At the USC Iovine and Young Academy, our community extends beyond graduation. What comes after you throw your cap in the air and receive your diploma? That’s where Josh Lurie comes in. The Cohort 1 alumnus is proud to take on the title of the Academy’s freshly appointed alumni representative. His goal is to “keep the spirit” of the school continuing throughout the lives of graduates, building a robust network of alumni and students while fostering a supportive connectivity. 

Why does Lurie want to jump into this role? For starters, he was nominated. But he’s not just honoring the wishes of former classmates. He’s also committed to forming one-on-one relationships with alumni, both developing and scaling a plan for connecting people who have graduated. As an alumni representative, Lurie wants everyone to know his digital door is open and he’ll be rapidly responding to messages if you reach out. 

Now a freelance product manager, Lurie is aware of the uniqueness of the Academy and its ecosystem. He’s never ceased to admire the school’s bold, innovative approach to higher education. 

“It was new, so it could be built from the ground up and wasn’t restrained by existing barriers and ties. It is its own school,” he says of why he chose to enroll in the inaugural cohort. 

Lurie’s introduction to the existence of the Academy took flight unexpectedly, in more ways than one. He struggled to find a college that felt like a true fit until his dad happened to be on a plane pursuing a magazine that featured the USC logo with founders, Jimmy Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, on it. Realizing the “cool” and forward-thinking school was a match for his son, he suggested Lurie apply. The rest was history. 

Lurie recalls his time at the Academy and how it informed his future: “I think the biggest skill you learn is grit and how to figure things out, and how to think creatively about problem solving and creatively finding the resources to solve projects.” 

Lurie remembers countless late nights collaborating with Academy colleagues, coders and non-coders, together helping each other to build projects which led to some incredible results. 

As a junior, Lurie was part of a five-person team that developed Cancerbase, an app that assists cancer patients in tracking their symptoms and health while they were at doctor’s appointments. The project was featured at then-Vice President Joe Biden’s 2016 Cancer Moonshot Initiative at the White House innovation fair, South by South Lawn. Senior year, Lurie helped develop a tool that aided the government in better managing their internal processes and emails. 

“People who graduate from the Academy – they might not want a traditional job, just as we didn’t want a traditional college experience. That scrappiness helps everyone find opportunities,” he notes of the enduring Academy mentality. 

In Lurie’s eyes, staying in touch means more than remaining friends. Being a member of an alumni community is about maintaining the Academy ethos and not letting go of the lessons learned in the past as you continue to create a future. His intention is for graduates to “grow together,” not apart. 

“One thing about my attitude towards the alumni is that nothing we’ve ever done has ever been traditional, and this is going to be a continuation of that,” Lurie concludes. “I want the alumni to look at it [the alumni network]  as I look at it, as essentially our cohorts being able to build an experience for ourselves.”

“Be excited that we’re building this all together! It’s a group project again.”

What comes after you throw your cap in the air and receive your diploma? That’s where Josh Lurie comes in. The Cohort 1 alumnus is proud to take on the title of the Academy’s freshly appointed alumni representative. Find out how he hopes to “keep the spirit” of the school continuing throughout the lives of graduates by building a network of alumni and students that fosters a supportive community.

Get to Know the Academy’s New Alumni Rep, Josh Lurie

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