Thanassis Rikakis was officially installed as the new dean of USC Iovine and Young Academy on Oct. 28. The ceremony at Town and Gown was attended by Academy founders Jimmy Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, USC leaders, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the Academy. 

“Today, we install a ‘disruptor’ as dean,” said President Carol Folt. “Someone whom a Virginia Tech colleague described as ‘a ball of fire,’ but also someone who puts students first and always connects cutting-edge with human-centered.”

In his speech, Dean Rikakis discussed the importance of collaborative innovation across disciplines as the key to tackling the world’s most complex problems such as sustainability, homelessness, and global health. 

“The world is now catching up with the bold vision of the Academy. The top desired skill in many recent employer surveys is collaborative innovation,” said Dean Rikakis. “Industry leaders whether it’s Jimmy Iovine or my friend David Calhoun, CEO of Boeing, will tell you that the next waves of big wins in society and industry will be across sectors.” 

Dean Rikakis shared his own life experiences growing up in Greece as shaping his academic identity as an immigrant across academic silos. He emphasized that creating a home for people who learn differently will be a major priority and goal for education in the 21st century.

“The Academy, along with its many current and future partners, is creating a vibrantly diverse, inclusive, and collaborative community, that can develop into a cross-sector incubator for the future of learning and the future of work -- an incubator that can look ahead, see the cracks through which the light gets in, and define 21st century proficiencies before they become mainstream,” he said.

Dean Rikakis is the second dean of the Academy. He comes to USC from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and has served as executive vice president and provost at Virginia Tech. He is also the university’s founding director of innovative transdisciplinary honors programs as well as lifelong learning programs.

“I don’t know where the next revolutionary idea will come from or what it will be. But I do know it’s here, germinating in the minds of our students, our faculty, our alumni and our partners as part of their own journeys,” said Dean Rikakis. “I am honored and excited that the Academy and the broader USC community have chosen to include me in their dreams. I’m excited to be taking a journey into the future that we are all building together.”

The new dean of USC Iovine and Young Academy sits down with Matthew Manos to answer questions about his experience of coming to Los Angeles, his thoughts on the significance of the Academy, and his vision for its future.

Thanassis Rikakis installed as dean of USC Iovine and Young Academy