The Ciffka family is ready for adventure, posing on the dock at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center in Big Fisherman’s Cove on Catalina Island. They participated in last year’s USC Alumni Association family camp, Trojan Island Adventure, in which campers swam, snorkeled, picked through tide pools, squished through the mud and watched eels feeding, all under the expert guidance of the faculty and staff at the Wrigley Center. There are three weeklong sessions planned for this summer: June 30–July 5, July 14–19 and August 18–23. Campers can spend the week in renovated dormitories or opt to sail to Catalina and stay in their own vessel tied to moorings. Interested? Call USC Trojan Travel at (213) 743-4008 after March 1 to request additional information or to reserve your spot!

East Meets West

At the first-ever USC International Alumni Conference, held in Hong Kong last fall, USC alumni from Asia and the U.S. took part in a three-day event featuring seminars, workshops and keynote speeches. Participating in the event were (left to right): Matthew Spitzer, dean of the USC Law School and the Carl Mason Franklin Professor of Law; Ronnie C. Chan, USC trustee and chairman of the Hang Lung Development Group; Karen Symms Gallagher, dean of the USC Rossier School of Education; Judith Blumenthal, associate vice president for alumni relations; Max Nikias, dean of the USC School of Engineering and holder of the Zohrab A. Kaprielian Dean’s Chair in Engineering; Michael A. Diamond, USC vice president and executive vice provost; Toshiaki Ogasawara, USC trustee and chairman/publisher of The Japan Times; Robert S. Rollo, USC trustee, president of the USC Alumni Association and managing partner, TMP Worldwide; Tung Chee-Hwa, chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Reginald W. Lathan, USC trustee, president-elect of the USC Alumni Association and president of the Radford Alexander Corporation; Young-Hoon Kang, former prime minister of the Republic of Korea; Barbara Rossier, USC trustee and president of Rossier Enterprises; Lee Harrington, president and CEO, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation; John Windler, director of USC’s International Offices; Marilyn Flynn, dean of the USC School of Social Work; Richard Drobnick, vice provost for international affairs, director of CIBEAR and research professor of management and organization; James J. Ragan, director of the professional writing program in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Kimberlee Rollo; and George Abdo, associate vice president for university advancement.

Complexions artistic director Dwight Rhoden (left) and Glenda Wina (right), who represents Los Angeles County supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke ’56, congratulate USC Thornton School of Music alumnus Charles Veal Jr. ‘73 (center) with a commendation recognizing his musical achievement. The USC Black Alumni Association hosted “An Afternoon at the Ahmanson” for the Los Angeles premiere of the Complexions Dance Company, which featured original music and vocal performance by Veal. A famed composer, violinist, singer and conductor, Veal has toured the globe as a performer and has recorded and arranged orchestrations for innumerable vocal artists. In addition to showcasing Veal’s artistic range, the event displayed the talents of the Complexions modern-dance troupe, which has gained an international reputation for powerful performances that celebrate the values of freedom and diversity. Proceeds from the event benefited the USC Black Alumni Association.