The USC Marshall School of Business held its 2017 Commencement Ceremonies at the Galen Center on last Friday, May 12, 2017. Faculty, staff, and thousands of graduates together with their parents and friends attended the ceremonies to celebrate academic achievements and the beginning of their professional lives as well. Weimin Zhang, Executive Dean of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI), and Yikun Liu, ICCI Public Relation Office Manager, joined the big event by invitation. Dean ZHANG and James G. Ellis, Dean of USC Marshall School of Business, together conferred the USC Degree Certificates of Management Studies in Cultural and Creative Industry on 18 ICCI students that were admitted to USC Marshall School of Business in 2016 Fall and officially earned their master degrees after a year-long study on USC campus.

As one of the most important traditions of the university, the whole campus was filled with laughter and joy of success on this special day. People from countries all around the world gathered together to celebrate the academic successes and life glories of their beloved ones. The event consisted of two parts as usual: USC Main Ceremony held in the Alumni Park followed by various school satellite ceremonies afterwards.

In another lunch meeting held for the above ICCI students the next day, Professor Shantanu Dutta of USC Marshall School of Business, also the USC Academic Director of ICCI, together with ICCI Dean ZHANG, participated in more discussions and talks by sharing students’ study and life experiences at USC. Students expressed sincere gratitude to ICCI for offering great industrial resources and international learning environment. With the knowledge acquired from both USC and ICCI, they now feel extremely confident to take advantages of the full skill sets and values to make further explorations in cultural and creative industry with fresh global perspectives. Dean ZHANG, on behalf of the ICCI, congratulated students on their success in academics and extended Marshall School of Business deep thanks for its continuous supports and inputs to make the joint Master Degree Program a big success.

During the USC visit, Dean ZHANG also had official meetings with Marshall Dean James G.Ellis and Vice Dean Rex Kovacevich to discuss further strategic collaborations between the two parties. In a later meeting with Ben LEE, USC Director of ICCI Zizhu New Media Management Research Center and Clinical Professor at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Dean ZHANG updated the USC side on the progress of the joint research projects between USC and SJTU faculty groups.