Get the latest gossip

Jon M. Chu Among Speakers USC Decided to 'Release' From Commencement

The announcement follows the university's recent controversy over its valedictorian speech.

The news came after USC faced a wave of criticism this week after the Los Angeles private university announced that its valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a first-generation Muslim student, would not deliver a commencement address — breaking the school’s tradition. The university came to that decision after campus Jewish organizations, including Trojans for Israel, expressed their opposition to her being a commencement speaker, citing a pro-Palestinian social media link shared by Tabassum. While USC said it canceled the speech due to security concerns, adding that it received notice that the commencement would be disrupted, Tabassum said in a statement that she was “shocked” and “profoundly disappointed” by the school’s decision.

Get the Android app