USC Marshall School of Business

Areas of Interest at USC Marshall:

1. professional preparation

2. interactive marketing/media

3.  innovative learning and collaboration

4. international exploration

5. a diversity of friends and experiences

What Made You Choose to Attend USC Marshall?

I chose USC Marshall because I felt there was a strong connection among the students, the faculty, and the staff. Other business schools I considered promoted a lot of competition among their students and professors, but Marshall really focused on collaboration and peer learning to drive innovation and success.

Advice you wish you had known while applying to college:

When I was applying to college, I wish I had known that fit is the most important element of your decision. I applied to a lot of schools that I thought I would like based on certain criteria (size, location, programs, etc.) and I thought those were the only factors that really mattered when I picked a school. Actually, though, the most important factor of choosing what college you go to is how well you fit within the school: how well do you fit and interact with the students, the faculty, the campus, and the program you’ll be enrolled in. It’s not enough that the college has all the necessary criteria, but it has to fit you and your personality and goals for you to have the best experience.

USC activities/general hobbies:

At USC, first and foremost, I’m a Marshall Student Ambassador (MSA): I absolutely love talking with prospective students and parents, sharing my insight and experiences, and helping these students see why USC is the best fit for them. Additionally, I’ve been involved in the International Exchange Program at Marshall, where I studied abroad in Lisbon, Portugal for a semester, and the Global Leadership Program, where I travelled to Shanghai, China during my freshman year. Finally, I’m also in Thematic Option (T.O.) at USC, where I’m able to take more specialized general education classes with some of the best professors at USC.

Why do you love Los Angeles?

I love Los Angeles because of the diversity of people, cultures, and art that it brings together so effortlessly. Los Angeles is a big city, but it’s not unmanageable—you can easily find your favorite museum, restaurant, concert venue, park, garden, or beach. This city gives you a taste of all the world, and it’s all at your fingertips at USC.

Share a definitive freshman moment at USC:

I think the best moment of freshman year was during finals study week in December, where we have these events called Primal Scream—the resident advisors and student government organize events at night to give you a break from studying for exams. One of the best primal screams was that the USC marching band came out in front of Leavey Library and started playing while running and jumping through the fountain/pool we have in front of the library. Nothing shows USC pride more than the marching band, and it was a fantastic way to relax and take a break when everyone was studying.

Favorite USC Marshall class:

My favorite USC Marshall class has been BUAD 307 (Introduction to marketing) because we actually got to work on creating a marketing plan for a real client. The client was launching a music app, and we were able to apply what we were learning in class to come up with this real-life marketing plan for the product. At the end of the semester, we presented our plan to our professor and the VP of Marketing for the company. Whenever I mention this project in an interview, everyone is always so impressed!