With dance studios closed due to COVID-19, Jonathan Alexander (BFA ’23) wanted to find new ways to hone his creativity during quarantine. While exploring new mediums, he found a passion for songwriting, which led him to produce his first pop single, “Love a Little Harder.”

Alexis Augustine, a dance minor at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, drew from her past struggles with mental health issues to create her nonprofit, Change the Stigma. This organization strives to eliminate misguided stereotypes through discussion and open-mindedness in the arts and community events.

Anja Tempel (BFA ‘24) began her freshman year at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance last fall. After a summer of global protests calling for racial justice and her first semester in DANC 107 World Perspective on Dance Performance with Lecturer Achinta S. McDaniel, she was inspired to begin a directed research project at USC Kaufman with McDaniel regarding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within dance.