Beth Gonzales, Entertainment Editor
As the pink-orange sun goes down on the Los Angeles skyline, life and laughter stay awake on two campuses. USC and UCLA have been rivals since 1941 when USC students stole a 295 pound bell from the UCLA campus. Now the ‘Victory Bell’ is awarded to the school who triumphs in the annual football game. Whether you hear the booming stomps of Traveler the Trojan Horse or the piercing roar of the Bruin Bear, both institutions sparkle in different ways.
Let’s start with USC. It is best known for its rigorous yet renowned majors in business, communications and many creative arts. USC also has the most recognizable marching band and school song. “Fight Song” was written during World War ll by a dental student and is now used by schools around the world.
USC focuses on a holistic education. Chloe Miller, a current USC graduate student says, “USC is not just about learning your subject matter but learning the larger issues of human society and what we can do with our education in order to correct it.” Their concept of academic rigor is based on taking what you learned and immersing yourself in it through internships and class requirements. Miller says, “It’s not just a lot of reading and writing but its going out into the world and applying those concepts.”
Ah, the blue and gold. UCLA is of course a public university belonging to the UC system. Being the most applied to school in our entire nation. UCLA is most known as being a top school for research and for biology, political science and psychology. Mrs. Sunada, an Rancho Cucamonga High School teacher who attended UCLA says, “I got to be in the UCLA marching band for four years and even march in the Rose Parade. I also danced in Grupo Folklorico.”
In the heart of the campus, UCLA has an inverted fountain, created in 1968 that has become home to a favorite freshman tradition. When you start school you are “initiated” by catapulting into the water, then doing so right before graduation. Another tradition includes… rivalry week. Mrs. Sunada says, “Beat USC Week is full of school spirit. The Bruin is covered and guarded to protect him from vandalism and of course the annual bonfire before the game.”
With both schools only 12 miles apart, Southern California is blessed to hold two of the most sought after colleges in the world. Rose Bowl or Coliseum? Beverly Hills or Downtown LA? Red or Blue? What color will your victory bell be painted?
The Cat's Eye 