A new global village for USC’s Trojans

A new 15-acre residential village at the University of Southern California fosters ties with the local Los Angeles community and with students from Hong Kong.

In late summer, thousands of Trojans – the nickname for students at the University of Southern California (USC) – together with parents, faculty members and an exuberant marching band turned out to celebrate the opening of USC Village. The US$700 million project is set to house 2,500 students in eight residential colleges, with a full range of amenities, stores and restaurants also offering new options and attractions for members of the local community. 

The Village can provide accommodation for over 2,000 students.

The man behind the project is USC president Max Nikias, who explains that the university bought the land some twenty years ago when it was the site of a shopping mall. The feeling grew, though, that a better range of accommodation was needed for students, and plans took shape accordingly.

USC president Max Nikias is determined to provide first-class residential life for students.

“We felt that for USC in the 21st century, we needed to provide a first-class residential life for students,” says Nikias, who became the university’s 11th president in 2010. “That was really the dream, the vision, in building the village.”

Handpicked retailers like Target and Trader Joe's are scattered across the Village.