Oxford and Cambridge were the institutions upon which American higher education initially modeled itself, and the inward-looking quadrangle became the standard for collegiate architecture in the Colonies and eventually beyond.

Consider, then, how USC’s location, architecture and focus differ from this insular model. Geographically our two campuses bracket the center of the city. Spatially, we flow easily outward into our neighborhoods and into the city – no moats and fortress-like walls. Psychologically, we do not distance ourselves from “town.” In fact, some of our closest and most productive relationships are with neighborhood school teachers, children, parents and business owners. They consider our campuses their campuses. Many of our employees live in our neighborhoods, and within a few years practically all of our students will be living either on campus or close by. We consider it a great asset to be connected geographically to the arts, culture, entertainment and education triangle that stretches from Dodger Stadium to Exposition Park to East L.A.

Over the past 16 years, USC has actively nurtured community partnerships and a culture of public service that have become a model for universities throughout the country. This achievement has not been prompted entirely by pure altruism. It is motivated in large part by enlightened self-interest. What is good for our neighbors is good for USC. We want to live, work and study in a thriving environment.

Our working with our neighbors has been motivated too by our dedication to this city. Despite pressure over the decades (even back in the 1910s!) to relocate, USC has been committed to remaining in the heart of this dynamic city.

At the same time, we don’t wish to be largely indistinguishable from the city that surrounds us.  We have worked deliberately and tirelessly to make our University Park campus an urban oasis.  The same kind of efforts to beautify and unify are under way on our Health Sciences campus. In the areas around our two campuses we do want to demarcate a special zone that is uniquely USC.  Like Oxford and Cambridge, we do want to nurture a residential atmosphere for our students, where living and learning are integrated into a beautiful environment conducive to reflection, study and conversation, which are the principal ingredients of a good educational experience.

When they return to our campuses, our alumni are invariably pleased with the transformations in our neighborhoods and on our campuses. And many of our alumni have played active roles in our community-outreach efforts.

Our alumni have even participated in our signature fund-raising program – the Good Neighbors Campaign. We broke the million-dollar mark in contributions to this campaign this past fall, as you will read elsewhere in this issue. I know of no other university in America where faculty, staff, students and alumni are as determined to make a positive impact on its local neighborhood by supporting children, families and businesses.

It’s a testament indeed to the lifelong connection Trojan alumni feel to their alma mater that they continue to be willing to invest their talents and resources in the university’s broader mission.

USC will keep having a very positive impact on our surroundings. After so many years of remarkable success and transformations, we are rededicating ourselves to developing even stronger ties to our neighbors. When we do so, everyone wins – USC, our neighbors and the entire city of Los Angeles.