Did you know April is National Volunteer Month? It’s a great time to participate in USC’s Day of SCupport and celebrate being a member of the Trojan Family while helping the community.

In this month’s newsletter, find out: 

AI tools like ChatGPT may be influencing more than writing. It could be changing how people reason, communicate and interpret the world, say USC Dornsife researchers.

Why it matters: As AI use surges globally, its use could standardize expression, a process researchers call “cultural homogenization.”

How they did it: Researchers reviewed studies across psychology, linguistics and computer science to evaluate how people and AI interact in different cultures.

Problem: They found that most AI models reflect a specific “WHELM” worldview: Western, high-income, educated, liberal and male.

What’s next: Researchers call for more diverse training data and inclusive evaluation standards.

Dexter Holland, frontman for iconic punk rock band The Offspring, will return to his alma mater to deliver the 2026 USC Dornsife commencement address. A triple alumnus with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the College, Holland’s ventures outside music include the hot sauce company Gringo Bandito, a solo flight around the globe, and a scholarship in honor of one of his favorite professors.

Which USC Dornsife PhD program was recently ranked No. 1 for placing graduates in permanent academic positions?

A - Economics

B - Creative Writing and Literature

C - Political Science and International Relations

D - Philosophy

USC Dornsife Intensives are new undergraduate credentials built around three related courses in focused areas of study.

Why it matters: Open to undergraduates across USC, regardless of major, they offer a new way to earn a credential in areas that are timely, practical and relevant beyond the classroom.

Why it stands out: Intensives will appear on your diploma, giving you a visible way to highlight academic work that sets you apart.

What to watch: Fall registration is now open, so keep an eye out for the first Intensives, to be announced soon.

A new fellowship at USC Dornsife is giving physics PhD students room to tackle big quantum questions. Backed by industry, it aims to accelerate both talent and discovery.

Why it matters: Supporting early-career scientists can help drive advances in quantum computing and related technologies.

What it does: The $250,000 gift from Santec USA Corp., spearheaded by USC alumnus Changho Chong, creates two funds at USC Dornsife.

In his words: “The fellowship has allowed me to fully invest myself in my coursework, building a strong foundation in many fields of study,” says student Ethan Berg.

The big picture: The gift reflects growing ties between industry and academia.

Descending at 40 mph, Prof. Karen Lloyd takes the world’s longest elevator 1.2 km deep into the Earth’s crust to search for life thriving in one of the most extreme environments.

Professionals seeking to better understand people and drive results can gain practical, real-world skills with the M.S. in Applied Psychology. This program equips students to apply behavioral science to marketing, workplace culture and organizational effectiveness.

Join Darby Saxbe, professor of psychology and author of Dad Brain, in conversation with Dean James Bullock for a Dornsife Dialogue about the science of fatherhood and how it reshapes men’s brains and identities.

Learn how African Americans during the Great Migration and Jim Crow era created recreational and relaxation spaces at Southern California beaches and inland locations

D - Philosophy

The School of Philosophy’s PhD program placed 72% of graduates in permanent academic positions, putting them top of the 2026 list. Also, more than 200 philosophers around the globe recently ranked the program’s faculty No. 7 in the country and No. 8 in the English-speaking world.

Want to graduate sooner or ease your fall course load, while getting more attention from your professor? Just One GE makes summer work for you — without feeling like work.

Take a class in person, choose a convenient online course, or try a new Summer Flex course for even more flexibility, with an asynchronous component that lets you complete coursework on your own schedule.

And this year, financial aid is available for qualifying students who take at least 12 units.

Honored Across the Aisle. Media and political luminaries from both parties — including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and former U.S. Rep. David Dreier — recently gathered to honor Robert Shrum, director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, at gala events in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The events raised nearly $1 million in support of CPF.

Here, Shrum and his wife, Marylouise Oates, display a commendation given to Shrum by the County of L.A. (Photo: Iliana Garcia.)