Alumni Couple are Trojans Through and Through
Tracey and Ross Necessary show the love and loyalty to their alma mater.
Though USC entered their lives in different ways, Ross Necessary 00 and Tracy Lewis 01 are now on the same path as lifelong Trojans.
Necessary became smitten with USC through his older brother Del DH Necessary 91. I spent a lot of time on campus because DH brought his cute little brother to help him meet peoplenamely coeds, Necessary says. I believed in my heart of hearts USC was where I belonged.
For Lewis, tagging along with her close friends family to a USC football game as an eighth-grader turned her into an instant Trojan fan. When it was time to apply for college, she was set on USC Annenbergs broadcast journalism program. It was the place I felt most at home, she says.
During Lewis freshman year, a mutual friend introduced her to Necessary. She was the cutest thing Id ever seen, he says. But my ears went numb and I couldnt remember her name. That summer, while working part time at an Abercrombie & Fitch store, Necessary overheard his supervisor talking to a job applicantLewis. I said to my boss, Not only do you have to hire her, but you have to schedule us to work during the same hours, he remembers. By summers end, their Trojan romance had bloomed.
Necessary dove into other relationships at USC too, getting involved in lots of campus groups. That seed was really watered when I got my SCion scholarship and continued to grow when accomplishing things like getting into the Skull and Dagger secret honor society, he says. By the time he graduated, the USC School of Cinematic Arts critical studies major had balanced a hefty class load with joining Zeta Beta Tau, political campaign work and presidency of the Interfraternity Council.
Necessary credits his undergraduate experience for learning to juggle multiple projectsand for honing his leadership potential. Greek life validated that I had leadership skills worth applying, he says. Hes now executive director of worldwide marketing services at Warner Bros. Pictures, and he still makes time for USC. Hes served on the 10th Reunion Committee and Second Decade Society leadership board. Lewis, who graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law and practices civil litigation with Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLC, followed suit with her own 10th Reunion Committee. I saw how much fun it was for him to reconnect with people and be involved with USC as an alum, Lewis says.
Now happily married they entered their wedding reception to the Trojan fight songthe couple are raising their two daughters, ages 7 and 3, to follow in their USC footsteps.
I had no idea how good I had it because of people giving back then, Necessary says of his undergrad years. Lewis firmly agrees: Its important to be part of the preservation of that.