USC Annenberg 2026 Commencement Program

COMMENCEMENT May 15, 2026 University of Southern California Alumni Memorial Park

DEAN’S WELCOME Willow Bay, Dean, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication

INTRODUCTION Sophie Flay ’18, Correspondent and Co-Anchor, ABC News

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Gold Medalist, Best-Selling Author, Philanthropist and Investor

PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES AND DOCTORAL, MASTER’S AND BACHELOR’S DIPLOMAS Willow Bay Gordon Stables, Director of Schools and Clinical Professor Allyson Hill, Associate Dean of Admissions

CLOSING REMARKS Willow Bay As a gift from Dean Bay, graduates will receive one complimentary photo from the ceremony. GradImages will reach out and provide more information via email.

FLAG BEARER Dylan Brashier, Bachelor of Arts, Journalism

BANNER BEARER Alyssa Valdez, Master of Arts, Specialized Journalism

ACADEMIC PROGRAM DIRECTORS Daniela Baroffio, Clinical Associate 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 & CoDirector, 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; Brad Shipley, Clinical Professor & Associate Director, Digital Social Media program; Burghardt Tenderich, Professor of Professional Practice & Co-Director, 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

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Lindsey Vonn Olympic Gold Medalist, Best-Selling Author, Philanthropist and Investor

O

ne of the most decorated athletes in history, Lindsey Vonn is a master storyteller who has created a global media platform shaped by the lessons of sport, struggle and reinvention. Through books, documentaries, digital channels and business ventures, she has built a career defined by how athletes communicate and shape their own narratives.

CONTINUED COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Across her career, Vonn has combined physical audacity with emotional openness — a duality that has earned her worldwide admiration and lasting influence. With three Olympic medals, eight World Cup season titles, and four overall World Cup championships, she is widely regarded as one of the greatest ski racers of all time.

Across a nearly 25-year career, she returned from repeated injuries, including a torn ACL and critical nerve damage in her arm, to remain at the top of the sport.

After retiring in 2019 and undergoing a partial knee replacement, Vonn returned to elite competition in 2024, marking a comeback that drew widespread international attention. In the 2025–26 season ahead of the Milan Cortina Olympics, she earned seven podium finishes in eight races, including two victories at St. Moritz and Zauchensee.

Beyond competition, her work extends across publishing, production, digital media, philanthropy and investment.

She is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Strong Is the New Beautiful (2016) and her memoir Rise: My Story (2022), which chronicles both her athletic career and personal journey. Her HBO documentary, Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season, traces her journey from her childhood in Minnesota to the World Championships in Åre, Sweden, in 2019. That same year, she founded Après Productions, a company focused on stories centered on sport, women and perseverance, including PICABO, a documentary she co-directed about Olympic champion Picabo Street.

Vonn has also been an early and active user of social media to engage audiences and shape her public narrative. Across platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, she has documented her training, injuries and return to competition, while sharing personal perspectives and values. She has spoken about the role of digital platforms in allowing athletes to connect directly with fans and build long-term success beyond competition.

Through the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, she supports girls through scholarships, education and athletics. She is an investor in the National Women’s Soccer League teams the Utah Royals and Angel City FC, and has spoken about taking a valuesdriven approach to partnerships and supporting the growth of women’s sports.

Academic Honors

Student Recognition

USC STEVEN AND KATHRYN SAMPLE RENAISSANCE SCHOLARS

ORDER OF TROY Taylor Altman Nathan Elias Melissa Grimaldo Ranay Sah Sophie Sullivan

Julia Marie-Françoise Alexander Donal Christopher Buckley Francesca Angelici Capaldi Aubrie Anne Cole Indira Raquel Escobar Ainsley Aidan Ferrell Marissa Marie Hein Mai Kaufman Mallory Michelle North Michelle Wee Ziyan Zhou DISCOVERY SCHOLARS Mallory Michelle North Ranay Vivek Sah GLOBAL SCHOLARS Julia Marie-Françoise Alexander*

ORDER OF THE LAUREL AND THE PALM

Tiffany Wang ORDER OF ARÊTE

Maria del Carmen Leyva-Hernandez USC MAIN STAGE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY STUDENT SPEAKER

Kash Amos

*Denotes prize winner

School of Journalism Awards OUTSTANDING BA JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)

DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE (GRADUATE)

Kristle Adler

Jasmine Kwok and Katherine Simons OUTSTANDING BA JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)

CENTER FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS RESEARCH AWARD (GRADUATE)

India Starr

Stephen Knobel and Charlotte Calmes OUTSTANDING BA PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)

NORMAN CORWIN AWARD FOR SERVICE AND SCHOLARSHIP

Sophie Sullivan

Stephanie Ofilada

PENNY LERNOUX AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL REPORTING AWARD

OUTSTANDING BA PUBLIC RELATIONS SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)

Lizbeth Solorzano

Taylor Altman

JACK LANGGUTH FIRST AMENDMENT AWARD

DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE (UNDERGRADUATE)

Valeria Macias

Tomoki Chien

BRYCE NELSON AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED JOURNALISM

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)

Tomoki Chien

Marie-Anne Harrigan OUTSTANDING GRADUATE JOURNALISM SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)

Alyssa Valdez OUTSTANDING PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING SCHOLAR AWARD (ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE)

Sierra Sohn OUTSTANDING PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING SCHOLAR AWARD (RECOGNITION)

Xiaolin Zhao

Academic Honors COMMUNICATIONS DEPT. HONORS

PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPT. HONORS

Zaina Tamer Dabbous Maya Natalia Din Indira R. Escobar Shantala Muruganujan Mallory Michelle North Ben Andrew Robel Diya Srivastava Alice Shu Emily Kathryn Vargas

Taylor Alyene Minfang Altman Selena Angeles Kasi Shamia Za'Rae Brown Dorothy Paige Castanon Shaan Dhaliwal Marissa Marie Hein Taylor Paige Kaplan Van Luu Stephanie Pegoraro Ofilada Dahlia Nasser Tarazi

JOURNALISM DEPT. HONORS Kailee Bryant Charlotte Calmes Lily Coleman Nick Corral Zaina Tamer Dabbous David Herrera Stephen Knobel Jasmine Kwok Kim Ly Alia Noll Katie Simons Kate Stuzin Sophie Sullivan Ana Susman Robert Westermann Aidan Williams

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