began to doubt whether her dream of becoming an actress would fulfill her desire to enact positive change in the world. But when she told international relations professor David Andrus of her possible change of heart, he informed her that her career as a socially oriented entertainer had already made a difference for one young Latina.

Ferrera starred in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves, which highlighted the difficulties imposed by family, class and cultural expectations on a Mexican-American woman growing up in Los Angeles. It just so happened that Andrus had been mentoring a young woman from the inner city who was struggling to understand her family dynamics. The girl told him that if he wanted to understand her life, he would have to watch Ferrera’s movie.

Since then Ferrera, who graduated in 2013, has pursued a career that aims both to entertain and help people. On April 16, Ferrera is one of two USC Dornsife affiliates who will be honored at the 83rd Annual Alumni Awards at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles. She will be joined by Suzanne Dworak-Peck, who graduated in 1965 with a degree in psychology, a social work pioneer and former president of the National Association of Social Workers.

Every year since 1932, the USC Alumni Association has paid tribute to members of the Trojan Family with its highest honors. This year, both USC Dornsife recipients shine in the sphere of effecting social change.

Alumna Suzanne Dworak-Peck.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree cum laude from USC Dornsife, Dworak-Peck went on to earn her master’s degree in social work from the USC School of Social Work. She served as President of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) from 1987-89.

Dworak-Peck also served as president of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), representing more than 500,000 social work professionals in more than 80 countries. Additionally, she is credited with founding the NASW communications network, known as NCN, which has provided the media and entertainment industry with information and resources on social issues, both nationally and internationally.

As a practitioner, Dworak-Peck has dedicated much of her career to working with vulnerable and traditionally excluded populations, as well as to providing clinical supervision and treatment to families and individuals.

Alumna America Ferrera.

While America Ferrera is perhaps best known for her leading role in the ABC television series Ugly Betty — for which she won an Emmy Award — and a number of other feature films, she has aligned her career with her core value of fighting for social justice. In 2010, Ferrera partnered with Save the Children, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children in the United States and around the world.

As an artist ambassador she traveled to the village of Diassadeni, Mali, to help the organization raise funds to build a school. Ferrera also collaborated with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof to address the problem of human trafficking in India for a documentary series called Half the Sky, which aired on PBS. In 2011, Ferrera met with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss immigration issues with prominent Latinos in the United States.

The USC Alumni Association works to support the university by engaging all alumni for life and being the representative voice for the Trojan Family.

“Through their achievements and service, this year’s honorees demonstrate how USC enriches our lives intellectually, culturally, professionally and socially,” said Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick E. Auerbach, who earned his Ed.D. in 2008. “We look forward to welcoming them, and our guests, to the 83rd Annual USC Alumni Awards on April 16th.”