It took a community

When Ruth Chung, her spouse, and two sons settled into their apartment at Cale and Irani Residential College within USC Village eight years ago, the recently constructed housing and retail complex next to the University Park Campus was largely unoccupied. Chung, a clinical education professor at USC Rossier School of Education, recollects that the trees were mere seedlings, the Fubon Fountain was still being built, and businesses such as Target and Trader Joe’s had yet to open their doors.

From their fifth-floor living area overlooking the central piazza, Chung — one of the village’s initial faculty in residence members — and her family observed the development of the complex from a series of vacant structures into a lively center accommodating 2,700 students across eight residential colleges and providing Trojans and local residents with a wide array of places to dine, shop, and socialize. The trees have now grown into a lush canopy, and the bubbling fountain serves as a central feature of vibrant community activities, from jazz nights and yoga sessions to study gatherings over matcha lattes.

“I adore the ebb and flow of the village life,” Chung expresses. “I cherish having a front-row perspective of the entire plaza.”

However, Chung ­— whose term as a faculty in residence (FIR) concludes this spring — has not simply been an observer of the village’s transformation. She has contributed to the nurturing of the community’s development alongside fellow FIR colleagues who also lived and collaborated with students in USC Village’s residential colleges throughout the same timeframe.

The faculty next door

Across
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At USC’s 14 residential colleges, there are 17 faculty in residence, each serving a maximum tenure of eight years. Along with USC’s residential education personnel and resident assistants, these full-time faculty members act as mentors, advisors, and advocates for students, promoting the development of an academic focus within their individual communities. In return, the FIRs reside in specially designed apartments within the residential colleges at no cost and receive a food allowance, but no extra remuneration.

USC’s residential college framework is modeled after comparable systems at British and Ivy League institutions. FIRs undergo a stringent application process and are selected for their accessibility, adaptability, and dedication to education beyond the conventional structure, among other attributes. Faculty members living with students fosters student interaction with faculty in their living spaces and lays the groundwork for improved relationships with other faculty in classrooms and labs. The USC Village residential colleges uniquely position living areas on the upper levels of a commercial center that draws not only Trojans but also visitors from local communities.

In addition to Chung, the “last first residents” bidding farewell to the village include Broderick Leaks, a clinical professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and director of counseling and mental health services at USC Student Health, along with Trisha Tucker, a writing professor at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

“I applaud the contributions these FIRs made to help us literally construct a village,” remarks Monique S. Allard, vice president for student life. “They helped cultivate a space where students can feel at home and connect with one another. They’ve established a legacy here for all of us to uphold and advance.”

Fostering community

When it opened in 2017, USC Village consisted of six structures spanning 15 acres, increasing the University Park Campus footprint by nearly a third. Suite-style accommodations are situated on the upper floors, with retail spaces on the ground level. Additional student amenities include an A-frame dining hall adorned with custom stained-glass windows and Gothic-style seating, outdoor lounges, and a 30,000-square-foot gymnasium.

Together with USC’s residential education personnel and resident assistants, FIRs arrange lectures, group outings, and dinners to foster intellectual and communal connections among students in each college community. Being part of the initial FIR group at the village presented a unique chance for Chung, Leaks, and Tucker. “We had the opportunity to help shape its culture and traditions,” says Chung.

They initiated a weekly “Tuesday’s Tea” event for students featuring guest speakers and treats like red velvet cupcakes and boba tea from the village’s Yoboseyo! Superette. Activities such as hikes to the Hollywood sign, explorations of Los Angeles neighborhoods, movie nights, and funnel cake-making were among the events led by these engaging FIRs.

For many USC students residing at the village during its first eight years, such activities created lasting bonds. Danya Fatehi ’23, MS ’24, moved into Cale and Irani Residential College in January 2019, when she commenced her first year. As a spring admit to USC, she was apprehensive about making connections. The dinners that Chung hosted in her apartment for spring admits facilitated Fatehi’s transition. “Dr. Chung fostered a very supportive atmosphere,” notes Fatehi, a psychometrist planning to attend the Marriage and Family Therapy master’s program at USC Rossier in 2026. “At those dinners, I formed friendships that remain to this day.”

Tucker, who acted as FIR at the all-freshman McCarthy Honors Residential College, remarks that while event programming has been a key aspect of her role, many of her most memorable moments with students occurred informally. “A significant part of my role is engaging with students in casual settings,” she shares, recalling spontaneous conversations in hallways and elevators. “I inquire about things like, ‘How are finals going?’ ‘What was your spring break experience?’ and ‘What challenges are you facing right now?’”

