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Articles by Nolan Ezzet
Communist revolutionary group protests USC’s removal of valedictorian’s speech
The Revolutionary Communist for the Emancipation of Humanity (RevCom) protested near Tommy Trojan Wednesday demanding that Asna Tabassum, the 2024 USC Valedictorian, be allowed to speak at commencement. USC announced on Monday that Tabassum would be prohibited from speaking at the ceremony, citing safety concerns. RevCom is not affiliated with USC. “We’re here to say very firmly that the cancellation of Asna Tabassum must be reversed,” said Sunsara Taylor, a RevCom worker.
Melina Abdullah named running mate of Cornel West’s presidential campaign
BLM LA co-founder and co-director, Melina Abdullah, has been announced as Cornel West’s VP candidate for the 2024 presidential election. West announced the decision this morning on The Tavis Smiley Show. West expressed his admiration for Abdullah’s dedication to championing the rights of poor and working people, emphasizing their shared commitments. “I wanted to run with someone who would put a smile on the face of Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King Jr. from the grave,” West said on the show.
Jaren Lewison announced as the Dornsife commencement speaker for 2024
“I don’t know this guy,” said Jacob Ma, a senior double majoring in applied mathematics and computer science games. Dornsife students were underwhelmed when they heard who their 2024 commencement speaker would be. USC Dornsife sent an email to students today, announcing that Jaren Lewison will be the commencement speaker for the 2024 grad season.
USC students experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this March
It’s March. In the world of basketball, this means anything can happen. This hit close to home for USC students last weekend. USC women’s basketball gave students the unique experience of watching their team play two March Madness games on their home court. “The opportunity to attend the games because we are a 1 seed and were able to host is kind of unparalleled,” said Adam Jasper, who graduated from USC last winter. Yet, just two years ago, USC’s record was below .500.
Hip-hop icon Common discusses activism work and the significance of self-love with USC students
Rapper, actor, and social activist Common did a book signing and photo op after his panel discussion this past Tuesday, less than a month after the release of his latest book “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self.” The event was hosted at the Bovard Auditorium by Dr. Alissa Richardson, the director of the USC Annenberg Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab, in affiliation with the USC Visions and Voices initiative.
Valentine’s Day may be expensive, but USC students say love is worth it.
Valentine’s Day may be over, but love is still in the air for Trojans — even if their wallets feel a little lighter. The recent trend of corporations raising prices has drawn attention to the history of Valentine’s Day. Despite the stigma that college couples in the United States face immense pressure to overspend, some students argue that the experience is worthwhile. “It hurt the wallet very badly. I’m a little broke but that’s okay,” Adam Rasland, a junior studying computer science said.
USC gets two pharmacy vending machines on campus
The USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, in partnership with the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), recently announced the introduction of two new vending machines stocked with various products including hygiene essentials, emergency contraception and medicines. USC’s campus first saw a pharmacy vending machine in early 2019 at King Hall. That machine was relocated to the Health Sciences Campus when King Hall was renovated in HERE.
Meet the Candidates: Sam and Christian
For Sam Stack and Christian Shaw’s USG ticket, finding a balance between increasing accessibility and honing in on that ‘Trojan Pride’ is the best approach. While both Stack and Shaw have been involved with USG since stepping foot on campus, they believe personal experiences speak to what needs to change on campus. Shaw spent his first year at USC on electronic benefit transfer (EBT), receiving food stamps.
Kings’ struggles continue after giving up late game-winner
WASHINGTON — The Los Angeles Kings fell to the Washington Capitals Sunday 4-3, extending their losing streak to five games. The Kings put themselves in a favorable position with 41 shots, compared to the Capitals’ 34. They took advantage of power plays, scoring two goals and holding the Caps scoreless on power play situations. But Kings head coach Todd McLellan got outcoached. After a scoreless first period for both teams, the Kings took a 2-1 lead late into the middle frame.
How do ice rinks in L.A. stay cold?
The holiday season is full of classic traditions - stockings over the fire, decorating the tree, and hitting the rink for a few laps around the ice. Our reporter Nolan Ezzet went out to Pershing Square in L.A. where he spoke with Robert Keith, the operations manager of Willy Bietak Productions, the company managing the ice-skating rink out there. He talked about the history of the rink itself, and how in the world they keep the ice cool in the heat of L.A.
The 5th National Climate Assessment reveals the impact of climate change in various sectors of the US.
The overall consensus of this year’s report is that almost every place in the US is feeling the effects of a rapidly warming climate. And what’s more, this is expected to get worse over the next 10 years. The use of fossil fuels is largely to blame, according to the new report from federal agencies. The report warns that planet-warming pollution in the US is slowly decreasing, but it is not fast enough to meet the nation’s targets.
Biden’s stance on Israel divides Gen-Z
The war between Hamas and Israel has divided the country, with many conservatives siding with Israel and many left-leaning voters pledging their support for Palestinians. Democratic President Joe Biden has repeatedly backed Israel, and in turn, received criticism from his constituents. We talked to USC student Talia, a senior communications major about how Biden’s stance might affect his campaign during the 2024 Presidential Election.
How did USC students celebrate Halloweekend?
Halloween is a staple for children all over America, and everyone has their own stories connected to the holiday. But the day means something different to everyone. We walked around campus to find out what Halloween means to different students. Costumes take planning, and that’s not for everyone. But it doesn’t mean you can’t put together a last-minute outfit. Benjamin Yu, a USC student, made a costume out of his existing wardrobe.
