USD Magazine Spring 2020

Spring 2020

USD MAGAZINE

FEATURES STARTING TO CLICK

An Honorable Education USD’s Honors Program attracts top-notch students with team-taught courses, small class sizes and dedicated faculty who appreciate teaching highly inquisitive undergrads. Superpowers, Activate! 2019’s Alumni Honors event paid tribute to the university’s best and brightest. Each of these honorees is truly superheroic.

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The connection between Justin Chung ’08 (BA) and his professor and faculty advisor, Esteban del Río ’95 (BA), ’96 (MEd), PhD, got even stronger after graduation. More than a decade later, the pair remains close. In fact, Chung — now a highly sought-after fashion and brand photogra- pher — just featured del Río in his second coffee table book, Faculty Department — Vol. 2 . HARVESTING STORIES Documentary filmmaker Jared Ruga ’11 (BA) still marvels that a core group of his USD professors had a profound impact not just on his undergraduate experience but on his life as a whole. His Honors Program professor, Roger Pace, is one such person. Ruga’s latest effort, Quiet Heroes , garnered a rave review from Pace: “It’s very good filmmaking.” PLAYING THE GAME Lauren Crawford Shaver ’06 (BA) has devoted her life to public service, running the gamut from grassroots activism to presidential campaigns. Her interest in politics was sparked by professor and Changemaker Hub Director Mike Williams ’92 (BA), whose mentorship has become a regular touchstone for Shaver in both her life and her work. STOPPING TRAFFIC A bold new cross-campus initiative, spearheaded by the School of Law and the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, aims to increase awareness of human trafficking while bringing the university’s resources together to combat the issue on multiple fronts. TORERO NEWS Clear-Eyed Visionary Jimmy Bried ’16 (BBA) has had a remarkable journey. The latest step? Establishing the Bried Family Scholarship for Sober Students. Meaningful Work A new Women’s Legal Clinic will launch this spring, due to the efforts of Una Davis, whose husband, Jack McGrory ’81 (JD), is on the School of Law’s Board of Visitors.

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TORERO ATHLETICS Out Front, Ready to Go

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Senior defender Henry Lander ’20 (BA) is a true leader on the soccer field. He practices hard, plays hard and expects the same of teammates. Getting to Know … Alex Floresca Men’s Basketball forward reflects upon his greatest on-court accomplishment, his future and the person that matters most to him.

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CLASS NOTES No Strings Attached

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Billiekai Boughton ’15 (MSEL) is all about the positive difference she can make, targeting the myriad needs of women veterans. He’s Banking On It Bank chairman and CEO David Reiling ’89 (BBA) believes that doing well financially and doing good socially should not be mutually exclusive.

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ON THE COVER Photograph of Justin Chung ’08 (BA) by Cameron Weaver ’08 (BA).

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Spring 2020