Neighborhood Academic Initiative

Gift from college access program’s namesakes, Leslie and William McMorrow, fund classrooms.

This year’s gala honors a class of scholars who bonded during trying times to help one another succeed as they progressed through the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative. 

TITLE IX: Kim Thomas-Barrios’ career has been dedicated to helping students pursue a college education and achieve their dreams.

Strong representation in STEM majors and continued support for transfer students are hallmarks of the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative.

Through 12 years of hard work — first as a participant in USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative, then as a USC Roski art student — Dayanara Saucedo kept one special person in mind.

The university’s signature college prep program celebrates its graduates in person for the first time since 2019.

Ricky Ramiro Jr. — a new graduate of USC’s signature college prep program, the Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative — says his parents’ hard work and sacrifices helped him become a Trojan.

COMMENCEMENT 2022: Alyssa Young found support from USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative and the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund. She, in turn, helped others find their way.

Close to 60 grads from the initiative’s Class of 2021 are going from Saturday Academy attendees to full-time Trojans.

Tracy Nguyen, who is headed to Johns Hopkins University, is one of the 83 graduating high school seniors who will be attending college this fall — a perfect 100% of the class.