The Pepperdine community advocates for change in light of recent tragedy
The Pepperdine community is coming together after tragedy recently struck involving a collision with four students on the Pacific Coast Highway. Following the tragic deaths of four Pepperdine students on the Pacific Coast Highway this week, the university and local activists came together to call for safer driving speeds. The four students were Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, all seniors at Pepperdine University.
USC defense feels confident heading into spring game
Although the sun wasn’t shining during USC’s last spring practice on Thursday, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts made a surprise visit and was a source of light and energy himself. He may have rubbed off on junior quarterback Caleb Williams, who looked flawless when leading 10 other offensive team members in a practice drive without defenders toward the start of practice. But that was it from the offense — all eyes during the remainder of practice were on the defense.
USC men’s basketball will face Michigan State in the Trojans’ third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance
After a bubble-ridden ending to the regular season and a disappointing loss to Arizona State in the Pac-12 Tournament, USC enters the NCAA tournament as a No. 10 seed. The Trojans are set to play No. 7 seed Michigan State on Friday. The Trojans and Spartans present fairly similar teams, but Michigan State tends to have the edge in most categories. It all starts with coaching. USC head coach Andy Enfield’s track record, while limited in longevity, displays great success.
USC addresses key issues from last season during Wednesday’s practice
With so much new talent, USC will not have as much experience playing together as most of its opponents. However, coaches have worked on sharpening these new Trojans’ skills and have high hopes for their performances. New Trojans have enjoyed their time at USC and have set high expectations. “It’s a great atmosphere to get better and compete, so I’m loving it so far,” redshirt senior defensive lineman Jack Sullivan, who transferred from Purdue, said.
SCoop: March Madness is likely for USC men’s basketball after fixing issues from earlier this month
“SCoop” is a column by Nolan Ezzet about USC’s sports teams. Two weeks ago, the Trojan spirit was dwindling. USC had lost two straight games against Oregon and Oregon State, making the Trojans a bubble team at best. But since then, they have been electric and are now on a four-game win streak. A spot in the tournament is now theirs to lose. Two weeks ago, I said that if the Trojans want to earn a spot in March Madness, they must improve their 3-point shooting and assist numbers.
USC wins fourth straight, defeats Utah as season finale nears
USC men’s basketball beat Utah in a well-fought game on the road 62-49 on Saturday. After tough consecutive losses to Oregon and Oregon State, the Trojans have been a bubble team for several weeks. But the strong victory against Utah should bolster USC’s tournament chances. Defense was the name of the game, and sophomore guard Kobe Johnson led the Trojans with three steals and countless possessions of gritty defense. “He’s one of the best defenders in the country,” senior guard Boogie Ellis said.
USC men’s basketball scores season-high in dominant win over Cal
USC men’s basketball soared past Cal 97-60 on Thursday at Galen Center. The 97-point performance is a season-high for the Trojans and brings them to 18-8. The Trojans suffered losses to Oregon and Oregon State last week, but Peterson’s career-high 30-point performance helped them bounce back. Peterson had a couple of stand-out passes in the first half as well. After his first steal, he went coast-to-coast and tricked the defender by changing direction several times.
SCoop: Trojans need to improve in two categories to finish the season strong
“SCoop” is a column by Nolan Ezzet about USC’s sports teams. Going into February, the Trojans seemed like they were ready to battle. They won three of their last four, with the only loss being against No. 8 Arizona. USC kicked off the month of February with a good win over Washington State, but the Trojans performed progressively worse over the next two weeks, jeopardizing their tournament chances. The Trojans need to improve their passing and 3-point shooting if they want to secure a spot in March.
SCoop: Trojans turn on the jets as March approaches
“SCoop” is a column by Nolan Ezzet about USC’s sports teams. USC has had a tough schedule the last two weeks, playing No. 11 Arizona and No. 8 UCLA in addition to a competitive Arizona State team. USC was hot going into these games after just nearly taking down UCLA and successfully securing two big conference wins against Colorado and Utah. Over the course of the following three games, the Trojans proved their validity as a respectable tournament team.
USC wins in near-dominant fashion against Arizona State
USC beat Arizona State on the road Saturday, 77-69, moving the Trojans to 14-6 overall and 6-3 in Pac-12 play. Just a few minutes into play, USC took a 5-4 lead and never looked back, maintaining a lead the remainder of the game. “We moved the ball well tonight, and we got open looks; we were able to drive it, we made the right play, we shot it when we had to, we passed it at the right time and we were very aggressive,” head coach Andy Enfield said.
USC’s seven-game win streak snapped after loss to Washington State
USC suffered its first conference loss to Washington State on the road Sunday, 81-71. The Cougars separated themselves by out-shooting the Trojans from behind the arc. WSU shot 14-for-29 (48.3%), while USC shot 3-for-18 (16.7%). “They did a great job driving and kicking to the 3-point shooters. They made some tough shots, and they got their confidence, it seemed like,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said.
USC wins seventh straight with victory over Washington
Led by senior guard Boogie Ellis, USC beat Washington on the road 80-67 on Friday. Ellis finished with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting and added seven boards in the fast-paced affair. “He made some tough shots, he got to the rim and made a couple of long threes,” head coach Andy Enfield said of Ellis. “We called a couple of plays for him, and he executed.” The first half began with two rapidly moving offenses exchanging baskets.
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