Last fall Bob Padgett, Chair of the Half Century Trojan Board History Committee, asked that articles be written about past accomplishments of HCT members. As a member of the HCT Board History Committee, Trojan Candy decided to write about HCT Board Members who had been awarded Alumni Service Awards as my project for the 2022-2023 year. I asked Board Members who had been distinguished with the Alumni Service Award to submit information and pictures about their Award. Dan Cassidy was the first USC Awardee to send me information and pictures about his achievement.
Dan was awarded the Alumni Service Award on April 22, 2017, at the 84th Annual Alumni Awards. He had served USC in so many ways. He had volunteered in these USC organizations:- President of the Half Century Trojans Board, member of the Spirit of Troy (USC marching band) Executive Committee, Emeritus member of the Athletic Department Board of Counselors, member of the Price School Athenian Society, and member of Skull and Dagger.
The following pictures were provided by Dan.
Congratulations, Dan, on having received your well-earned Service Award!
Trojan Candy arrived at the Galen Center Founder’s Room early to take pictures of my Half Century Trojan (HCT) friends, who were enjoying dinner before our USC Men’s Basketball Team was to play Arizona State.
I started taking pictures as soon as I could take my camera out of my case.
I wrote all of the names of my HCT friends, their guests, and former USC men’s basketball players that I took pictures of in a small notebook. Unfortunately, I misplaced the notebook, so some people in the pictures may not be identified. As you read my article, if you know the unnamed person(s) in the picture, please email me the caption of the picture (point at the picture to see its caption) and his/her name at cyee@hotmail.com. THANKS!
Doug Econn was very helpful in providing names of several USC basketball alumni. I thank him, and he let me use his Facebook picture to show him when he was younger. The picture was taken at USC's 125th anniversary celebration on October 6, 2005. Doug is standing between USC basketball teammates Brian Heublein (lettered 1972, 1973) and Mike Westra (lettered 1972, 1973, 1974). Notice the sign Doug is holding honors his father who also lettered in basketball for USC (1944, 1945).
KEEP FIGHTING ON, Half Century Trojans!
Trojan Candy arrived at Town and Gown with two cameras for Half Century Trojans Back to School Day. As soon as I put my stuff down, it was time to start taking pictures. I started at our table.
Now, it was time for our HCT event to start. Our HCT President Jay Berger came to the podium. After welcoming everyone, Jay introduced Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick Auerbach. After Patrick’s “Welcome," he introduced our first speaker, Craig Knoblock. He is the Vice Dean of Engineering at the USC Viterbi Information Sciences Institute. Watch my two videos about Craig’s “Deep Learning.“
Next President Jay Berger introduced our second speaker, Dr. Lisa Cooper Vest. She is an Assistant Professor of Musicology at the USC Thornton School of Music. Here are my two videos of Dr. Vest’s captivating lecture about “Music History.”
Between speaker breaks, Trojan Candy took more pictures of HCT Board Members. Sitting together were Sue Bennett, Bob Frinier and his wife Judy.
The third speaker who was introduced by our President Jay Berger was W. Martin Kast, Ph.D. He is the Walter A. Richter Cancer Research Chair at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. See my three videos of Dr. Kast’s work on the Human Papillomavirus.
During lunch, Jay Berger and HCT Scholarship Chair Sara Jane Bettge spoke about our HCT Scholars. This year there were twenty-two HCT scholars who each received $10,000. Sara introduced the scholars who were in attendance. See my video of the HCT Scholars who were introduced. Congratulations, HCT 2022-2023 Scholars!
Unfortunately, Athletic Director Mike Bohn was sick, so Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director (Football Administration) Ed Stewart spoke in his stead. After giving us some of his personal background, Ed spoke about our football program.
What educational videos of our three speakers and an informative USC Football report!