USC Annenberg Graduate Preview

USC Annenberg Admissions’ Graduate Preview will take place online Tuesday, April 9 and in person Wednesday, April 10 – Thursday, April 11, 2024. Take advantage of the opportunity to engage with the USC Annenberg community. Location, Zoom links and other details are provided in the schedule below.

When parking on campus: For the two in-person days, please enter campus at the Watt Way Entrance (Exposition Blvd. @ Watt Way). Tell the gate attendant that you are here for USC Annenberg Graduate Preview and you will receive a daily permit for parking in the Downey Way Structure. Park anywhere that is NOT marked reserved or carpool space.

Tuesday, April 9 – Virtual

A virtual day including Year Ahead sessions with faculty program directors, student and alumni panels, and information sessions hosted by student services, housing, and USC Annenberg’s Media Center staff/faculty. Click on the Zoom links and enter the password to join.

8:30–9 a.m. – Graduate Preview Program Welcome
with Willow Bay, dean and Walter Annenberg Chair in Communication; Hector Amaya professor of communication and director of the School of Communication; and Allyson Hill, associate dean of admissions; and members of the admissions team
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 99683055344 | Passcode: GRAD24

9:10–9:30 a.m. – Graduate Preview Media Center Session
with Christina Bellantoni, professor of professional practice and director of USC Annenberg’s Media Center
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 933 8495 8678 | Passcode: GRAD24

9:35–10:30 a.m. – Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture) (MA) Year Ahead Session and Student Panel
with Oscar Garza, professor of professional practice and director of the Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture) (MA) program; and current students Elise Hernke and Citlalli Chavez-Nava
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 96653025396 | PasscodeGRAD24M

10–11 a.m. – Public Diplomacy (MPD) Year Ahead Session
with Robert Banks, clinical associate professor of public diplomacy and director of the Public Diplomacy (MPD) program
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 990 2992 8470 | Passcode: MPD2024

11–11:30 a.m. – Public Diplomacy (MPD) Student Panel
with current student panelists Janika Berridge, Eden Cooper-Squires, and Otto Lamsam
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 987 5510 9824 | Passcode: 955405

11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. – Journalism (MS) Year Ahead Session and Student Panel
with Lisa Pecot-Hébert, professor of professional practice in journalism and faculty program director of the Journalism (MS) program; and current student panelists Alexandra Goldberg, Camryn Kauffman
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 951 2333 8609 | Passcode: MSJ2024

12–1 p.m. – Communication Management (MCG) Year Ahead Session (domestic students only)
with Ben Lee, clinical professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program; and Monica Koyama, associate professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 999 7194 0559 | Passcode: GRAD24

12:10–1:15 p.m. – Public Relations and Advertising (MA) Year Ahead Session and Student Panel
with Burghardt Tenderich, professor of professional practice and director of the Public Relations and Advertising (MA) program; Melanie Cherry, associate professor of professional practice and associate director of the Public Relations and Advertising (BA) program; and current student panelists Dylan Macy, Devika Ruia, Katharine Hoag, and Jillian Birdsong
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 992 0767 0617 | Passcode: PRA2024

1–2 p.m. – Specialized Journalism (MA) Year Ahead Session
with Sandy Tolan, professor of journalism and director of the Specialized Journalism (MA) program, and other journalism faculty
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 99758405709 | Passcode: GRAD24

2–3 p.m. – Specialized Journalism (MA) Recent Graduate Panel
with recent graduates Ady, Andrew, Ariana, Charisma, Michael, Yusra
Join Zoom Session https://usc.zoom.us/j/99758405709?pwd=V0NrU0NteTdxRXhVcEh6OHMzaU1oQT09
Meeting ID: 99758405709 | Passcode: GRAD24

2–3 p.m. – Communication Management (MCG) Student Panel
with Ben Lee, clinical professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program; and Monica Koyama, associate professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program; and current student panelists Mitchell Horwood, Christina Kasali, Ruby Chang, Sydney Rojas
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 929 4466 4840 | Passcode: GRAD24

2:30–3:15 p.m. – Digital Social Media (MS) Year Ahead Session
with Daniela Baroffio, clinical professor of communication and director of the Digital Social Media (MS) program; and Freddy Nager, lecturer of communication and associate director of the Digital Social Media (MS) program
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 977 7457 8190 | Passcode: DSM2024

3:20–4:15 p.m. – Career Development and Advising Session
with Suzanne Alcantara, director of Career Development, and Mike Ploszek, director of Graduate Academic Advisement and Academic Services
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 962 5127 2468 | Passcode: GRAD24

4:30–5:30 p.m. – Housing Options at USC and in Los Angeles
with Michelle Canlas and Priscilla Tune from USC Housing
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 986 4508 2806 | Passcode: GRAD24

6–6:45 p.m. – Digital Social Media (MS) Student Panel
with student panelists Deepan and Nevin
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 936 1128 7228 | Passcode: DSM2024

6–7:30 p.m. – Communication Management (MCG) Year Ahead Session (international students only)
with Ben Lee, clinical professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program; and Monica Koyama, associate professor and co-director of the Communication Management (MCG) program
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 997 0458 5728 | Passcode: GRAD24

7–8 p.m. – Specialized Journalism (MA) Student Panel
with current students Accalia, Corinne, Liv, Maya, and Ray
Join Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 923 0649 1099 | Passcode: SJ24

Wednesday, April 10 – In Person

An in-person day of on-campus activities including class visits and a reception. Please note that class visits are on a first-come, first-seated basis.

