Excellence, Curiosity, Character: The Graduates of the USC Viterbi Class of 2025

In his opening remarks at the USC Viterbi undergraduate commencement ceremony, which took place at the USC Galen Center on May 16, 2025, Dean Yannis C. Yortsos compared the event to an annual ritual.

Quoting philosopher Byung-Chul Han, he noted that “Rituals transform being-in-the-world into a being-at-home. They turn the world into a reliable place. They are to time what a home is to space.” He then stated: “And so is today’s ritual. To bind and connect us, at a moment in time after your long journey has brought you home – which has been the Viterbi School of Engineering for four or more years, and will always remain so.”

These remarks set the tone for the celebration of the graduation of what was arguably “the best so far, the best educated, the most representative graduating class in the school’s history,” said the Dean, accompanied by loud applause from the crowd of several thousands who filled the Galen Center.

Dean Yortsos’ statement is well-founded. In total, around 800 degrees were awarded, among which almost 40% were awarded to women – marking yet another milestone in Viterbi’s history. Moreover, 22% of graduates were first generation students and 17% international students, hailing from 32 different countries including South Korea, Mexico and Brazil, as well as China and India.

These students will be challenged, in the words of Dean Yortsos, “to advance technology that solves the world’s grand challenges. To help create a peaceful, sustainable, healthy, secure and creative world for all. To help resolve conflict and eliminate poverty, to enrich our world.”

The Dean’s ambitious and optimistic vision was matched by keynote speaker and USC Viterbi alumna Azita Martin, who leads NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries. Martin holds a BS in aerospace engineering and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business; she’s also a dedicated mentor with USC Viterbi Women in Engineering.

All to say, her roots with USC run deep – and she assured the graduating students that their own connection with their alma mater would be equally profound. “Look around you – to your left, to your right,” she encouraged the crowd. “When you invest in the people around you, you’re laying the foundation for a community that will grow with you, challenge you and stand by you long after graduation.”

Indeed, Martin credits the network she formed at USC with launching her career, starting in the aerospace industry and later transitioning to developing tech startups where she followed her curiosity for the nascent technology of AI.

Martin arrived at USC as an international student from the island of Mallorca. Her aircraft design professor at the time, Robert Liebeck, was instrumental in helping her win her first and second jobs in aerospace. In the interim, she returned to USC to pursue an MBA. Now, as vice president and general manager for retail & CPG at NVIDIA, Martin guides company executives on their AI strategy and how to build and scale AI solutions for business impact.

Martin advised students not to feel daunted by the rapid pace of technological change. She spoke from experience: “When everything around you is changing, the best way to thrive is by anchoring yourself to what you can control,” she reflected. “Today, I want to share with you three things that are always within your power.”

For Martin, those three points of grounding are: to invest in meaningful relationships, to find a clear point of orientation (a “guiding star”) and to be a lifelong learner.

“For me, that guiding star has always been curiosity – especially about the ‘next big thing’ in technology,” said Martin. That curiosity led her to AI, long before the technology became a global phenomenon impacting every aspect of our lives. Curiosity also allowed her to be resilient in the face of the significant challenge of being a woman when she encountered male-dominated sectors, a resilience that she helps to foster as a mentor for USC Viterbi Women in Engineering.

Student speaker Aleena Imran, who stood to address her fellow graduates, also recognizes the tremendous importance of connections and support. Imran, who is graduating with two bachelor’s degrees, one in electrical and computer engineering and another in biomedical engineering, has been an outstanding member of the USC Viterbi community, including leading the Society of Women Engineers and the Viterbi K-12 Center. In recognition of her extraordinary impact, Imran received the distinctions of Exemplary Grand Challenges Scholar, the Viterbi Impact Award and the Albert Dorman Future Leader Award.

“I have always loved engineering, but I found the courage to pursue it with conviction through the Society of Women Engineers,” said Imran. “Together, we traveled to professional conferences, we volunteered at local LAUSD schools, encouraging other young people to pursue their STEM dreams, we attended networking events to meet incredible industry mentors. Along the way, I found my best friends.”

The determination to rise to solve global challenges became a guiding theme of the ceremony. “The true measure of our success won’t be how complex or cutting-edge our work is, but whether our work moves the world in a direction that reflects our values,” said Imran.

The moral compass of the USC Viterbi graduates was praised by Dean Yortsos. “You are equipped not only with outstanding technical competence, but also with outstanding character,” he said to the sea of students dressed in red and gold. “It is this brilliant combination that creates trustworthiness, sorely needed for our world today.”

Martin echoed the Dean’s words, ending on a note of resounding optimism: “You, USC Viterbi Class of 2025, are the entrepreneurs, the engineers, the leaders who will carry the torch of innovation for all of us.”

Published on May 19th, 2025

Last updated on May 19th, 2025