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USC President Carol Folt’s bold “moonshot” objectives have contributed to solidifying the university’s status as a frontrunner in advanced computing, health sciences, athletics, and beyond. (Illustration/Daniele Simonelli)
University
Mission: Achievable
When USC president Carol Folt presented her bold “moonshot” initiatives, she was aware they would transform USC into a premier choice for students, faculty, and staff seeking meaningful work, cooperative learning, and innovative exploration.
USC President Carol Folt articulated her aspirations for her “moonshots” at her inaugural in-person State of the University speech in 2022: “I envision these as bold, extensive plans for cross-organization collaboration in essential domains.” By mapping out USC’s future and capitalizing on its unmatched scale, scope, diversity, and excellence, Folt has guided the university toward becoming America’s “institution of institutions.” Continue reading to discover how significantly these ambitious endeavors have advanced.
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BOUNDARIES OF COMPUTING
The USC Boundaries of Computing initiative is a more than $1 billion commitment that expands upon USC’s half-century legacy of creativity, utilizing its leadership in advanced computing research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics. It positions the university as a hub for talent that can apply cutting-edge solutions to some of the globe’s greatest challenges. The initiative advocates for a surge of artificial
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infusing intelligence into every school of the university to ignite innovation, creativity, and teamwork for the benefit of society.
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- The university introduced its 23rd school, the USC School of Advanced Computing, as part of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Furthermore, USC aims to expand its presence in Silicon Beach within the West L.A. region. The curriculum will also highlight the significance of technology ethics, particularly in the area of AI.
- USC holds the title of No. 1 research institution in the nation for total computer science degrees awarded.
- The preliminary $260 million funding for the ambitious project encompassed resources to recruit new faculty, facilitated by Folt’s reimagining of a donation from the Lord Foundation of California; thus, the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering received a new name.
- The USC Center for Generative AI and Society was established in 2023 to address USC’s leading role in the responsible application of generative AI across various fields, including the arts and education.
- USC + Amazon Center on Secure and Trusted Machine Learning promotes research and innovative strategies in machine learning privacy and security.
- Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Human-Centered Computation Hall accommodates the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science and the USC School of Advanced Computing.
- The USC Marshall School of Business initiated the Business of Blockchain Initiative to enhance research, education, and industry collaboration in this domain.
- Andrew Viterbi contributed $10 million to the USC School of Advanced Computing for the recruitment of faculty and distinguished chairs.
- The School of Advanced Computing established an endowed chair in computer science and health, made possible through a $5 million donation from entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark A. Kolokotrones.
The world requires engineers and computer scientists to address the significant challenges we encounter. The new school will pursue this objective by creating revamped engineering curricula that also prioritize the ethics of technology in our rapidly evolving world.
— Dean of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Yannis C. Yortsos
HEALTH SCIENCES 3.0 
Through the Health Sciences 3.0 initiative, Folt established the Office of Health Affairs and appointed physician-scientist Steven Shapiro as the first senior vice president for health affairs to enhance cooperation among USC’s five health schools and its academic medical system, Keck Medicine of USC. This initiative also leverages the AI transformation and collaborative care to address the primary challenge in health care: achieving better outcomes at a reasonable cost.
By promoting innovative, team-oriented research and education across diverse areas like oncology, Alzheimer’s, aging, cardiac care, and artificial intelligence — to confront health care’s most pressing issues, the university’s health system has revolutionized care for communities surrounding USC and patients globally.
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- The USC health system experienced substantial growth during Folt’s leadership, including an eastward expansion with the 2022 acquisition of USC Arcadia Hospital in the San Gabriel Valley, transplant facilities in Las Vegas, and additional clinical sites in Pasadena.
- In 2022, Folt allocated $50 million from the Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering donation to name the USC Mann pharmacy school and $35 million to rename the Mann department of biomedical engineering.
- A $50 million collaborative donation to USC and the University of California, San Diego, from the Epstein Family Foundation in 2022 supports ongoing Alzheimer’s research and speeds up joint efforts to identify effective treatments and a cure. This contribution established the Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Research Collaboration at both institutions and facilitated the formation of the USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute.
- In 2024, the Weise family donated the Glendale Eye Medical Group to the USC Roski Eye Institute, expanding USC’s eye care services in the region. This gift established USC Roski Eye Institute-Glendale and introduced six new faculty members to the institute, including ophthalmologists specializing in glaucoma, retina, and comprehensive eye care, as well as three optometrists.
- Leonard D. Schaeffer and his spouse, Pamela, contributed $59 million to create the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service, which will enhance two remarkable programs — the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service.
- A $10 million contribution from USC Trustee Mark Stevens and his wife, Mary Stevens, established the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Center for Orthobiologics to expedite research into treatments for arthritis and joint injuries.
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We are shaping the future of healthcare by merging evidence-based insights with AI, exceptional intellects, and caring health professionals to provide the medicine of tomorrow today.
— USC Senior Vice President for Health Affairs Steven Shapiro
SUSTAINABILITY
USC’s Sustainability moonshot channels the university’s research, education, and community involvement to foster a healthy, fair, and prosperous world.
Since Folt assumed the presidency in 2019, USC has made considerable strides in sustainability. The president established the Presidential Working Group on Sustainability in Education, Research, and Operations and appointed the university’s inaugural chief sustainability officer, Mick Dalrymple, in 2021 to enhance and expand sustainability initiatives through cooperation within the USC community.
Folt’s initiative, Assignment: Earth, serves as a framework for sustainability actions across the university while fostering a more sustainable tomorrow.
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- USC introduced a new educational initiative aimed at integrating sustainability across various fields. The university now offers over 840 sustainability-focused courses.
- Following USC groundskeepers’ transition to electric-powered lawnmowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, and chainsaws, the American Green Zone Alliance designated USC University Park Campus as a “green zone” — marking it the first campus nationwide to receive this recognition.
- In 2022, USC prohibited single-use plastic beverage bottles, preventing over 5 million bottles from entering landfills to date. Instead, Trojans utilize hydration stations, water coolers, and fountains to refill.
- A new 1,500-square-foot Sustainability Hub at the University Park Campus launched in 2023, housing Assignment: Earth and other sustainability initiatives. It was also the venue for the announcement of the first Presidential Sustainability Fellows, postdoctoral researchers tackling multidisciplinary projects from the hub.
- The President’s Sustainability Internship Program currently provides 19 students with hands-on work experience applying their academic knowledge to create practical sustainability solutions using the USC campuses as experimental labs.
- Starting from 2021, USC has achieved a silver rating or above in its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) report, a standard for over 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities, evaluating how institutions approach environmental, social, and economic sustainability. USC obtained a gold rating in 2024.
- Keck Medicine of USC practitioners have revamped practices in operating rooms to substantially lessen the use of environmentally harmful anesthetics and replace disposable materials with reusable options whenever feasible.
- USC faculty not only investigate sustainable solutions but have also integrated more sustainable practices, materials, and equipment into their projects. This includes methodologies employed by scientists at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences to make lab environments greener and more energy-efficient by adopting safer chemicals, reducing pollution, and correctly disposing of waste.
- The USC Urban Trees Initiative, backed by the Bezos Earth Fund, unites the Trojan community to make informed choices about cultivating a resilient urban forest in Los Angeles.
- USC reduced water consumption by 25% by installing meters at the University Park and Health Sciences campuses and repairing leaks more promptly.
- USC has halved greenhouse gas emissions across both campuses since 2014.
- USC has increased campus-wide waste diversion to 54%; USC Hospitality has raised the proportion of food sourced from sustainable suppliers to 55%; and the university has decreased its lighting load by 60% by transitioning to energy-efficient LED systems.
- In 2024, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability secured a $4 million investment from Ballmer Group to initiate a new program focusing on climate and carbon management.
As a cornerstone institution in L.A. with a global influence, USC has both the opportunity and responsibility to explore and develop interdisciplinary sustainable strategies, equipping students with the means to implement these strategies throughout society in their selected professions, and to practice these strategies within our own campuses.
— USC Chief Sustainability Officer Mick Dalrymple
REIMAGINING ATHLETICS
The Reimagining Athletics moonshot empowers student-athletes across the university’s 23 sports programs to compete with integrity at the highest level both athletically and academically. This initiative — which builds upon the current successes of Trojan athletic programs — aims to enhance USC’s facilities and optimize space usage through innovative planning. Under Folt’s leadership, USC has entered its most transformative period of investment in athletic facility upgrades in the university’s history.
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- The moonshot was unveiled as the university made its landmark transition to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, resulting in additional resources
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- Faculty, personnel, and learners now gain from being part of the 18-member Big Ten Academic Alliance, which promotes the exchange of resources, infrastructure, and expertise.
- The moonshot has delivered top-tier academic assistance through essential hires, doubled the number of sports psychology practitioners, integrated athletic medicine with Keck Medicine of USC, and enhanced nutritional services provided to student-athletes. The university also introduced the Trojan Enrichment Program, which permits the utmost level of education-related financial aid to all student-athletes.
- USC’s student-athlete graduation success ratio reached 94% in 2024, marking the highest in the institution’s history. Thirteen of the university’s sports programs achieved a perfect rate of 100% during this period.
- Colich Track and Field Center was inaugurated in 2021 as the new base for the men’s and women’s track and field teams, featuring a Hall of Fame that highlights the programs’ remarkable achievements in NCAA championships and the Olympics.
- Allyson Felix Field was renamed in 2023.
- Rawlinson Stadium was introduced for the USC women’s lacrosse and soccer squads in 2023, following a donation from the Fritz B. Burns Foundation combined with contributions from Folt’s presidential fund and various other benefactors.
- USC concluded an 18-month, $315 million upgrade of the L.A. Memorial Coliseum during Folt’s administration. This extensive renovation includes a cutting-edge press box, new seating throughout the venue, and an updated locker room for the home side.
- A $50 million contribution from the Ronald H. Bloom family in late 2024 elevated athletic facility investments during Folt’s leadership to over $200 million in total. The donation will finance the Bloom Football Performance Center.
- Folt initiated a transformation of the Galen Center in 2024 to enhance the game day atmosphere.
- Dedeaux Field, the home venue for USC baseball, will undergo substantial improvements, including increased capacity, a dedicated meeting space for the team, a brand-new press area, offices for coaching and support staff, and enhancements for the fan experience.
- The John McKay Center will see future advancements for all student-athletes, including an expanded dining area and an upgraded golf practice facility.
- The moonshot was unveiled as the university made its landmark transition to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, resulting in additional resources
Being a member of the Big Ten will allow us to invest further in the student-athlete experience by providing us with enhanced resources; to forge exciting new rivalries with similar institutions; to celebrate and disseminate our legendary traditions with Trojans nationwide and with upcoming generations of fans; and to afford our student-athletes and university unprecedented national visibility and opportunities.
— USC Athletic Director Jen Cohen
USC COMPETES
The USC Competes initiative allows USC to attract, retain, and support students, faculty, and staff. By becoming a national leader in accessibility, affordability, and debt reduction, the university can pull in the most promising students to flourish and achieve their academic, professional, and personal aspirations. USC Competes also embodies the university’s aim to lead in progress and innovation.
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- Within three months of her arrival at USC, Folt initiated her Affordability Initiative.
- Over the past six years, USC witnessed 69 faculty inducted into the national academies of medicine, engineering, sciences, inventors, and education, along with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- In 2023, the university launched Advise USC, allowing all academic advisors across USC’s 23 schools to utilize the same system, ensuring learners receive corresponding guidance throughout their journey at USC.
- The President’s High-Tech Scholars Program, initiated with assistance from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation as well as Oscar Munoz and Kathy Leventhal, aids tech-interested transfer students from local community colleges in thriving at USC through growth opportunities such as mentorship and a Summer Launchpad Program to facilitate the transition to a four-year institution.
- The university kicked off the Care for the Caregiver initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide safe accommodation for those working extended hours. This program continues to exist, having offered safety for certain Trojans amid the January 2025 wildfires.
- The USC Capital Campus expanded the university’s presence and sway in Washington, D.C., in 2023, enabling Trojan students, researchers, and alumni to connect and forge relationships with the nation’s decision-makers. Since its opening, USC has already hosted over 300 events and conferences within the 60,000-square-foot building.
- Also in 2023, the university joined an elite group of just 13 private universities nationwide to exceed $1 billion in annual research expenditures. Folt stated during her March 2023 State of the University address that the university has seen a 44% increase in research funding since 2019, reaching $1.26 billion in 2024 — a historic benchmark for USC.
- In 2024, Folt led a USC delegation on a three-city tour of India, labeled “USC-India: Partner the Future.”
We commence with our primary objective — to elevate the reputation and impact of USC, by positioning USC as the global standard-bearer and innovator for collaborative learning and discovery, and making USC the preferred choice for students, faculty, and staff who pursue purpose-driven work and lives.
— USC President Carol Folt at the 2022 State of the University address
USC ARTS NOW INITIATIVE
For many years, faculty, staff, and learners at USC’s six conservatory-level arts institutions and its two museums have fostered a dynamic atmosphere of creative articulation on campus. In 2024, Folt initiated the USC Arts Now moonshot to nurture innovative, unforeseen partnerships across the university and link the arts to every field within USC’s locations.
She also appointed Josh Kun, a professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and chair in intercultural communication, as USC’s first vice provost for the arts. He will collaborate with USC’s arts deans and USC Museums to form partnerships and alliances throughout campuses and the broader Los Angeles area that promote the arts and enhance Trojan visibility.
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- Leaders from USC’s arts institutions and museums constitute the foundation of the USC Arts Council to guide the trajectory of the USC Arts Now initiative. Leaders from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Center for Generative AI and Society, and the USC Arts and Climate Collective are also included in the council.
- Last year, Kun collaborated with the Keck School of Medicine to unite USC deans and faculty to examine cooperation between the arts and health sciences.
- In 2024, the USC Arts Now initiative presented “Beyond the Human?: From the Metaphysical to the Physical,” co-curated by Kun and celebrated artist Cai Guo-Qiang. The event was co-sponsored by USC Visions and Voices and the USC Center for Generative AI and Society.
- In November, Emmy-winning producer Dick Wolf made a significant donation to the USC School of Dramatic Arts.
- In April, USC Arts Now and the USC Thornton School of Music organized a symposium on the essential role artists play in addressing challenges such as the Los Angeles wildfires.
USC Arts Now emphasizes the arts as a medium, a nexus for connecting diverse schools of thought, various systems of understanding, and distinct disciplines across multiple fields.
— USC Vice Provost for the Arts Josh Kun
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