There was no valedictory speech. No celebrity speeches. There was no main stage ceremony, no “pomp and circumstance” of graduates marching out in front of tens of thousands of guests.
Instead, USC’s graduating seniors — whose traditional major commencement ceremony was canceled — had an alternative party Thursday night: the “Trojan Family Graduates” at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on the eve of the small-campus commencement ceremony. Celebrations,” graduation ceremonies are scheduled for individual school events.
The USC cheerleaders perform in the gym Thursday.
(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Thursday night’s event was billed as an “exciting atmosphere” – with up to six tickets per graduate – including a drone display, fireworks and a “special gift” for the Class of 2024: a hat from A hat from rap star Travis Scott’s college apparel brand.
The university is positioning the event as a “Southern California-style” celebration to make up for the loss of main stage ceremonies with valedictorians, keynotes and the awarding of honorary degrees. But riots and campus protests sparked by Israel’s war with Hamas upended the ceremony.
Sitting in the top row of the gymnasium with her parents and brother Thursday night, graduating senior Thia Broido said she was saddened by the controversial cancellation of major commencement ceremonies.
She said the start of the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted her high school graduation ceremony, with the graduation stage replaced by a “super cute” driving ceremony and social distancing.
She was happy to have a family-friendly event at the gymnasium to celebrate her college graduation, but said it didn’t “undo anything that happened over the past few weeks.”
“I don’t want to be frustrated about it,” Broido said. “I’m happy with what we have. But what USC is doing continues and I can’t forget that.
Thursday night’s event includes a drone display.
(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)
USC President Carol Folt last month canceled the opportunity for pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum to speak and then canceled the main ceremony, citing unspecified security threats. After students set up a pro-Palestinian tent encampment and demanded that USC end its financial ties with Israel, Folt and her team called the Los Angeles Police Department and 93 people were arrested. Police cleared the second encampment Sunday morning but made no arrests.
On Wednesday, Folt and Provost Andrew Guzman were censured by the Academic Senate, the representative body for USC faculty. Members noted that “faculty and staff have expressed widespread dissatisfaction and concern with administrative actions and decisions surrounding protests and commencement ceremonies.”
Folt defended her actions and told The Times in an interview that campus safety was her “North Star.”
“For me, I have a very clear North Star: I’m the guy in college who, no matter how complex the issue, no matter how much empathy I have for everyone involved — which is true for me — I ultimately You still have to sit back and think, “What can I do to keep my campus and my people as safe as possible? “”
Entertainment includes the Trojan Marching Band.
(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Typically, the annual Baccalaureate Ceremony—a non-denominational, interfaith celebration—is held on the eve of graduation in Bovard Auditorium in the heart of campus. This year, there will be an “in-person blessing” at the Coliseum Carnival, as well as an “online interfaith blessing” that can be viewed on the Commencement website.
Students in their graduation gowns cheered when Tabassum was honored during a student recognition ceremony Thursday afternoon. She smiled and pretended to look at her watch as the applause continued.
“You might not know this,” the announcer joked, “but Asner is USC’s 2024 valedictorian.”
Afterwards, the students stood up and applauded her.
Security measures at the stadium have been tight ahead of the opening.
Access to the USC campus, which is already restricted to the university’s students, faculty, staff and registered guests, became more restrictive Thursday. Students and faculty must show USC identification, and anyone trying to enter campus will need a Commencement ticket.
Graduates gathered before an event in the gymnasium on Thursday.
(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)
There are metal fences and black gates surrounding the campus. Guests walk through metal detectors and are asked to bring a clear purse or bag. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies have been stationed at the center of the USC campus since the encampment was cleared on Sunday.
That includes officers from the Baldwin Park Police Department, La Habra Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Airport Police Department, said David Carlisle, the university’s assistant secretary of public safety.
Police were stationed near the Tommy Troy statue, which was cleared after a protester – who organizers of the student camp said had nothing to do with them – spray-painted “Stop Genocide” on the statue’s plaque.
Although speakers and attendees acknowledged the tense atmosphere on campus, there were no demonstrations to disrupt Thursday night’s events.
Inside the stadium, DJ duo Phantogram took the stage at 7:45pm in front of a sparse audience of about 350 people.
A campus spokesman said more than 22,000 people attended.
Broido, a graduating senior, said she thought it was odd that the school was handing out Travis Scott hats (black hats that read “USC Alumni” on them) in the tent. She said she was no longer a fan of the rapper after 10 people died in a crowd at the 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston.
“I think it’s ironic that USC is partnering with him,” Broido said. “I love his music – it’s so complex.”
Varun Soni, the university’s director of religious life, delivered the prayer service — a tradition typically held during main-stage commencement ceremonies.
“There are a lot of people in our community who are struggling with anger and grief,” he said.
He said that the world is facing “five major crises” – war, justice, health, sustainable development and joy.
“We’re facing a full-blown joy crisis,” he said.
He said the evening’s events were about celebrating graduates and giving joy when it’s needed most.
A series of video messages were projected on the big screen, including a speech from late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
“This class,” he said, “has been through a lot. More than any other class has to deal with.
When the event ended, the words “Class of 2024” and “Fight On!” appeared. The drone emits red and white lights in the sky.
Jack Callahan wore USC gear and flew in with his family from Buffalo, N.Y., to watch his daughter Kiera graduate. Callahan was pleased that the school held a “big event to celebrate the graduates,” after the family was initially disappointed that the main stage ceremony was canceled.
“I love the camaraderie, the spirit and the drone show,” Callahan said. His wife, Lisa, is equally excited about the drones, which she calls “absolutely stunning.”
“When we graduated,” she said, “there was no such thing. Technology had come so far.
But Kira, who majored in psychology, preferred real graduation.
“I think it’s cute,” she said. “It’s nice that they’re doing something. But it doesn’t replace graduation.
Times photographer Gina Ferazzi contributed to this report.
