Viterbi Student Ambassadors

Viterbi Student Ambassadors (VSAs) primary role is to speak to prospective students and their families at official admission events (virtual information sessions, live chats, and, in the past, Discover USC and Explore) and generally act as a resource for any questions that prospective students may have about the student experience at Viterbi.

 

We also post to several social media and outreach platforms, including Instagram and YouTube, and put out our weekly podcast, Viterbi Voices!

Meet the VSA's

Our team is a group of close-knit, hardworking individuals with a range of majors, interests, and campus involvements. To learn more about our experiences and check out our blogs, click the profiles below!

Aerospace Engineering

Antonio McVay

Class of 2027
Lake Mary, Florida

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Lake Mary, Florida

I am studying Aerospace Engineering and I am from Lake Mary, Florida. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. At USC, I am involved in several organizations which align with my values and aspirations. I am a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where I engage with a community of like-minded people who strive for excellence in engineering. Outside of engineering, I serve as a Health Committee member of the USC NAACP chapter, contributing to initiatives in health and wellness. Lastly, I am a cadet in the Air Force ROTC program, proudly serving on a full tuition scholarship while preparing for a career dedicated to service and innovation.

Click the Icon below to check out my blogs!

Aerospace Engineering

Mason Marshall

Class of 2029
Hollis, New Hampshire

YEAR: Class of 2029
HOMETOWN: Hollis, New Hampshire
Aerospace Engineering

Jessica Batrice

Class of 2028
Arlington, Texas

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: Arlington, Texas
Astronautical Engineering

Sandra Al Hames

Class of 2027
Los Angeles, CA

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA

I am studying Astronautical Engineering and Math, and I am from Syria but I grew up in North Phoenix, Arizona. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. I transferred to USC in the fall of 2024 and so far I have become a member of the Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion and Energy Lab (ASPEN) and I started my own organization called Quantum Engineering Ethics (QEE).

Click the icon below to view my blogs!

Astronautical Engineering

Zoe Zlatic

Class of 2028
St. Louis, MO

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: St. Louis, MO

Hi! I'm a freshman in Viterbi studying Astronautical Engineering and I'm from St. Louis, Missouri. My family is small, consisting of just my two awesome parents and my 10-pound Yorkie, Truman. I will be graduating with the class of 2028. Outside of the classroom, I'm involved with the Rocket Propulsion Lab, and I love playing sports, hitting the gym, making music, and exploring the LA area with my friends. Fight On!

Click on the icon below to view my blogs!

Biomedical Engineering

Dominic de la Torre

Class of 2027
San Diego, CA

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: San Diego, CA
Biomedical Engineering

Sarah Rundquist

Class of 2028
Woodbury, Minnesota

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Woodbury, Minnesota

I am majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a molecular cellular emphasis, and am minoring in Spanish. I am also on the pre-medicine track! I am from Woodbury, Minnesota, and will be graduating with the class of 2028. Here at USC I am a MEDesign design team member, where we work to address needs areas in the medical field by designing medical devices, and a session leader with Science Outreach, which is a club that goes into elementary classrooms in LA to teach weekly science experiments. I am also involved in the Society of Women Engineers, Trojan Healthcare Interpretation Services, and the USC Swim Club! Additionally, I am an undergraduate research assistant at Dr Shen's lab, and love to volunteer at events here on campus.

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Chemical Engineering

Michaela Dowd

Class of 2027
Exeter, New Hampshire

YEAR: Class of 2027
TOWN: Exeter, New Hampshire

I am studying Chemical Engineering with a Materials Engineering emphasis and I am from Exeter, New Hampshire. I will be graduating with the Class of 2027. I am currently involved in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, helping the Professional Committee plan professional development events for engineering students. I am also part of Chem-E Car, a design team at USC that designs and builds a shoebox-sized car powered by chemical reactions. I've worked as an Research and Development Intern at a grease manufacturing company over the summer. Aside from engineering, I play alto saxophone in the Trojan Marching Band and love hiking in nature.

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Chemical Engineering

Sophie Gettelman

Class of 2028
Chicago, Illinois

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: Chicago, Illinois

I am studying Chemical Engineering and I am from Chicago, IL. I will be graduating with the class of 2028. At USC, I am a CURVE Fellow with the Sharada Lab, where I help research the reduction of CO2 by organic photoredox catalysts. I am a Freshman Representative for USC's chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and as a member of the USC Rocket Propulsion Lab, I helped with the launch of Aftershock II, a spaceshot that broke the student and amateur rocketry record for velocity and altitude of a rocket launch. I also volunteer with Mission Science through Viterbi Impact to help increase elementary students' interest in STEM and their motivation to pursue STEM careers.

Click the icon below to view my blogs!

Civil Engineering - Structural

Alexandria Geschwill

Class of 2027
Woodburn, Oregon

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Woodburn, Oregon

I am studying Civil Engineering and I am from Woodburn, Oregon. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. Within Viterbi, I am involved in EERI-SEAOSC, a seismic design club which focuses on modelling earthquake resilient skyscrapers. I am also a Trip Lead for Peaks and Professors, a hiking organization on campus.