Simran Sandhu ’23 lived in McCarthy during her first year and valued having Tucker as both her FIR and instructor in Thematic Option courses. “Her warmth, wisdom, and constant presence transformed our dorm into a home,” reflects Sandhu, now a student at Stanford Law School. “Whether hosting a gathering in her apartment or chatting with us in the hallway or lobby, she made McCarthy feel like a place where we were truly cared for.”

Varied expressions of family life

Chung, Leaks, and Tucker all welcomed students into their families’ apartments and everyday lives in distinct ways. “Family life appears different for each of us,” states Tucker.

Six years ago, she and her spouse brought home a pug puppy named Pugsly to strengthen relationships with students. Pugsly became an adored presence at McCarthy and throughout the village, often seen at the Great Lawn for walks. “Students embraced her and kind of made her their own,” says Tucker.

Leaks’ two children have grown up in the village. When he and his wife moved into the Nemirovsky, Bohnett, and McMorrow residential colleges, their son Maxwell was just eight years old, the youngest student on the premises. Two years later, their daughter Alanis was born, taking her first steps in the hallways of the buildings. This coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the residential colleges temporarily empty as many students returned home. “Each day, we chose a different floor for her to explore,” Leaks reminisces.

While Leaks appreciated the tranquility during students’ absence, he acknowledges that the village lacked its vibrancy without them. “The ambiance when the students are back truly energizes the place,” he states. “The way USC students have engaged with and embraced my children during our time here has been extraordinary.”

Leaks recalls that former resident Karla Santoyo ’20 assisted…
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his child, who was enrolled in a bilingual immersion institution, practiced Spanish.

“Having a family like Professor Leaks’ residing in the dormitory made the community feel more bonded and intimate,” states Santoyo, now a medical student at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. “It fostered a cozy, family-like ambiance that reminded us of home and introduced a different kind of energy to campus life. His son brought warmth to the community — akin to having a little brother around.”

Both of Chung’s children attended and graduated from USC during her FIR duration. While her children lived in dormitories other than Cale and Irani as USC scholars, they would often return to Chung’s apartment to visit — especially, according to Chung, when they longed for home-cooked meals.

Chung deliberately took steps to create an inviting environment in her apartment for both her family and students. “I put considerable effort into truly personalizing it and making it very inviting,” Chung shares. Additionally, her family adopted a dog — a cockapoo named Coco — during her FIR period to “enhance the feeling of home and familiarity,” she explains.

The social core of USC

Throughout the years, USC Village has developed into the social hub of the University Park Campus. “I believe the village genuinely serves as the heart of the entire university,” Chung declares. “It serves as a wonderful gathering spot for students, staff, faculty, and the community, in ways that I think have been truly transformative for USC.”

From her living room window, Chung observes the lines at Dulce and Trader Joe’s change. With her view of the Great Lawn, Tucker sees various groups participating in activities ranging from soccer to sword fighting and gymnastics. Late at night, Leaks notices weekly poker nights and friends dining and studying together.

“The village felt like the ideal place to begin college: bustling, social, and brimming with opportunities,” Sandhu reminisces.

Fatehi agrees. “Even if you’re spending your Saturday studying, you glance out the window and still sense you’re part of a larger community,” she states.

That feeling of unity has extended to the village’s FIRs, who referred to themselves as the “Village People.”

“We share a unique bond because of the village’s boundaries,” Chung mentions, highlighting that they connected over progressive dinners, karaoke nights, and more.

“The connections formed through our shared responsibilities are, to me, enduring relationships and lifelong memories,” Leaks remarks.

Transitioning out, moving forward

Wrapping up their tenure and departing the village is a bittersweet experience for the last first residents. Tucker notes she’ll miss students stopping by to pet Pugsly but is thrilled to introduce the pug to new adventures in northeast L.A., where she and her husband are settling into a townhome.

Leaks and his wife bought their first home in the San Gabriel Valley, a source of pride and excitement — especially for their daughter, who has thus far known no other home than USC Village. However, he’ll miss the daily exchanges with students. “Being one of the first residents here at the village was truly a remarkable experience,” Leaks reflects.

Chung is relocating to the South Bay and will miss having the University Park Campus as her backyard. “Overall, our family has been profoundly grateful for this exceptional opportunity to be part of such a vibrant environment,” she shares.