For all of the challenges posed by an ongoing pandemic, USC Marshall accomplished impressive milestones in 2021. It reopened its classrooms to in-person instruction after three semesters held online due to COVID-19 quarantine. It reached gender parity in its incoming undergraduate class of 2025. It also welcomed the third largest gift in its history.
And much more. In the spirit of ending the year on a high note, here are our Top Ten Marshall stories for 2021.
- Marshall MBAs took first place in the first annual John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case competition.
- Marshall establishes a career services center specifically for first-generation college students.
- A year after the pandemic forced all graduation ceremonies online, USC students, including those from Marshall and Leventhal, got to “walk” in an outdoor Commencement ceremony held at the Coliseum.
- One of those students was retired Lt. Col. Robert “Bob” Kroener. He finished his MBA requirements in 1971 but was called back into service during the Vietnam War. Fifty years later, he was finally able to attend his graduation ceremony.
- USC had a stronger showing of athletes in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics than any other university. And eight of those athletes were past, present, and future Marshall students.
- Marshall received the third largest gift in its history thanks to alumnus Randy Kendrick.
- Thanks to the efforts of leadership and admissions staff, USC Marshall reached a long sought-after milestone: Gender parity in its incoming undergraduate Class of 2025.
- As students prepared to return to campus for the Spring semester, Marshall announced a new series of emphases to help undergraduates identify and specialize in their preferred business area earlier in their academic careers.
- Readying campus after nearly 17 months online isn’t easy. The Marshall community came together to make it happen.
- Another milestone for Marshall: its unique Pathways Program—offering Black transfer students another chance at joining Marshall—grew by 40 percent this year and saw its first four students enter their senior years. Meet one of them.