Click the icon below to view my blogs!

Civil Engineering

Bethania Dagim

Class of 2028
La Mirada, CA

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: La Mirada, CA
Civil Engineering

Xavier Ladik

Class of 2027
Moorestown, New Jersey

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Moorestown, New Jersey

Of the various clubs I've joined, my Viterbi involvements are the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Both organizations have give me opportunities to build professional connections and visit professionals working in the field on sites throughout LA.

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Computer Science

Angelina Chou

Class of 2028
San Jose, CA

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: San Jose, CA
Computer Science

Jake Grigorian

Class of 2027
Glendale, California

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Glendale, California

I'm really enjoying all aspects of my engineering education, from the classes to the amazing clubs I've joined like LavaLab, QuantSC, and more. I've cofounded and am currently working on a booming social media management startup, Fleet, with a fellow Trojan, and it's truly been an amazing experience as both a software engineer and cofounder. Outside of CS, I'm on the USC Lacrosse team as a faceoff specialist, I'm an avid wrestler, and I love dogs.

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Computer Science Business Administration

Keilani Kozen

Class of 2027
Moorestown, New Jersey

YEAR: Class of 2027
TOWN: Moorestown, New Jersey

I am studying Computer Science in Business Administration and I am from Ventura, CA. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. I am currently involved in Women in Engineering (WIE) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at Viterbi, where meetings and various panels are hosted by the groups highlighting success of women engineers in the industry, as well as The Nucleus, a student publication highlighting advances in research in science, math, and engineering made digestible to a general audience. Outside of engineering, I am actively a staffer of other student publications such as the Daily Trojan, Annenberg Media, and SCene Magazine.

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Computer Engineering and Computer Science

Kyna Rochlani

Class of 2028
Abu Dhabi, UAE

YEAR: Class of 2028
HOMETOWN: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Computer Engineering & Computer Science

Satwika Vemuri Naga Kaivalya

Class of 2027
Rutherford, New Jersey

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Rutherford, New Jersey

I am studying Computer Engineering and Computer Science and I am from Rutherford, New Jersey. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. I am currently involved in USC's Integrated Media Systems Center as an undergraduate student researcher and am a grader for CSCI 201 with Professor Marco Papa. Outside of engineering, I like to take part in organizing cultural events as part of the Executive Board for USC's Hindu Student Organization.

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Electrical & Computer Engineering

Hansini Ramachandran

Class of 2027
Fremont, California

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Fremont, California

I am actively involved in research through CURVE and with IEEE, an organization dedicated to providing academic, professional, and social resources for electrical engineers. Outside of engineering, I am also a part of USC Asli Baat.

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Electrical & Computer Engineering

Talise Baker-Matsuoka

Class of 2027
Palo Alto, California

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Palo Alto, California

I am studying Electrical and Computer Engineering and I am from Palo Alto, California. I will be graduating with the class of 2027. Outside of class, I am a course producer for EE 141 Linear Algebra and a member of the LSSA! Additionally, beyond academics, I am on the USC equestrian team.

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Environmental Engineering

Abigail Combs

Class of 2029
Boise, Idaho

YEAR: Class of 2029
HOMETOWN: Boise, Idaho
Industrial & Systems Engineering

Rianna Islam

Class of 2029
Walnut Creek, CA

YEAR: Class of 2029
HOMETOWN: Walnut Creek, CA
Industrial & Systems Engineering

Riley Ashford

Class of 2027
Birmingham, Alabama

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Birmingham, Alabama

I am currently involved in USC's chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which works "to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community." I've also conducted research at the GLAMOR lab during my freshman year. Aside from engineering, I am also involved in Troy Camp, which is a student-run philanthropy that provides long-term mentorship for kids throughout South Los Angeles.

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Mechanical Engineering

Ashley Harkness

Class of 2029
Aurora, CO

YEAR: Class of 2029
HOMETOWN: Aurora, CO
Mechanical Engineering

Hannah Fonseca

Class of 2027
Dallas, Texas

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Dallas, Texas

I have loved my time at Viterbi and am honored to be the Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering Senate Chair for VUSA (Viterbi Undergraduate Student Association). I'm also on the Operations Committee for SWE (Society of Women Engineers) and a part of SSO (Student Symphony Orchestra). I love exploring coffee shops around LA and going to as many concerts as possible.

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Mechanical Engineering

Karissa Ginoza

Class of 2027
Wailuku, Hawaii

YEAR: Class of 2027
HOMETOWN: Wailuku, Maui

I am studying Mechanical Engineering with a Pre-Professional Emphasis in Medicine and I am from Wailuku, Maui. Aside from being a Viterbi. I am actively involved in USC Science Outreach, the Society of Women Engineers, and am eager to participate in research this upcoming school year. To keep in touch with people from home, I am also a member of Hawaii Club!

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Mechanical Engineering

Matthew Barrios

Class of 2029
Eastvale, CA

YEAR: Class of 2029
HOMETOWN: Eastvale, CA