The University of Southern California campus was bustling with activity on Tuesday, Aug. 20, as parents and siblings helped students move into their dorms and apartments for the 2024-25 school year. Pulling boxes filled with clothes, bedding and Troy knickknacks, about 8,000 USC freshmen are getting their start on college life this week.
As freshmen and returning students alike wheeled their bags onto campus, they focused on meeting their roommates, catching up with college friends and beating the August heat.
“We're excited to have you all here,” said Emily Sandoval, USC's assistant vice president for student life. “The most important part of college life is building friendships and making connections, and that starts with moving in and finding your place on campus.”
Hundreds of USC staff and employees were directing traffic, preparing campus facilities, directing families where to go, offering smiles and hellos, and hosting craft nights, concerts, outdoor games and other events throughout the week to help students adjust.
“It's a very well-organized process, but it takes a lot of planning and a lot of manpower to make it happen,” Sandoval said.
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Sandoval and several students said the move-in process at USC was going smoothly this week, following a tense end to last school year.
In mid-April 2024, USC became the epicenter of pro-Palestinian protests in Southern California after university officials decided to cancel a commencement speech by valedictorian Asna Tabassam, citing safety concerns over her pro-Palestinian views, which some have criticized as anti-Semitic.
On April 24, 2024, 93 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested for allegedly trespassing in USC Alumni Park.
The protesters were calling on USC to support a permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas and university divestment from companies and organizations with ties to Israel, and were joining student-led anti-war protests on several college campuses across the country.
Amid unrest on campus in the spring, USC administrators canceled last year's “main stage” graduation ceremony, scheduled for May 10, 2024.
As students moved in on Tuesday, university officials issued an online update to the USC community, saying that “over the summer, we have tightened and expanded our rules and processes to ensure our campus is a safe and welcoming place for everyone.”
Those measures include a requirement, implemented earlier this year, that USC employees, students and registered guests have their university IDs scanned when entering campus.
Additionally, a new permanent gate will be installed at the McClintock entrance, and temporary fencing will remain in place until completion in October, according to a university statement.
Miles Williamson, a sophomore musical theatre major at the University of Southern California, moved into an on-campus apartment on Tuesday and said he's “excited about the year and looking forward to being here.”
Williamson, an Orange County native, said she has grown a lot since her freshman year in terms of finding community and becoming more independent.
“I've learned a lot about myself and doing things on my own,” Williamson said. “I'm finding my own rhythm and a new perspective on what works for me.”
Williamson said she's “keeping an eye on things” after a “stressful and hectic” spring semester, and that she is “very aware of police activity on campuses, especially as a Black person who grew up near Los Angeles.”
He added, “Safety is a top priority for me and I'm excited to learn.”
Kira Arakawa, a freshman business major, moved into her dorm on Tuesday. “I'm looking forward to meeting new friends and taking the classes I've been looking forward to,” she said. One class she's particularly looking forward to is a music history class about the Beatles and other classic bands.
Many returning students are involved in USC’s move-in process as student staff, helping to foster a welcoming environment on campus.
Third-year Resident Assistant (RA) Coby Hawkins greeted students moving into the residence hall building he will be working in. He said the positive guidance he received from an RA last year inspired him to become an RA.
“We want to make an impact on our freshman class,” Hawkins said. “Having resources available for our freshman class during this transition is really important.”
First published: August 20, 2024, 4:39 PM
