Alumni Couple are Trojans Through and Through

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 people—namely coeds,” Necessary says. “I believed in my heart of hearts USC was where I belonged.”

For Lewis, tagging along with her close friend’s 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 Annenberg’s 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 I’d ever seen,” he says. “But my ears went numb and I couldn’t remember her name.” That summer, while working part time at an Abercrombie & Fitch store, Necessary overheard his supervisor talking to a job applicant—Lewis. “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 summer’s 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 projects—and for honing his leadership potential. “Greek life validated that I had leadership skills worth applying,” he says. He’s now executive director of worldwide marketing services at Warner Bros. Pictures, and he still makes time for USC. He’s 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 song—the 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: “It’s important to be part of the preservation of that.”