The USC Alumni Club of North Texas held its 2004 Scendoff on Saturday, August 7th at the home of Thad and Alicia Smotherman in Arlington, Texas where more than 120 members of the Trojan Family attended.
The guests included mostly all of the 40 USC incoming freshman and many returning USC students from the Metroplex, including their family and friends. The annual event brings the USC incoming freshman together one last time before heading for the university.
USC SCendOff 2004
8/7/04
The event was hosted by the Smothermans for the fourth straight year at their home, which is a replica of President Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee. The Smotherman’s daughter graduated from USC.
We want to take this opportunity to thank Thad and Alicia for opening their home to the Trojan Family—it is by far the most impressive venue for any USC Scendoff across the country!
The USC Alumni Club of North Texas awarded four scholarships to incoming freshman at the event, after more than 30 were interviewed a month earlier at the MBNA offices in Addison. Scholarship Chairman Charles Daniel presented the scholarship awards to the winners on behalf of the club.
WELCOME SPEECH
Club President Ray Martinez gave a speech to welcome the Trojan Family, and also highlighted some of the accomplishments of the university and the freshman class:
• Of the admitted students for Fall, 2004, the average SAT is 1375, which was nearly 10 points higher than our admitted students last year
• The average GPA: 4.10, nearly one-tenth of a point higher than last year
• USC has more than 100 minors, maybe the broadest array in the country and students are encouraged to pursue majors and minors that are far apart from each other
• Not required, but more than half of our undergraduate students participate in volunteer activities each year
• USC is adding 1.2 million square feet of building space over the next few years
• During the 2003-2004 academic year, USC won four national championships in athletics – football, women’s volleyball, men’s water polo and women’s water polo
GUEST SPEAKER – MICHAEL WILLIAMS
The highlight of the afternoon was when Mr. Martinez introduced the 2004 Scendoff’s Guest Speaker – Mr. Michael Williams, Commissioner, Railroad Commission of the State of Texas.
Commissioner Williams is the first African American in Texas History to hold an executive statewide elected post and is the highest ranking African American in Texas State government. Mr. Williams was initially appointed to the commission in 1999.
Mr. Williams, who earned two degrees from the University of Southern California in the 1970’s, gave a motivating speech to all Trojans about the value of the Trojan Family, his days at USC after being raised in Midland, Texas and also his friendship with President George W. Bush which stems over 30 years.
“He was my campaign manager when I decided to run for local government in the Midland area many years ago, and I can tell you that he is a much better President
than a campaign manager because we lost the election,” Mr. Williams said of our current President. After Mr. Williams speech, he along with Mr. Martinez and Mr. Daniel took questions from the audience about the USC experience.
The event ended with a raffle drawing of USC merchandise, and all of the parents expressed gratitude to the Smothermans, Mr. Williams and the USC Alumni Club of North Texas for welcoming them into the Trojan Family!
The USC Alumni Club of North Texas would like to recognize the following individuals for their hard work and contribution to the event: Charles Daniel, David Meadows, Adam Jensen, Bob Chapman, Christy Zegub, Karen Zegub, Ginger Swallow, Sheri Martinez, Corey Smith, Bill Mitchell, Jamie Jester, Richard Anderson, Connie Teitel and husband Stuart, R. Sampeth, Shikha Mittal, and our friends at USC – Serena Overhoff, Erin Pates and Richard Vargas.
We are already making plans for the 2005 USC SCendoff – Fight On!
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