Excitement is high as more than 8,000 students settle into their new home at USC and thousands more return to campus for the new school year. USC News captured the heartfelt reactions of some new USC Dornsife students in this story.

In this issue, discover why a Dornsife center’s work on mass violence is so important, learn about the often overlooked mental burden associated with household chores and hear about how students gained a global perspective through a unique opportunity.

Celebrating its 10th year, USC Dornsife’s Center for Advanced Genocide Research (CAGR), led by Wolf Gruner, continues to advance research on the origins of and resistance to mass violence.

Why it matters: Understanding the mechanisms of oppression enables development of more effective strategies for resistance and prevention.

As an interdisciplinary and research-driven center, CAGR focuses on historical incidents of mass violence.

Gruner, the Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies and professor of history, is a renowned Holocaust and genocide studies scholar.

In his words: “By understanding the historic causes of mass violence, beyond simplistic explanations of hate as the sole driving force, we can find new approaches to slow these processes and enact positive interventions,” explains Gruner.

Students recently immersed themselves in Japanese culture as participants in the USC Global East Asia Maymester program.

Why it matters: Visiting countries provides deeper insights into a society and builds lasting cross-cultural connections that enrich students’ academic and professional perspectives.

Sixteen undergraduates spent two weeks in Tokyo exploring contemporary Japanese design’s role in social engagement and transformation. Activities included:

The students used these insights to inform research projects, including:

The students benefited from meaningful cultural exchanges, forging deep, lasting connections with their peers at Tokyo’s Meiji University through shared experiences.

In his words: “Our differences drove our desire to share more about ourselves in a completely unfiltered way, devoid of judgment on both ends,” said Maymester participant Lorenzo Hinojosa.

Local city councilman, businessman and USC Dornsife alumnus Jon Kaji ’76 and his siblings funded the Maymester through their endowed fund, the Bruce and Frances Kaji Family Endowed East Asian Studies Center (EASC) Fund.

Beyond the physical demands of household chores, new research highlights the often overlooked “mental load” that mothers frequently carry.

What it means: The cognitive burden involves the mental work of anticipating needs and planning, organizing and delegating household tasks.

Why it matters: The additional cognitive burden placed on mothers could lead to heightened levels of stress, depression and burnout.

How it works: The study, led by Darby Saxbe, surveyed 322 mothers with young children, asking who in their family is responsible for 30 common household tasks.

What they found: Mothers not only performed more physical housework but also carried a significantly greater share of cognitive labor compared with their partners.

What’s next: Future studies could survey both partners and observe chores done at home, including various relationship configurations, such as gay and lesbian couples.

From vast, diverse areas of study to world-class faculty, students are encouraged to explore their curiosities to create a lasting impact in their communities. That is what makes the USC Dornsife liberal arts education unique.

Since the London 2012 Olympic Games, USC Dornsife professor Jill McNitt-Gray has worked as a sports scientist with USA Track and Field to help improve the performance of Olympians in the long jump and triple jump.

Growing evidence suggests that the gut plays a significant role in cognitive function. Join in a live, virtual discussion with USC Dornsife researchers about the impact of diet, gut and microbiome interactions on the mind and body throughout life.