University of Southern California Shrine Auditorium
DEAN’S WELCOME
Willow Bay, Dean, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Jane Fonda, Academy Award-winning Actor, Producer, Author and Activist
PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES AND DOCTORAL, MASTER’S AND BACHELOR’S DIPLOMAS
Willow Bay
Hector Amaya, Director, School of Communication and Professor
Gordon Stables, Director, School of Journalism and Clinical Professor
CLOSING REMARKS
Willow Bay
All graduates are invited to continue to celebrate with family, friends, faculty and staff with a reception at Alumni Park South.
Graduates can redeem one complimentary photo from the ceremony. GradImages will provide more information via email.
FLAG BEARER
Anthony Moon (BA, Public Relations and Advertising)
BANNER BEARER
Ruby Chang (MCG, Communication Management)
ACADEMIC PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Daniela Baroffio, Clinical Professor & Director, Digital Social Media program; Melanie Cherry, Associate Professor of Professional Practice & Associate Director, Public Relations and Advertising (BA) program; David Craig, Associate Professor & Director, Global Media and Communication program; Hernan Galperin, Professor & Director, Doctoral Studies; Oscar Garza, Professor of Professional Practice & Director, Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture) program; Rebecca Haggerty, Professor of Professional Practice & Associate Director, Journalism (BA) program; Lisa Pecot-Hébert, Professor of Professional Practice & Director, Journalism (MS) program; Joseph Itaya, Associate Professor of Professional Practice & Director, Digital Media Management program; Monica Koyama, Associate Professor of Professional Practice & Co-Director, Communication Management program; Ben Lee, Clinical Professor of Communication & Associate Director, Communication Management program; Freddy Tran Nager, Clinical Associate Professor & Associate Director, Digital Social Media program; Courtney Pade, Clinical Associate Professor & Co-Director, Communication Management program; Jillian Pierson, Clinical Professor & Director, Undergraduate Communication Studies; Burghardt Tenderich, Professor of Professional Practice & CoDirector, Public Relations and Advertising program; Director, Public Relations, Strategy, Innovation and Management program; Sandy Tolan, Professor & Director, Specialized Journalism program; Jay Wang, Associate Professor & Director, Public Diplomacy program
Jane Fonda
Academy
Award-winning Actor, Producer, Author and Activist
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Jane Fonda has used the power of communication as a tool for deeper human connection. The two-time Academy Award winner has starred in more than 50 films while making significant contributions to advancing causes such as women’s rights, Native Americans’ rights and climate action. Most recently, Fonda received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the TIME Magazine Earth Award.
In what she calls her “Third Act,” Fonda is driven by a sense of urgency and responsibility to protect the future of the planet through her work on climate awareness and justice. She started Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement to protest government inaction on climate change, in partnership with Greenpeace USA. In addition, she launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. Her latest book, What Can I Do?: The Truth About Climate Change and How to Fix It, details her personal journey with the movement and provides solutions for communities to combat the climate crisis.
Fonda has also focused her philanthropic efforts on social justice and gender equality. She co-founded the Women’s Media Center to raise the visibility, viability and decision-making power of women and girls in media, and established the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential to promote youth health and education, raising $1 million to mark her 85th birthday.
