Tina Orkin
Although she has only been employed at USC for two years, Tina Orkin, a program coordinator in the Office for Parent Programs, has felt connected to the school for much longer. A Trojan parent herself, Tina devotes countless hours to planning the annual Trojan Parents Weekend to ensure its success.
“Part of what got me involved is that my daughters love it here so much,” says Tina, who is a past president of the Intersorority Parents Council. (Daughter Melissa graduated in 2004, and Jessica is a senior.) “I love it here as well. I’ve felt embraced by the Trojan Family.” Since it is now her job to embrace other Trojan families, Tina says she is constantly looking for ways to improve the four-day event.
As a program coordinator, Tina helps plan parent programs throughout the year and assists with Orientation and Move-in Day. “I do a few different things. I work mainly with Trojan Parents Weekend and it’s really a year in the making,” she says. “This year, we had more than 3,000 parents registered, which is more than we’ve ever had before. We had over 5,000 parents come to our tailgate picnic.”
Tina loves to meet and greet parents from around the world, but, she says, there are quite a few challenges to hosting the event. “It’s a very large-scale event so finding places to accommodate all of the programs is a challenge,” Tina says. “We have to make sure we stay within our budget, feed a huge number of people at one time, and find enough tickets for all of the events. But it’s very rewarding when it all comes together.”
Tina’s colleagues describe her as energetic, a meticulous planner, and thoughtful and deliberate in her work.
“Her experience in the office for the past two years as well as her own experience as a Trojan parent make her a great resource to parents who contact our office,” says Anne Lamkin, assistant director of Parent Programs. “She is a good listener and gives good suggestions to parents who are concerned about their student. As the primary organizer of Trojan Parents Weekend, Tina has worked tirelessly to make sure all of the details for the weekend are ready.”
Tina completed a nursing program at Valley College in Van Nuys and became a registered nurse, and then continued her education at California State University, Los Angeles to become a certified registered nurse practitioner. She has taught Lamaze classes and trained Lamaze instructors, worked in labor and delivery, and ran a mommy and me program for 10 years.
When she isn’t working, Tina enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends.