Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Marcel Lacey
From the Fire
Despite being nearly 30 years removed from the fire that burned through the Los Angeles Public Library, its lasting legacy and impact can still be felt. Former librarian Glen Creason and current librarian Robert Anderson share their stories of witnessing the fire live and speak about how the library rebuilt with help from its community.
Your major does not make your life
The value of what you learn should not hinge on your ability to monetize it. Education, especially higher education, is a privilege — and forming a well-rounded education goes far beyond learning skills to get you into the career you’ll be working in for 40 years. The USC graduates of today earn degrees in business and computer science more than any other field.
It doesn’t matter who pays on the first date
In the realm of heterosexual dating, men and women are locked in an eternal dance. They are the sun and the moon, the sky and the earth, and the binary at the center of our society. Torn between what society tells them their relationship should look like and what they actually want, it is no longer as simple as “men provide” and “women receive.” In modern dating, is it inherently wrong to want to split a relationship down the middle?
Your preference is racist, kinda
In the grueling search for a partner, desperate singles are afforded certain privileges to help them find someone they’re compatible with. We’re allowed to filter for height, political views, education level and many other seemingly harmless things. But when it comes to love, is it acceptable to filter our potential partners by what race they are? Babies are not born with an understanding of what race is and its various social implications.
Adoption shouldn’t be colorblind
Adoption has brought together thousands of beautiful families in the world, but it isn’t as magical as it appears to be. Parents considering adoption, especially transracial adoption, should be aware of the reality and the damage it can inflict on the child, especially in a racially charged United States.
To tip or not to tip, that is the question
Tipping culture has gotten out of control. Specifically in regards to the food industry, the tipping model in the United States is fundamentally broken and unsustainable — placing undue pressure on patrons to provide a livable wage to workers and creating a stressful social ritual in the lives of ordinary people. The practice originated in Europe during the Middle Ages when wealthy elites would give extra money to the working class for their services.
99 Cents Only Stores Closing Down
99 Cents Only Stores have recently announced the closure of all 371 of their stores located in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. Customers of the store are mourning the loss of this economic chain which sold produce, merchandise, and other goods at a reasonable price. The shutdown of the company raises concerns of problems with the economy and whether an inexpensive alternative exists.
USC students prepare to view the solar eclipse
Mark your calendar: The first total solar eclipse visible from the U-S in seven years is happening Monday on April 8th. That’s one week from today! And USC students are already preparing for it. Yi Chen, a graduate student studying business analytics, said she’s already made plans to see the solar eclipse. Yi Chen: I do have three classes in on one day. And I am probably going to skip one because I’m just like, I need to see this. Like, I don’t know when I’m going to see it again.
Vigil by Palestine Justice Faculty Group
Today while USC President Carol Folt delivered her State of the University address inside Bovard auditorium, USC faculty members protested outside. The professors are members of the Palestine Justice Faculty group. They sported academic robes and colorful Keffiyehs. Members gathered outside of Bovard auditorium to protest the University’s response to the Israel-Palestine conflict and commemorate the lives of academics killed in the conflict, holding up signs with their faces and names.
AI can’t teach you Spanish
Artificial intelligence has changed the world of language learning, seemingly for the better, but it has its limitations. No matter how advanced, AI can’t replicate learning a language in the classroom. As it functions today, ChatGPT — a chatbot OpenAI launched in 2022 — is capable of everything from answering homework questions to making an itinerary for a two-week trip to Milan. In either case, the bot pulls data from the internet, sometimes resulting in inaccurate information.
Embrace imperfect climate activism
Forgetting to recycle your morning coffee cup doesn’t make you a bad person — it makes you human. As citizens of a climate-conscious world, we are all collectively responsible for how much we contribute to climate change, but we place too much importance on our day-to-day choices. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2023 Synthesis Report outlines the shortening window humans have to curb the effects of climate change.
How are USC students coping with finals stress?
With finals on the horizon, student stress levels at USC are at a peak — many Trojans feel overwhelmed and burned out. “Burnout” affects about 80% of college students, with 40% of them being overwhelmed to the point that it is difficult to function. As is the case at many high-ranking universities, students at USC feel pressure to maintain top grades. In fact, in 2010, USC was ranked the 18th most stressful college in the country by the Daily Beast.
Supreme Court to decide on gun restrictions for convicted domestic abusers
The Supreme Court is on the cusp of potentially overturning a 1996 law that bars individuals convicted of domestic abuse from possessing firearms, as deliberated in the case of U.S. v. Rahimi. Oral arguments in the case concluded Tuesday morning, raising critical questions about the court’s evolving standard for revising gun regulations to align with historical firearm legislation. In the landmark 2022 New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v.
Toys and tips: Sexploration tent returns
The Sexploration tent returned to McCarthy Quad Wednesday, featuring Q&A sessions with “sexperts” and activities for students, including tables where they played “This or That” with first date ideas and added songs they would have on their sex playlist. Sex Week 2023 — which will run Oct. 14 through Oct. 21 — marks the second year since its inception.
Toys and tips: Sexploration tent returns
.flex_cell.av-5qnbb6z-60d89b91f84142eb3e3883aab8ab06e2{ vertical-align:top; } The Sexploration tent returned to McCarthy Quad Wednesday, featuring Q&A sessions with “sexperts” and activities for students, including tables where they played “This or That” with first date ideas and added songs they would have on their sex playlist. Sex Week 2023 — which will run Oct. 14 through Oct. 21 — marks the second year since its inception.
Students, experts uncertain over latest loan forgiveness developments
In September, the Biden-Harris administration launched the Saving on a Valuable Education plan. The new income-driven repayment plan was advertised as extremely affordable, guaranteeing that any borrowers making less than $15 an hour would not have to make any payments. The first week of October ushered in two milestones of opposing outcomes for student borrowers. On Oct.
USC FIA hosts fashion fair
The USC Fashion Industry Association hosted yet another fashion fair at McCarthy Quad today, platforming local and student vendors to sell affordable secondhand clothes, jewelry and apparel. USC FIA began hosting their fashion fairs in the fall semester of 2022. Originally, the organization invited five to six vendors to the USC Village via the organization’s outreach team found at local flea markets in the area.
USC to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month
Student drag performers, DJs, various campus organizations and student assemblies gathered in McCarthy Quad for PrideFest on Friday to kick off LGBTQ+ History Month. The month was formally established in 1995 to highlight LGBTQ+ achievements. It has since grown to become an acknowledgment of the ongoing challenges faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual communities. It also coincides with days of celebration — including National Coming Out Day on Oct.
UC schools will offer extensive online courses for low-income high schoolers. Should USC follow suit?
The University of California will offer free online college courses to low-income high schoolers starting next year, part of a national initiative to expand access to higher education that includes the likes of Stanford, Harvard and Princeton universities. USC isn’t a part of that effort. The most comparable program that USC offers has drawn around 1,000 middle and high schoolers from low-income households in neighborhoods near the university.
USC places middle on college free speech rankings, students weigh in
USC students say their campus is diverse and provides them the space to voice their opinions, despite there still being room for improvements. USC ranks 109th on the free speech rankings out of 248 Universities, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization.
USC plants Seeds of change - but they aren’t growing on students
Returning USC students may have noticed a few changes at one of the most popular dining facilities on campus: Seeds Marketplace. The sandwich shop — which in the past has offered a plethora of grab and go options and an array of self-checkout counters — has experienced a total makeover, leaving many students wondering why. The self-checkout is gone, replaced with a cashier stand.
USC Wrigley Institute announces new name
The USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies is now the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability. The name change represents a new era for the institute in response to its commitment to growing to address the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. WIES Director Joe Árvai revealed the decision to change names during “An evening with Intersectional Environmentalist, Leah Thomas,” an event the institute hosted Thursday.
Student initiative looks to diversify languages offered at USC
A student initiative aims to increase the amount of languages offered at USC. Kai Cayetano, a senior majoring in narrative studies, has pursued multiple languages at USC and is currently taking Advanced Korean II. However, in their time at USC, they have realized that despite the diversity on campus, language choices are extremely limited.
Student initiative looks to diversify languages offered at USC
A student initiative aims to increase the amount of languages offered at USC. Kai Cayetano, a senior majoring in narrative studies, has pursued multiple languages at USC and is currently taking Advanced Korean II. However, in their time at USC, they have realized that despite the diversity on campus, language choices are extremely limited.
Black women in law talk intersectionality with students
Members of the USC Society of Women in Law gathered at Taper Hall Wednesday to glimpse into their future. The event was intimate and the classroom was filled with students eager to hear about what a career could potentially look like for them as women in law. The Black Women in Law Panel featured practicing Black lawyers from the Black Women Lawyers Association and aimed to inform SWIL members about the BWL.
Students, experts weigh impacts as future of affirmative action is unsure
This is the second article in an ongoing series investigating Supreme Court cases slated for the current term and their impacts on the USC community. In light of current events, the Daily Trojan News section believes it to be in the community’s interest to include the goings-on of the Court in our coverage. New installments will be published weekly. President Lyndon B.
Re-envisioning Black history: An evening with Nikole Hannah-Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of “The 1619 Project,” spoke at USC Tuesday as part of the Charlotta Bass Media Trailblazer Speaker Series. The event was co-hosted by USC Visions & Voices and the USC Annenberg Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab. The event took place at 6 p.m. at Bovard Auditorium and included a brief Q&A period with three student fellows.
Students find Black community in the arts
By Marcel Lacey Assistant News Editor The Black Art Collective is a student-run organization dedicated to the connecting, developing and spotlighting of Black creatives and Black creative projects. Uniting Black students for creative and artistic development, BAC has four main purposes.
APIA community welcomes the New Year
The monumental date for the 2023 Lunar New Year fell on Jan. 22. With around 19.3% of USC’s population being members of the Asian Pacific Islander American community, there are a myriad of ways people have celebrated. Lunar New Year is a celebration of new beginnings and the arrival of spring. As its name suggests, it is based on the cycles of the moon. The holiday begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later, on the first full moon.
Students concerned by new ‘Kraken’ variant
Stress from technology extends beyond social media use I can’t help but anticipate inevitable comments from older family members about cellphones every time I visit home for the holidays.
Students concerned by new 'Kraken' variant
The XBB.1.5 coronavirus subvariant, nicknamed the “Kraken” variant, has some USC students concerned that it may spread because of the lax attitudes and health practices of their peers. XBB.1.5 is a descendant of the omicron XBB subvariant. It is a combination of two previous BA.2 subvariants, both of which were more transmissible than previous variants. Now, it appears that XBB.1.5 has the potential to be even more transmissible.
Students aid North Korean communities
On a chilly evening in October, Liberty in North Korea USC club members gathered for a screening of the film “To the Lights.” The story followed a daughter’s struggle with the decision of whether to stay with her father, who remained loyal to North Korea, or leave and pursue freedom. After the screening, there was a short Q&A with director Emily Kim, a USC alumna who was formerly involved with the club.
Students share value and history of their Indigenous languages
“We are still here,” said Alondra Mariano, a freshman majoring in pharmaceutical sciences and Native American studies, when asked if there was one thing she wanted the USC community to know about Indigenous students. The University Park campus sits on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Gabrielino-Tongva people.
A guide to gender-affirming care at USC
USC’s medical facilities — Keck School of Medicine of USC and its various hospitals and USC Student Health, a branch of Keck Medicine — received the distinction of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” in March, marking the sixth time USC Keck Medicine Hospitals have received the distinction. This year, Student Health participated in the survey for the first time.
New degree to explore intersection between AI, business
The Marshall School of Business and Viterbi School of Engineering will offer a new major beginning Fall 2023, which will allow students to explore the intersection between business and artificial intelligence. The new program, titled Artificial Intelligence for Business, will be offered under Marshall but will incorporate coursework from both schools. The schools jointly announced the program in early September.
Empathy as a form of prevention
Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence. In an immersive exhibition, scenes depicting sexual assault will soon be on display to encourage the USC community to empathize with victims and learn to have difficult conversations. A grassroots, student-led organization called A Path 2 Courage has partnered with USC Hillel and Breaking Silence Co. to create an interactive exhibit featuring three stories of sexual assault.
Students talk love, sex and relationships
On a cloudy day in March of 2011, students that regularly commuted to and from class stopped and stared slack-jawed at the roof of Waite Phillips Hall. The source of the disruption? One USC student thought it was a good idea to cross “rooftop sex” off their bucket list. People on campus caught the incident from all angles in graphic photos and videos, and the male USC student identified was quickly suspended from his fraternity.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Marcel
Contact Marcel, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack