Watching the demolition of the East Wing of the White House is not a typical occurrence for the average USC student. But for freshmen in the First Semester in D.C program, which debuted this year, they could witness it on their everyday commute to class. 

“You will always know what’s going on, in politics, in the news, because it is just happening in our backyard,” said Emilie Brewer, a freshman majoring in international relations. “I can walk to the White House and see what’s going on there, because they were demolishing the East Wing, so I could just go and see what was going on.”

This year, the program’s inaugural class has 57 spring admits choosing to spend the fall semester on USC’s Capital Campus. The program was available for all freshmen admitted for the Spring 2026 semester.

The current cohort fulfilled several of their general education requirements through classes grounded in leadership, business, history and globalization. Students live in apartment-style housing about 20 minutes away from campus by public transit. The Capital Campus is home to alumni events for students to meet Trojans who have experienced the D.C. workforce first-hand, including Charles Bolden, former NASA Administrator.

Shreya Chirravuri, a freshman majoring in behavioral economics and psychology, said the program is unique in the tight-knit community it fosters, something that she said may not be as easily found in Los Angeles. The University Park Campus houses almost 3,800 freshmen, with USC expecting to enroll an additional 500 to 600 spring admits.

“We all live in the same apartment complex. We all go to school together; our campus is one building, and our classes are usually just on one singular floor, so we all take the same courses and have the same professors,” Chirravuri said. “Usually when we go out in the city, it’s together. We have really gotten to know each other very well. This has definitely served our freshman experience to be very different and more unique compared to the freshman experience in L.A.”

USC provided all Capital Campus freshmen with UPasses for a flat fee — a mandatory fee included in the program enrollment charge — to navigate the city via Metrorail and Metrobus with unlimited rides. Brewer said this has helped her gain access to the greater Washington, D.C., area, allowing her to experience much of what the city has to offer.  

“The museums [are] all free, which is really cool. It’s really nice to just be able to visit the African American History Museum or the National Gallery of Art,” said Brewer. “It is a city on the smaller side, so it can be kind of repetitive sometimes; it can be a little overwhelming in that way, if you’re not into politics, but overall, there’s a decent amount to do.”

While Brewer said she appreciated how accessible the program made the district, she said she was unsure about how well it prepared her for her spring semester at UPC. 

“The main thing about being here is that it’s been a little bit difficult with us being the first cohort that’s here,” Brewer said. “It had some challenges with course registration and advising. We did get earlier course registration than regular admits get. We have had a decent amount of support with knowing what to expect on the main campus.”

The program is open to freshmen of all majors, not just those grounded in politics. 

Elyse Levine, the executive director of the Capital Campus, believes that students in the cohort have gained a broader worldview through this program. She said that students have taken advantage of everything Washington, D.C. has to offer.

“Students went to Congress, [where] there was a big vote, and some of them sat in the gallery on Capitol Hill to watch [it],” Levine said. “It just really expanded their horizons in a way that they didn’t even think about. Coming to D.C. for your first semester as a freshman, you get so engaged in the world, and D.C. has so many industries, no matter what you do. Our students will be going back to L.A. with a broader mindset because they did their first semester here.”

Amy Morrill Bijeau, the director of academic programs at the Capital Campus, said students got unexpected opportunities for involvement due to the second Trump administration’s impact on D.C.  

“Students have risen to the occasion with challenges [such as] the unexpected government shutdown,” Bijeau said. “Students were there to witness history and they were able to chew on ideas and talk about concepts with faculty members who are so well versed and practiced in their disciplines, from history, anthropology, leadership and writing.”

According to the Capital Campus website, the program will be offered again in Fall 2026 for freshman spring admits. Fall admits can also apply for the program and are considered on a case-by-case basis.