Julie Albright
Julie Albright serves as a faculty representative on the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund (NTSAF) Governing Board. A sociology professor at USC for the past three years, she aids in selecting Topping scholarship recipients, helps oversee long-term policies of the scholarship program and, most notably, encourages student leaders to think critically and compassionately about the social realities of students in the surrounding communities. Julie’s NTSAF colleagues consider her “more than a professor.” They see Julie as “a model intellectual leader for our university, community and society.”
Since joining NTSAF, Julie’s experiences have been extremely positive. “My involvement with the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career,” she said. In fact, Julie is so impressed with NTSAF director Desiree Marquez and the organization that she wrote to Oprah Winfrey to tell her about the group’s scholars – individuals exhibiting high financial need and community awareness who are the first in their families to attend college.
“The projects these students have been involved in with the community have ranged from a newsletter created by elementary school students to a fundraiser in which a woman made 10,000 tacos,” explained Julie, who graduated from USC in 2001 with a doctorate in sociology and marriage and family therapy. “These are truly unique individuals, and I always feel honored and humbled to be in their presence.”
Known for her Trojan pride, Julie continues to feel a special connection to USC. (Julie’s mother, father and stepfather are also Trojans.) “I love USC,” she said. “I’ve met the most incredible people, and have the greatest office staff and chair anyone could ever hope for.” In addition to her work in sociology, Julie enjoys interacting with USC students and athletes, working with colleagues from the Annenberg School for Communication and Psychology Department on cross-disciplinary research projects and attending USC football and basketball games. “It’s a great time to be a Trojan,” she said.