Letter To Incoming Students

June 13, 2019

Welcome to the Trojan Family!

At the University of Southern California, our goal is to cultivate a campus culture of well-being so that all of our students can flourish in their lives and in their studies. I want you to know about a new course we are offering this Fall called THRIVE: Foundations of Well-being (OT 100). Undergraduate Student Government leaders created this course to support incoming students as they face the common challenges in adjusting to campus life, including establishing healthy friendships and managing stress and loneliness. The course focuses on building skills to support emotional intelligence, healthy relationships, civility and inclusivity, success and resiliency, meaningful activities, personal leadership, and positive psychology.

Students who enrolled in the THRIVE pilot course last year had a rich and rewarding experience. More than 90% of them reported that they clarified their own values, strengthened their identities, and felt more empowered to seek positive change in their own lives and promote well-being for themselves and their peers. As you begin your exciting new journey at USC, I encourage all of you to consider taking THRIVE as a vital component of your first year on campus. This course is one unit, with one weekly lecture and one weekly discussion section. There are no grades and no homework.

Here are some ways to learn more about the course:

I wish you the very best as you embark upon an academic career at USC that will be enriching and transformative, both personally and professionally.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Quick

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Cc: Wanda Austin
Carol Folt
Academic Senate
Academic Deans
President’s Cabinet
Provost’s Cabinet