On behalf of the entire staff of the Office of International Services (OIS), it is my pleasure to welcome all new students to the University of Southern California! We are so pleased that you have chosen to continue your education at USC, and look forward to helping you have a great experience during your studies.
The start of a new Fall semester is my favorite time of the academic year. I think this is because of the enthusiasm and energy brought to campus by newly enrolled students. As you move about the campus and interact with students, faculty and staff, I think you will see that this sense of eagerness and anticipation is shared by most everyone you’ll meet.
Last year, USC hosted over 5,800 international students from 115 different countries. At the same time, over 1,400 visiting scholars and professors from abroad taught and conducted research at USC. We are truly an international university! We hope you will take advantage of this diversity and make it a point to meet people of many different nationalities, including Americans. Previous students have told us that one of the most valuable benefits of their USC education was the chance to make friends from around the world—to form friendships that spanned the boundaries of national borders, cultures, and languages and have even led to fruitful professional collaborations.
Besides your interactions in the classroom and laboratory, consider getting involved in any of the numerous activities and organizations on campus. You can join clubs and organizations, participate in community service programs, and attend educational and cultural events. It’s up to each of you to discover all that USC has to offer. We’re sure you’ll like what you find and have fun in the process!
Your selection of USC as your university means that you have also chosen to live and study in Los Angeles, a city that is home to people from around the world. Here, diverse cultures don’t just co-exist, but also mix to form multi-ethnic experiences, perhaps best expressed in our various California fusion cuisines. We urge you to also discover all that LA has to offer, including entertainment and the arts, amazing coastal and mountain environments, and a variety of interesting neighborhoods.
The mission of the Office of International Services is to do everything we can to help international students, scholars, faculty and staff to make the most of their USC experience. So whether you are here for a semester exchange or for several years, OIS staff are available to advise on a variety of topics, starting with helping you understand the immigration rules and regulations affecting your stay in the US. Moreover, our office offers a number of academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs for you. Stop by Student Union 300 any time, or visit www.usc.edu/ois for more information.
We wish you the very best as you embark upon your own personal USC experience!
Sincerely,
Tony Tambascia
Executive Director, OIS
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
