University of Southern California

University of Southern California
MottoLatin: Palmam qui meruit ferat
Motto in English
"Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
TypePrivate research university
EstablishedOctober 6, 1880 (1880-10-06)
AccreditationWSCUC
Religious affiliation
Nonsectarian, historically Methodist
Academic affiliations
Endowment$7.6 billion (2023)[2]
Budget$7.4 billion (2023–24)[3]
PresidentCarol Folt[4]
Academic staff
4,767 (2023)[3]
Administrative staff
18,123 (2023)[3]
Students49,318 (2021)[5]
Undergraduates20,790 (2021)[5]
Postgraduates28,528 (2021)[5]
Location, ,
United States

34°01′14″N 118°17′05″W / 34.0206°N 118.2848°W / 34.0206; -118.2848
CampusUniversity Park campus, 226 acres (0.91 km2)[6]
Health Sciences campus, 79 acres (0.32 km2)[7]
Other campuses
NewspaperDaily Trojan
ColorsCardinal and gold[8][9]
   
NicknameTrojans
Sporting affiliations
Mascot
Websiteusc.edu

The University of Southern California (USC, SC, Southern Cal[a] or SoCal) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1880 by Robert Maclay Widney, it is the oldest private research university in California.[11][12] The university is composed of one liberal arts school, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and 22 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, enrolling roughly 21,000 undergraduate and 28,500 post-graduate students from all fifty U.S. states and more than 115 countries.[13][14][15][16] It is a member of the Association of American Universities, which it joined in 1969.

USC sponsors a variety of intercollegiate sports and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Members of USC's sports teams, the Trojans, have won 107 NCAA team championships and 412 NCAA individual championships.[17] As of 2021, Trojan athletes have won 326 medals at the Olympic Games (153 golds, 96 silvers, and 77 bronzes), more than any other American university.[18] USC has had 537 football players drafted to the National Football League, the second-highest number of draftees in the country.[19] In August 2024, USC will become a member of the Big Ten Conference.[20]

USC has graduated more alumni who have gone on to win Academy and Emmy Awards than any other institution, largely due to the School of Cinematic Arts,[21][22] and has conferred degrees upon 29 living billionaires.[23] USC presently has ten Nobel Laureates on staff,[24] eleven Rhodes Scholars,[25][26] twelve Marshall Scholars,[27] six MacArthur Fellows,[28] 181 Fulbright Scholars,[29] and one Turing Award winner.[30]

  1. ^ center, member. "Member Center". Archived from the original on November 9, 2015.
  2. ^ As of June 30, 2023. "2023 USC Financial Statements" (PDF). USC. December 21, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Facts and Stats". University of Southern California. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference President of the University of Southern California was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c "General Information" (PDF). University of Southern California. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "IPEDS-University of Southern California". Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Visit USC". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  8. ^ "Official Colors". Identity.USC.edu. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "USC Traditions". About.USC.edu. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Traveler, USC's mascot". USCTrojans.com. July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Legacy of Judge Robert Maclay Widney" (PDF). USC University Communications. 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  12. ^ "USC at a Glance - USC Graduate Admission". October 29, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  13. ^ "Facts and Figures". University of Southern California. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  14. ^ "USC Hosts Most International Students in U.S. For 12th Straight Year". NBC Los Angeles. November 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "USC is no longer top U.S. spot for international students". Los Angeles Times. November 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "USC Top U.S. University for International Students – IMDiversity". IMDiversity. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Championship Summary through April 21, 2019" (PDF). NCAA. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  18. ^ "USC Athletes Win 21 Medals, Including U.S. University Best 11 Golds, At 2020 Tokyo Olympics". USC. August 16, 2021. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "College Football Encyclopedias and NFL Records". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  20. ^ "Big Ten Conference Statement".
  21. ^ "Where Students Dream in Gold: The Top Ten Schools with Oscar Winners". Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  22. ^ "Cinematic Arts Celebrates 80th Anniversary With All New Campus". Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  23. ^ "The universities that produce the most billionaires". CNBC. May 18, 2018. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  24. ^ "Nobel Laureates". USC. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  25. ^ "Colleges and Universities with U.S. Rhodes Scholarship Winners" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  26. ^ "Rhodes Scholarships". Academic Honors and Fellowships. July 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  27. ^ "Marshall Scholarship". Academic Honors and Fellowships. July 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  28. ^ "MacArthur Fellows". Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  29. ^ "USC again among top producers of Fulbright fellows". February 13, 2015. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  30. ^ "LEN ADLEMAN WINS TURING PRIZE". USC. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.