Outgoing USCAA Board of Governors president named USC Trustee


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Cancer researcher and the soon to be former president of the Alumni Association Board of Governors Amy Ross was elected to the Board of Trustees on Wednesday.

A first generation college student, Ross attended California State University, Northridge before receiving her Ph.D. in experimental pathology from the Keck School of Medicine in 1986.

Following her graduation from Keck, Ross became a technician in the pathology department at Keck. She then went on to become a senior vice president at Nexell Therapeutics and served as a biologist at the California Institute of Technology.

“Quite honestly, if it hadn’t been for the wonderful education I received at USC, I would not have had this career,” Ross told USC Trojan Family in 2014.

In addition to her career in pathology, Ross has been a champion for LGBT rights at USC and in the outside community. Ross was one of the founding members of the USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association in 1992, the university’s first alumni group of its kind, aimed at connecting and supporting LGBT students and alumni. Through the Lambda Alumni Association, Ross also endowed a scholarship in 2000, now called the Amy Ross Scholarship in LGBT Health Studies, intended for students who have shown a commitment to LGBT health and wellness.

During her time as the president of the Alumni Association Board of Governors, Ross focused on contributing to the $6 billion Campaign for USC through scholarships. She also aimed to broaden the alumni network and reach out to other universities to compare ideas on how to improve the alumni experience.

Ross is also a member of many other campus organizations, including the USC Trojan Society of Hospitals, Women of Troy and Town and Gown of USC.

As a trustee, she plans to focus on aiding USC in the university’s efforts to improve its standing in academic and research communities.

“USC has supported me throughout my career,” Ross told USC News. “I’m just paying a little of that back.”

President C. L. Max Nikias said that Ross’ many years of dedication to the university will make her a valuable addition to the board of trustees.

“Amy Ross has been an exceptional leader for the USC community and a passionate supporter of our Trojan Family,” Nikias told USC News. “Her expertise and tireless dedication to the university will be invaluable to me and our Board of Trustees, and I am certain USC will benefit tremendously from her singular ability to build relationships and strengthen connections among our community.”