{"id":24256,"date":"2025-04-28T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=24256"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:17:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T19:17:57","slug":"legally-blind-magician-graduates-with-usc-dornsife-class-of-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/legally-blind-magician-graduates-with-usc-dornsife-class-of-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Legally blind magician uncovers his true purpose at USC Dornsife"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_top-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_top-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_top-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_top-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Tyler Gibgot, wearing a graduation sash, manipulates a deck of cards\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Magician Tyler Gibgot began developing his card skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. He graduates with a degree from USC Dornsife on May 16. (Images: Courtesy of Tyler Gibgot.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=commencement\">Commencement<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Legally blind magician uncovers his true purpose at USC Dornsife<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Mixing his passion for magic with his academic studies, graduating cognitive science major Tyler Gibgot learns he can help others find their own brand of magic.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Daniel P. Smith<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">April 28, 2025<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 1.5167124.60096154 2.9475732 1.68841575 4.0350274 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>With an assist from USC, Tyler Gibgot discovered his real magic.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the last four years, Gibgot, a semipro magician and <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cognitive-science\/\">cognitive science<\/a> major at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, has grown from a socially introverted teen into a confident 22-year-old eager to tackle life\u2019s next adventures, including helping others discover their own personal brand of magic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy goal is to lead by example and help others see personal challenges as opportunities for growth and a way to inspire people all around them,\u201d Gibgot says.<\/p>\n<h2>Graduating senior finds a passion and purpose<\/h2>\n<p>Gibgot knows something about personal challenges.<\/p>\n<p>The Los Angeles native was born with a rare genetic eye condition called aniridia. Translating to \u201cwithout iris\u201d in Greek, aniridia causes light to perpetually flood Gibgot\u2019s eyes. A sub-condition called nystagmus, meanwhile, further diminishes Gibgot\u2019s visual acuity, making it tough to read facial expressions or print on a board.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, it\u2019s like constantly walking out of a dark movie theater into daylight,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>While Gibgot\u2019s visual impairment delivered profound benefits, such as a deeper sense of empathy and richer reflection on the qualities he values in people \u2014 \u201cI couldn\u2019t judge a book by its cover even if I wanted to,\u201d he says \u2014 it also made \u201cfitting in\u201d a challenge during his teen years.<\/p>\n<p>Then, in the depths of the pandemic and months before he arrived at USC in the fall of 2021, Gibgot found magic. He enjoyed the tactile feel of playing cards and began creating his own tricks. Blending storytelling with sleight of hand, he practiced his magic on Omegle, an international online platform he describes as \u201cFaceTime with strangers.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XJ_2X0LdWm8?si=C3LXxOJ8P85aTKUa\" title=\"Born With Aniridia, Blind Magician Finds Purpose at USC Dornsife\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Magic became Gibgot\u2019s muse, a tool for self-expression. And for the first time in his life, Gibgot could see something others could not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had a perception of what was going on in a trick that others didn\u2019t,\u201d he says. \u201cI completely flipped the script.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When Gibgot arrived at USC Dornsife, he brought his magic from the digital world into campus settings, performing tricks for classmates and neighbors. His skills developed, and magic transformed from a hobby into a purpose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy passion grew alongside my curiosity, and I wanted to incorporate magic into my academic pursuits,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<h2>USC Dornsife graduate blends magic with a major<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24270\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24270\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-24270\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile-still-284x550.jpg\" alt=\"Magician David Blaine and Tyler Gibgot wave in a crowded area standing next to each other \" width=\"200\" height=\"387\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile-still-284x550.jpg 284w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile-still-529x1024.jpg 529w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile-still.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24270\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tyler Gibgot sometimes works with magicians such as David Blaine, left.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Initially a statistics major with an interest in identifying statistical barriers to employment for people with disabilities, Gibgot switched to cognitive science, the interdisciplinary field investigating the mind and its processes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt felt right, even though I was still exploring how cognitive science applied to my interests,\u201d he says. \u201cWhile most people see magic and ask \u2018How?\u2019 I was more interested in the why. Why do these tricks work and resonate with people, capturing not only their attention but their imagination?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>USC helped him discover compelling insights into the mind and its relationship with magic, igniting his self-confidence and fueling new ambitions. In <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/psyc\/\">psychology<\/a> and cognitive science classes, Gibgot learned about attention, perception, memory and other principles underlying magic. He felt a magnetic pull to studying the mind and its fascination with magic, seeing both as a way to unlock fresh possibilities.<\/p>\n<p>Supported by an internship award from USC, Gibgot ventured to England in 2023 for a summertime research experience with Gustav Kuhn, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Plymouth. Kuhn\u2019s interdisciplinary MAGIC Lab explored magic as a tool to investigate human behavior and cognition. For three months, Gibgot worked on a project examining how to bring the joy and wonder of magic to blind people. He co-authored an academic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cell.com\/trends\/cognitive-sciences\/fulltext\/S1364-6613(24)00223-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paper<\/a> on the project, which published in the journal <em>Trends in Cognitive Science<\/em> last November.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese experiences shaped who I am today: someone who uses magic not only as a tool for wonder but as a bridge to bring people together,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd none of it would be possible without USC\u2019s academic rigor, which allowed me to immerse myself deeply in this niche field.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The \u2018real\u2019 magic for graduating Trojan<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24257\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24257\" style=\"width: 320px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-1x1_320 wp-image-24257\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_instory-320x320.jpg\" alt=\"Tyler Gibgot and an assistant stand at a table on which rests a pack of cards as a video camera records\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_instory-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/gibgot_profile_instory-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24257\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tyler Gibgot performs magic at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While developing his academic understanding of magic, Gibgot continued strengthening his performative chops and contributing to a more connected, lively community, as well. He brought magic to children in local hospitals, to restaurants and the <a href=\"https:\/\/village.usc.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USC Village<\/a>, spreading positivity and wonderment to strangers while crafting memorable experiences transcending language, ability and background. He also co-founded and served as president of the USC Magic Association, creating a thriving community of students enthusiastic about magic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Trojan family lifted me up in ways I never imagined,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>After graduating in May, Gibgot plans to move to New York and pursue a professional opportunity mixing cognitive science and marketing. Long term, though, he hopes to create a show encouraging people to express themselves through whatever they see as their magic, using his own journey of living with a visual impairment as an example of overcoming adversity and finding purpose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy eyes have fueled my desire to uplift others and show that limits are not set by circumstances, but instead by how we react to them,\u201d Gibgot says.<\/p>\n<p>And that, he notes, is the greatest magic of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Related Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/top-k-12-students-to-compete-in-science-olympiad-at-usc\/\" \n         target=\"_blank\"                 class=\"\" \n      >Top K-12 students to compete in Science Olympiad at USC<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/phd-student-studies-galapagos-tortoises-to-preserve-ecosystems\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >PhD candidate finds his field of dreams studying Galapagos tortoises<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/childhood-illness-drives-usc-dornsife-graduates-pursuit-of-medicine\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >How early health challenges fueled two graduating seniors\u2019 passion for medicine<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mixing his passion for magic with his academic studies, graduating cognitive science major Tyler Gibgot learns he can help others find their own brand of magic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":24259,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,17],"tags":[1961,112,97],"class_list":["post-24256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commencement","category-student","tag-class-of-2025","tag-psychology","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Legally blind magician uncovers his 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