Alumni Leadership Conference empowers alums and volunteer leaders as USC ambassadors

Soon after Athena Shintaku began a master’s degree program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in 2020, she joined the student Veterans Association at USC. The group helped Shintaku, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, feel connected to the university experience at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic had pushed classes online.

On Friday, Shintaku experienced that sense of belonging anew when she returned to the USC University Park Campus as a first-time attendee of the USC Alumni Leadership Conference. The annual event, organized by the USC Alumni Association, brings together alumni, volunteer leaders and campus leaders to discuss USC’s recent accomplishments and envision the future of alumni engagement.

Seated with fellow members of the USC Alumni Veterans Network, Shintaku — who received her USC master’s in 2022 and now works in public relations at Los Angeles Southwest College — reflected on how the event strengthened her ties with the group and with the university. “It’s beautiful to be able to connect with the leadership at USC and learn that they want to support us,” Shintaku said of the veterans group. “We want to support them.”

Half a million members strong

The USC Alumni Association, which celebrated its centennial in 2023, recently passed the milestone of 500,000 living alumni members. The USC Alumni Veterans Network is one of the many affiliated alumni organizations the association supports, including industry and affinity networks, school-specific groups, multicultural alumni organizations, women’s groups and more. The association also hosts events and programs around the world.

Attended by 200 alumni leaders and volunteers from near and far, Friday’s 24th annual leadership conference celebrated those who lend their time and talent to nurturing these supportive Trojan Family networks.

Helping USC reach new heights

USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim spoke about some of the priorities he is pursuing during his tenure. These include bolstering funding for research across the university, advancing USC as a national leader in AI development, creating new educational opportunities associated with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and fostering an academic culture of open dialogue and mutual respect.

In everything from science to athletics, Kim noted the university’s bright future and global impact. “Last year, the student-run Rocket Propulsion Lab broke the amateur record for how far they were able to launch a rocket into space,” Kim said. “After that achievement, I can no longer say, ‘The sky is the limit.’ Instead, I say, ‘The sky is just the beginning point’ for what we can all accomplish together — with all of your support.”

Kim praised the dedicated alumni and volunteer leaders whose meaningful work unites generations of Trojans. “The Trojan Family is one of the things that makes USC so special, because it’s a group of alums and committed supporters who genuinely care about each other,” he said.

A world-class alumni experience

In the conference’s keynote address, Erika Jordan, USC’s associate senior vice president for alumni relations and a 2018 USC graduate, spoke about changes and improvements coming soon for USC Alumni Association members. These include an enhanced and expanded online community experience, a new learning and career enrichment program, and the revival of regional alumni networks.

“We are activating our new strategic direction that is focused around providing an unparalleled alumni experience,” Jordan said.

During the past year — Jordan’s first in the role — she traveled frequently to meet with USC alumni groups to hear their hopes and concerns. The changes Jordan announced at the conference are a direct response to what she learned from alumni seeking a greater degree of engagement.

“Alumni are lifelong and worldwide,” Jordan said. “We are half a million strong and have half a million unique experiences and millions of ideas and opinions. But what is consistent is that you love our traditions, you want to stay connected to the Trojan Family and you expect that the university should be there support you throughout every stage of your life.”

Connecting USC back to communities

Christopher Collier — who flew in from Portland, Ore., to attend the conference — felt inspired not only by the day’s speakers, but also by conversations with fellow alumni leaders. “It’s nice to be around like-minded people, recharge and get re-revved up, and then go back [to Portland] with ideas and energy,” said Collier, a 2005 graduate of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Collier, who works as a vice president at Fidelity Investments and serves on the USC Council of Regional Engagement, was drawn to alumni leadership to give back to an institution that has profoundly influenced him. “USC changed the trajectory of my life,” Collier said. “I equate it to turning your temperature up. When you’re around a bunch of people who are high achievers, you yourself will become that high achiever.”

The conference also served as a launch pad for action. “We get to bring everybody together, hear directly from leadership [about] their strategic vision … and how we as alums can be advocates and ambassadors for their vision,” said Ruth Benton of Huntington Beach, a 2008 graduate of the USC Marshall School of Business who co-founded the hospital power supply company Partopia Medical and serves on the USC Alumni Association’s Board of Governors.

Scott Rabenold, USC’s senior vice president for university advancement, recognized the contributions of volunteer leaders like Collier and Benton who spread their enthusiasm for USC to others in their respective communities.

“All of us at the university see how you also step up to help us, how you and others volunteer every day to be ambassadors for this university, how you and others invest generous philanthropy in programs and people that you care deeply about,” Rabenold told the conference attendees. “You are the foundation of the Trojan Family.”