finearttrekkinDownTownLA: The Inauguration of Chrysostomos L. Nikias as the 11th President of the University of Southern California

PhotoJournal Coverage by USC Alumni Ginger E. Van Hook

The Inauguration of Chrysostomos L. Nikias as the Eleventh President of the University of Southern California occurred on Friday, October 15th, 2010, however, the enormous influence, force of academic excellence and bold, lofty aspirations of a humble Greek Scholar began many years ago in New York, where President Steven B. Sample and Max Nikias first met. C.L. Max Nikias told an audience of thousands gathered to celebrate his inauguration about his hopes and dreams for a great center of culture on the Pacific Rim of the United States right here at USC. This is where Max brought his family to California to create a new revolution and union of Music, Arts, Academics, Science, Medicine and Technology. The following photographs highlight some of the pageantry, the splendor and the grandeur that C.L. Nikias brings to our campus and our University. With an education cultivated in Athens, London, New York and now Los Angeles, Nikias ushers in a revolutionary new era in

Academic Excellence for all Trojans!

Ernest Wilson, Dean of USC's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism.

President Nikias introduces Cogent Founder and USC Trustee, Ming Hsieh M.S.

who is about give an important announcement for the Keck School of Medicine.

Ming Hsieh announces a gift of $50 Million Dollars

that he is donating to USC's Keck School of Medicine

designated for Cancer Research.

Dean Ernest Wilson looks on as the announcement is made that the USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism is also awarded a $50 Million Dollar Donation from

Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation continuing the nearly 40-year partnership with USC. The donation is to be put toward the construction of a new state-of-the-art building

on the University Campus.

C.L. Max Nikias pictured with his wife and USC First Lady, Niki C. Nikias.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attends the Inauguration of C.L. Max Nikias at the

University of Southern California on October 15, 2010.

USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATIONS

AND JOURNALISM RECEIVES

$ 50 MILLION DOLLAR DONATION

TO BUILD A NEW MEDIA CENTER ON CAMPUS!

Dean Ernest Wilson was gracious enough to give me a brief interview to discuss the goals of USC Annenberg’s School for Communications and Journalism. He stated that we are in a global economy therefore to keep up one must become a global city. Wilson went on to explain that, it is important to have a truly networked university and converging all the media resources under one umbrella is one of the ways that USC has become a strong force on the world stage and is one of the few schools that does that. Dean Wilson is often fond of stating, “At the heart of journalism and communications is a public democratic society with freedom of the press! No free press, no democracy!”

Through the generous support of Ambassador Walter and Wallace Annenberg, starting in 1971 and continuing over the years, the USC School For Communications and Journalism has thrived and become a world leader in the field of networked communications reinventing itself with every new world trend.

"I have been a USC Alumni through the administrations of four University Presidents.

I was blessed as a freshman in 1977 to have met John Randolph Hubbard (President from 1970 - 1980), James Zumberge (President 1980-1991) in the 1980's, Steven B. Sample (President from 1991- 2010) and recently C.L. Max Nikias current USC President. As a USC Trojan, I am proud to call USC my home and Alma Mater and I look forward to witnessing the wonderful opportunities that Nikias will bring to our University, our City of Los Angeles and our State of California." Ginger Van Hook.

The following photographs are shared for the Trojan community as I explored in these recent years, the campus, the programs, the scholarly academic goals and the physical changes occurring in a space I will continue to have fond memories of.