Inspired by an idea of unity, the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), has teamed up with every professional sports team in Southern California, including the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles, to create a public service announcement urging fans to stay together and stay home in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. The video…

A former USC admissions official accused of accepting thousands of dollars in payments to ensure graduate-school admission for unqualified international students has agreed to plead guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday. Hiu Kit David Chong admitted in his plea agreement that he falsified applicants’ admission packets with doctored college transcripts, phony letters of...

As the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus continues, with countries facing lockdowns and hospitals dealing with unprecedented demand, a research team at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is working around the clock on a new vaccine, the school announced Saturday. The team is also looking at isolating the human antibodies that can successfully fight the viral infection in…

A USC professor is offering reassurance to the public about the safety of takeout food during the coronavirus crisis. “Restaurant kitchens can be one of the safest places in this coronavirus outbreak because they already practice strict hygiene protocols to avoid foodborne illness,” said Paula Cannon, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Keck Medicine School of USC….

Southern California forward Onyeka Okongwu has declared for the NBA draft after one season. He averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks for the Trojans. Okongwu broke the school record for blocks by a freshman and was named to the Pac-12’s All-Conference first team and All-Freshman team. Okongwu signed with an agent this week and announced his plans Wednesday…

Mike Bohn took over as athletic director at Southern California on Nov. 7. His first major assignment was to assess the state of the football program and determine whether Clay Helton would continue to be the Trojans’ head coach. He had about two weeks to make a decision that could potentially cost USC tens of millions of dollars, regardless of…

There are no reports of the virus at USC, and normal classes are expected to return when students return from spring break. Darsha Philips reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020.

Jonah Mathews hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 1 second remaining on senior day, helping Southern California edge UCLA 54-52 on Saturday and end the Bruins’ seven-game winning streak. The Bruins (19-12, 12-6 Pac-12 Conference) came into the game tied for first with Oregon. Now they’ll have to await the outcome of the Ducks’ game against Stanford later Saturday. A victory...

Angie Crouch reported on NBC4 News at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27. 2020.

Citing systemic failures in the university’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct by then-campus gynecologist George Tyndall, the U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday it is mandating sweeping changes in USC’s Title IX procedures and subjecting the school to three years of federal monitoring. “This total and complete failure to protect students is heartbreaking and inexcusable,” U.S. Secretary of...

A Newport Beach woman who is an heiress to the Hot Pockets frozen snacks fortune was sentenced Tuesday in Boston to five months in federal prison for paying $300,000 to help her daughters gain entrance to elite universities through college entrance and athletic recruitment cheating schemes. Michelle Janavs, 49, was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and serve two…

USC will eliminate tuition for families earning $80,000 or less annually, part of an effort to increase access for middle and low-income students, the school announced Thursday. The new policies were announced in a statement by USC President Carol Folt. As part of the plan, the school will no longer consider home equity in financial aid calculations for applicants. “We…

Students reacted to two policy changes announced by USC. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News at 11 a.m. on Thursday Feb. 20, 2020.

A man suspected of groping at least a dozen female students near campus was detained on Friday, officials said. The suspect was taken into custody about 3 p.m. near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Adams Boulevard in South Los Angeles, according to Officer Tony Im of the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspect is allegedly involved in over a…

Women and performers from typically under-represented racial/ethnic groups made notable gains in major motion pictures last year, reaching 13-year highs in leading or co-leading roles in the year’s 100 top films, according to a USC study released Tuesday. According to the report by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, 43 of the 100 top-earning movies of 2019 featured a female lead or…

A USC study on teen marijuana use released Friday suggests that dosage and type of use play a determinative role in frequency, with cannabis concentrates leading to the heaviest use. The findings, which appear in JAMA Network Open, may help direct cannabis control efforts and guide public education campaigns, said researcher Jessica Barrington-Trimis, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the…

Anytime Southern California beats UCLA it is special. The fact that the Trojans upset the nation’s only remaining unbeaten team in Division I women’s basketball on Friday night made it that much sweeter. Aliyah Jeune and Alissa Pili both posted double-doubles and came up big in double overtime as the Trojans rallied for a 70-68 victory over the seventh-ranked...

The athletic department came under fire after it was revealed wealthy parents paying coaches to get their children enrolled in the university even if they had never played the sport. Kim Baldonado reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020.

Nick Rakocevic is a senior, so time is running out for him to enjoy beating UCLA. He got a chance to savor such a win with 17 points and 14 rebounds for Southern California, a 74-63 victor over the Bruins on Saturday night. It was the Trojans’ seventh win in eight games. “I really wanted this bad,” Rakocevic said. “It…

Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart was among four inductees into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Wednesday. Leinart was the MVP of the 2004 Rose Bowl Game, throwing three touchdown passes and running for a fourth score in the Trojans 28-14 victory over Michigan that gave them a share of the national championship. Leinart completed 29 of 40 passes for…