It Takes a Village: USC and the Community


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Click here to explore our Spring 2016 supplement,  “It Takes a Village: USC and the Community.”

With roots in a crowded, historic community, USC is not just located in South Central L.A. — it is partnered with it. Given its recent surge in fundraising and expansion via the USC Village and push toward greater prominence in Southern California, the University’s impact on the surrounding area is more significant than ever.

With youth educational opportunities, outreach initiatives and Dept. of Public Safety patrols of the neighborhood, USC takes an active role as a positive influence. But gentrification, rental prices and the University’s massive appetite for space and housing, while in the best interests of the student body, can take its toll on local businesses and families. As USC spends more than half a million dollars on a major redevelopment project and aims to raise $6 billion by 2018, its momentum as a major educational and cultural hub in Los Angeles will only increase. And as the largest private employer in the entire city, USC fosters a community that extends far beyond student life.

In this supplemental issue of the Daily Trojan, we look at USC’s impact on local families and businesses. We consider the effect of the University on housing and rental prices, and its initiatives to improve the health, safety, and educational opportunities of the local community. Most importantly, we ask the question of what we can and should do in order to create a better environment for the Trojan Family that surrounds our campus.

Burke Gibson & Julia Poe

Features Editors, Spring 2016