Fonda’s film and TV roles have challenged societal norms, giving voice to complex, empowered women in stories that reflect and shape cultural conversations. From Klute and Coming Home to Grace and Frankie, her performances have tackled issues like feminism, war, aging, and personal resilience. She is a seven-time Golden Globe winner and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2021. She accepted the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
Academic Honors
PHI BETA KAPPA
UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
USC STEVEN AND KATHRYN
SAMPLE RENAISSANCE SCHOLARS
Lauren Amico
Bianca Beatriz Arzan Montanez
Kathryn Grace Aurelio
Sullivan James Barthel
Miguel Siscar Bernas
Brooke Bowling
Kylie Conlon
Grace Caroline Davies
Gabriel Norman Douglas
Josh Timothy Flowers
Katelyn Kiyomi Ikemoto
Sara Maria Coppelia Kahn
Mia Bella Lima
Jiani (Kelly) Liu*
Nya Arabou Manneh
Nina Matos Moothedath*
Danely Alejandra Olmos
Irene Sohyun Park
Gabrielle Ripka
Yana Savitsky
Aadhya Sivakumar
Vicky Song
Nicole Tisnes
Carina Vo-Ta
Nicole Yeaton
DISCOVERY SCHOLARS
Sarah Arencibia
Lyla Holland Bhalla-Ladd
Olivia Catherine Bohler
Katelyn Kiyomi Ikemoto
Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
Abigail Claire Rawlinson
GLOBAL SCHOLARS
Kylie Leung
Nya Arabou Manneh
ORDER OF TROY
Kimberly Aguirre
Olivia Catherine Bohler
Stefano Fendrich
Nataly Lozano
Hadyn Phillips
ORDER OF THE LAUREL AND THE PALM
Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
*Denotes prize winner
CONTINUED
Academic Honors
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AWARDS
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Maggie Parsley
Abigail Rawlinson
Blake Stauffer
Case Wilson
Janey Zhang
Rita Zhang
INNOVATION AWARD
Dalei Xu
Sam Noonan
CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD
Olivia Catherine Bohler
Academic Honors
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AWARDS
OUTSTANDING BA JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)
Kassydi Rone
OUTSTANDING BA JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Julia Zara
OUTSTANDING BA PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)
Ella Bittman
OUTSTANDING BA PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Yanshu (Yuki) Zhao
DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE (UNDERGRADUATE)
Martina Ibrichimova
OUTSTANDING MS IN JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)
Daniella Lake
OUTSTANDING MS IN JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Matthew Royer
OUTSTANDING SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)
Elissa Mardiney
OUTSTANDING SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Erick Trevino
OUTSTANDING SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM (ARTS AND CULTURE) SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)
Hannah Litman CONTINUED
OUTSTANDING SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM (ARTS AND CULTURE)
SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Divya Subbiah
OUTSTANDING PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE):
Salma Al-Khairi
OUTSTANDING PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)
Dylan Macy
DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE (GRADUATE)
Michael Kittilson
NORMAN CORWIN AWARD FOR SERVICE AND SCHOLARSHIP
Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
PENNY LERNOUX AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL REPORTING AWARD
Brier Evans
JACK LANGGUTH FIRST AMENDMENT AWARD
Enzo Luna
BRYCE NELSON AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED JOURNALISM
Benjamin Royer
Academic Honors
COMMUNICATION DEPT.
HONORS
Liv Catherine Bohler
Katie Kiyomi Ikemoto
Maria Guadalupe Robles
Gabriel Jia Rui Shen
Alice Shu
Ricky Wang
Jane Yang
JOURNALISM DEPT. HONORS
Lyla Holland Bhalla-Ladd
Laurie Anne Carrillo
Jenny Ann Brown
Maya Lauren Gomes
Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
Jinny Kim
Marcel Amani Lacey
Drake Ryan Lee
Hali James Mecklin
Nina Matos Moothedath
Kassydi Renice Rone
Quinten Seghers
Jack Smith
Taryn Maria Tighe Snyder
Julia Mari Zara
Ethan Yu-Sun Huang
PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPT. HONORS
Charlotte Grace Anderson
Osagie Ehime Anetor
Kathryn Grace Aurelio
Jose “Miguel” Bernas
Kate Elise Cho
Kymia De’Jon Freeman
Martina Ibrichimova
Bianca Beatriz Arzan Montanez
Kiana Marie Ong
Hadyn Hadyn Phillips
Zianna Morales Razon
Jason William Saperstone
Aadhya Sivakumar
Nicole A. Tisnes
Alyssa Devorah Wallack
Yuki Zhao
Annenberg alumni family!
You are now part of an incredible group of over 23,000 USC Annenberg alumni across the globe that are influencing and transforming the world every day.
As alumni, you have access to USC Annenberg benefits, including events and activities designed for your needs. Whether it’s through networking, social or professional development opportunities, we are here to support you.
Visit us at annenberg.usc.edu/alumni
Stay connected to the USC Annenberg family through our social media networks:
