For USC Students, A Graduation With Less Pomp Than Circumstance

It's been a peculiar graduation season for many local university students, but that's not a new experience for them, either.

Four years ago, many found themselves without a traditional high school graduation ceremony (or college ceremony, for graduate students) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Late last month, the University of Southern California cancelled its traditional central graduation ceremony after protests related to the Israel-Hamas War began on campus. (Each of the university’s individual schools also have their own ceremonies, which remained in place.)

As an alternative, the university added a new event, a "Trojan Family Graduate Celebration," which took place in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night.

LAist attended and asked graduates how they felt to be there.

Interviews were edited for length and clarity.

An Asian man with light skin wears a cardinal and gold sweater that says USC

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William Zhu graduated high school in 2020. He used to have no idea what he'd do, but says he has a lot of career goals now.

"I just feel blessed, after all these protests. We made it, that's the best thing. I'm still excited."

A woman with light skin wears a varsity jacket with the letters SC on the front.

USC graduate Emma Adamson

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Brian Feinzimer

LAist

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A see-thru case carried by USC graduate Emma Adamson

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Brian Feinzimer

LAist

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Like so many others, Emma Adamson had a drive-thru high school graduation.

"We drove up with my family in a car to the front of my school, I walked across the stage, got back in my car and drove off, and then we went to Starbucks. So it was very anti-climactic."

She says she tries to take a positive attitude about her USC graduation, since she can't change the circumstances. But it's "very full circle... Honestly, I thought it was kind of funny because it's just so typical for our class. We're just the class of cursed graduations at this point."

But, she says: "Still a Trojan for life."

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A young woman with light brown skin wears a black sweatshirt that says USC on it.

Cecilia Coronado is a USC graduate student. She's happy that there's a way to celebrate family — "family and support has been a big help."

This is a bittersweet experience but she's trying to find the silver lining. "I want to take a moment to appreciate the accomplishments of all the graduates right now but I can't forget all the ridiculous atrocities happening around the world."

When USC comes asking for a donation, though: "F— no. You guys have all my money already. We get nothing for free. Maybe if — when — when I make it big they might get a little something."

A woman with medium-dark brown skin wears a red coat that says Trojans on it. She uses her right hand to throw up a V sign.

Gabrielle Annon recalled her high school graduation. "It was a YouTube ceremony. So I graduated from my living room. My last name starts with A, and they had some technical difficulties so I never heard my name called."

She says the whole experience this spring has been surreal, but appreciated that USC tried to do something special. "No other class can say they got something like this so I'm excited."

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A young woman with light brown skin wears a cardinal v-neck sweatshirt that says USC in bright gold letters.

Anusha S. is a USC Annenberg graduate who's staying excited for her departmental graduation ceremony.

She also helped cover the recent campus protests for Annenberg Media. "It was a mix of fear, because I was not sure what was happening and what was going to happen to us."

She says she's disappointed with how the university has handled the situation — "like collective punishment." The last week of getting through classes has been hard: "You have to go through multiple checks, they check your bag, it feels like a violation of privacy," but she can't do anything about it. "It feels like they don't listen to us."

A young man with light brown skin wears a black graduation gown decked out with cardinal and gold USC regalia.

USC Graduate Christopher Luis

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Brian Feinzimer

LAist

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A picture of regalia adorning a USC graduate. A medal at the front says "First Generation."

USC graduate Christopher Luis

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Brian Feinzimer

LAist

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Christopher Luis gave his high school's valedictorian speech in 2020 over Zoom. "I do feel the physical component that wasn't there, I'm finally getting to enjoy that here."

Luis says he feels like he's in a life-comes-at-you-fast kind of place, but is excited to be here with his family. "USC gave me the opportunity to pursue my higher education and I'm really grateful for that."

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"I'd just like to congratulate the class of 2024," he says, adding: "Fight on."

An Asian woman with light skin wears a brown coat. The wind is gently blowing her hair.

Megan Serizawa says that for all the turmoil, it's a unique experience. "I'm excited to be here with my family and my boyfriend and share this time with my class."

And unlike her 2020 high school graduation, "at least we all get to be together without masks and stuff."

"It just seems like [USC is] trying to keep the peace so that they get their donations but they should be doing more, like letting our valedictorian speak," she says.

A woman with light brown skin poses for a portrait. She wears a large blue and white coat over a white t-shirt that has the USC "Fight On" symbol.

Kelsey Goldbach has made her peace with what's happened this spring. "I'm just trying to enjoy today, and tomorrow when I actually graduate."

Her high school graduation was a prerecorded slideshow. She sat in her kitchen in her cap and gown with her family. This time, "at least I'm not graduating over a slideshow."

If the university comes asking for money, "to be totally honest, I'm probably not going to give anything, at least until I see some change by the administration."

Brian Feinzimer is a freelance photographer.

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For USC Students, A Graduation With Less Pomp Than Circumstance

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