11 a.m.–2:20 p.m. – Class visit: “JOUR 525: This California Life: Storytelling for Radio and Podcasting,” ASC 240 (10 spots available)
Join Sandy Tolan, professor of journalism and director of the Specialized Journalism (MA) program, and Megan Donnis in the class “This California Life” in the Annenberg School for Communication Building (ASC), room 240.

4–6 p.m. – Reception at Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) Alumni Plaza
Meet and chat with faculty, staff and admitted students.

4:45–6:15 p.m. – Annenberg Radio News and Annenberg TV News Productions Session
Join Christina Bellantoni, professor of professional practice and director of USC Annenberg’s Media Center, for this special session Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), in the media center.

6–8:50 p.m. – Class visit: “CMGT 550: Hollywood 3.0 – Entertainment Industry in the Convergence Age,” ANN 228 (3 spots available)
Join Joshua Feldman, adjunct lecturer of communication, in the class “Hollywood 3.0” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 228.

6:30–9 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 523: Advanced Audience Insight Mining,” ASC 240 (4 spots available)
Join Laura Jackson, adjunct instructor, in the class “Advanced Audience Insight Mining” in the Annenberg School for Communication Building (ASC), room 240.

6:30–9 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 565: Corporate Public Relations and Reputation,” ANN 408 (2 spots available)
Join Melissa Robinson, adjunct instructor and VP of marketing and communications at Boingo Wireless, and Doug Dawson, adjunct instructor and VP of global communications at Microsoft, in the class “Corporate Public Relations and Reputation” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 408.

7–9:30 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 568: Crisis Management in Public Relations,” ANN 210 (3 spots available)
Join Dave Quast, adjunct instructor, in the class “Crisis Management in Public Relations” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 210.

Thursday, April 11 – In Person

A day of in-person activities such as class visits, campus tour, neighborhood tour, USC Annenberg events, and more. Please note that class visits are on a first-come, first-seated basis.

8:30–10 a.m. – Refreshments in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 203
Join us for coffee and light refreshments at the start of the final day of Graduate Preview.

9–10:30 a.m. – Campus Tour
Meet outside Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN) for a campus tour.

10:30 a.m. – Neighborhood Tour/Annenberg House Tour
Meet up location at the intersection of Watt Way and Downey Way.

11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. – Boxed Lunches for pick-up in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 203

12–2:30 p.m. – Center for Climate Journalism and Communication presents “Temperature Check” (ANN Forum) with Jane Fonda and Willow Bay as well as L.A. climate communicators
More information here.

12–2:30 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 529: Business and Economic Foundations for Communication,” ANN 211 (5 spots available)
Join Melanie Cherry, associate professor of professional practice and associate director of the Public Relations and Advertising (BA) program, in the class “Business and Economic Foundations” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 2011.

12–3:20 p.m. – Class visit: “JOUR 448: Politics Reporting,” ANN Forum and 408 (open)
with Christina Bellantoni, professor of professional practice and director of USC Annenberg’s Media Center. Class will begin in the Wallis Annenberg Hall Forum with the “Temperature Check” event. Then the class will take a break and resume by 1:45 p.m. in ANN 408 on the fourth floor.

1–3:50 p.m. – Class visit: “CMGT 507: Information Management: Analysis and Visualization,” ANN 409 ABC (4 spots available)
Join Liuning (Matt) Zhou, visiting communication management expert in residence and research director at the Center for the Digital Future, for this class “Information Management” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 409 ABC.

2–4:30 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 597: Financial and Investor Communication,” ANN 309 (open)
Join Evan Pondel, adjunct instructor, in the class “Financial and Investor Communication” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 309.

2–4:50 p.m. – Class visit: “PUBD 526: Public Diplomacy Evaluation,” ASC 240 (3 spots)
Join Robert Banks, clinical associate professor and director of the Public Diplomacy (MPD) program, in the class “Public Diplomacy Evaluation” in the Annenberg School for Communication Building (ASC), room 240.

6–8:30 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 523: Advanced Audience Insight Mining,” ANN 209 (5 spots available)
Join Eunjin (Anna) Kim, assistant professor, in the class “Advanced Audience Insight Mining” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 209.

6–8:50 p.m. – Class visit: “DSM 550: Analytics and Research Methodology,” in ANN L105A (10 spots available)
Join Mata Emrani, part-time lecturer, and Misha Kouzeh, lecturer, in the class “Analytics and Research Methodology” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), Auditorium (L105A).

6:30–9:20 p.m. – Class visit: “CMGT 552: Visual Storytelling: Production, Management and Culture,” ANN 309 (open)
Join Adam Fratto, adjunct instructor, for this class “Visual Storytelling” where Communication Management students will be giving presentations in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 309.

6:30–9 p.m. – Class visit: “PR 598: Improvisational Leadership,” ANN 408 (3 spots available where admitted students will participate)
Join Ashley Owen, adjunct instructor, in the class “Improvisational Leadership” in Wallis Annenberg Hall (ANN), room 408.

Students are encouraged to engage with other aspects of USC’s campus and community during any down time throughout Graduate Preview:

USC Financial Aid
University Libraries
USC Bookstore
USC Heritage Hall
University Village