Continuing the tradition of honoring graduating students from disciplines across the university, USC’s annual Student Recognition Awards ceremony and Academic Honors Convocation were held this spring. Outstanding members of USC Annenberg’s Class of 2025 were recognized with these top honors, showcasing their stellar academic achievements as well as their meaningful contributions that have significantly enriched the university and the wider community.
Student Recognition Awards
The Order of Troy
Recipients of the Order of Troy have distinguished themselves beyond their peers in at least one facet of university life and have made notable contributions to the university community as active leaders or critical contributors in service to peers, the university community or the world at large. These students have pursued academic excellence while devoting extensive time and energy in service outside the classroom.
- Kimberly Aguirre
- Olivia Catherine Bohler
- Stefano Fendrich
- Nataly Lozano
- Hadyn Phillips
Academic Honors
Phi Beta Kappa Undergraduate Award
Devoted to liberal learning in arts and sciences, Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776, presents two undergraduate awards to honor creativity, scholarship, and leadership in faculty-student community relations.
- Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan
USC Steven and Kathryn Sample Renaissance Scholars
USC Steven and Kathryn Sample Renaissance Scholars are students who graduate in two or more widely separated fields of study with both a major and a minor, or two baccalaureate degrees. Renaissance Scholars must meet requirements for superior academic performance, including no less than a 3.5 overall grade point average, and no less than a 3.5 grade point average in their respective programs of study.
- Lauren Amico
- Bianca Beatriz Arzan Montanez
- Kathryn Grace Aurelio
- Sullivan James Barthel
- Miguel Siscar Bernas
- Brooke Bowling
- Kylie Conlon
- Grace Caroline Davies
- Gabriel Norman Douglas
- Josh Timothy Flowers
- Katelyn Kiyomi Ikemoto
- Sara Maria Coppelia Kahn
- Mia Bella Lima
- Jiani (Kelly) Liu*
- Nya Arabou Manneh
- Nina Matos Moothedath*
- Danely Alejandra Olmos
- Irene Sohyun Park
- Gabrielle Ripka
- Yana Savitsky
- Aadhya Sivakumar
- Vicky Song
- Nicole Tisnes
- Carina Vo-Ta
- Nicole Yeaton
*Denotes prize winner
Discovery Scholars
USC Discovery Scholars are students who have produced exceptional original scholarship or creative work at USC while compiling a distinguished overall academic record, including no less than a 3.5 overall grade point average.
- Sarah Arencibia
- Lyla Holland Bhalla-Ladd
- Olivia Catherine Bohler
- Katelyn Kiyomi Ikemoto
- Abigail Claire Rawlinson
Global Scholars
The USC Global Scholars program recognizes undergraduates who have excelled in their studies both at home and abroad, spending at least 10 weeks outside the U.S. as part of their undergraduate experience, and achieving no less than a 3.5 overall grade point average.
- Kylie Leung
- Nya Arabou Manneh
School of Communication Awards
USC Annenberg’s School of Communication announced the following recipients of their awards for graduating undergraduate students.
Academic Achievement Award
- Maggie Parsley
- Abigail Rawlinson
- Blake Stauffer
- Case Wilson
- Janey Zhang
- Rita Zhang
Innovation Award
- Dalei Xu
- Sam Noonan
Civic and Community Engagement Award
- Olivia Catherine Bohler
School of Journalism Awards
USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism announced the following recipients of their annual awards for graduating undergraduate and master’s students.
- Kassydi Rone, Outstanding BA in Journalism Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Julia Zara, Outstanding BA in Journalism Scholar Award (recognition)
- Ella Bittman, Outstanding BA in Public Relations Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Yanshu (Yuki) Zhao, Outstanding BA in Public Relations Scholar Award (recognition)
- Martina Ibrichimova, Director’s Award for Excellence (undergraduate)
- Daniella Lake, Outstanding MS in Journalism Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Matthew Royer, Outstanding MS in Journalism Scholar Award (recognition)
- Elissa Mardiney, Outstanding MA in Specialized Journalism Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Erick Trevino, Outstanding MA in Specialized Journalism Scholar Award (recognition)
- Hannah Litman, Outstanding MA Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture) Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Divya Subbiah, Outstanding MA Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture) Scholar Award (recognition)
- Salma Al-Khairi, Outstanding MA in Public Relations and Advertising Scholar Award (academic excellence)
- Dylan Macy, Outstanding MA in Public Relations and Advertising Award (recognition)
- Michael Kittilson, Director’s Award for Excellence (graduate)
- Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan, Norman Corwin Award for Service and Scholarship
- Brier Evans, Penny Lernoux Award for International Reporting Award
- Enzo Luna, Jack Langguth First Amendment Award
- Benjamin Royer, Bryce Nelson Award for Distinguished Journalism