
Coach Profiles - Fall 2008
More Coach Profiles Coming Soon!
David Bailey
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Major: Electrical Engineering
Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
High School: La Cueva High School
Student Organizations:
JEP, ATS, Cantebury USC
Hobbies/ Interests: Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Disneyland, beaches, oceans, baseball, football, college basketball, volleyball, cars, trucks, trains, planes, sleeping, horses, food
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Getting my Disneyland Annual Pass
>Watching the USC v. ND game
>Trips to Washington, Mississippi and Oceanside with student groups
Advice for freshmen:
> Go to class
> Get out
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Elea Grotter
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Major: Biomedical (biochemical) Engineering
Minor: German
Hometown: Camas, Washington
High School: Camas High School
Student Organizations: Alpha Chi Omega, Society of Women Engineers, Tau Beta Pi, Alpha Epsilon Delta (pre-med honor society), ASBME, Spirits in Action, Relay for Life, JEP, ATPS, Alpha Lambda Delta, Research at Cedars Sinai, Research in the Cardiorespiratory Sleep Lab
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, especially to Europe, piano, anything German, movies, music, SC football games, watching soccer, exploring LA
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Meeting all the new people and making really strong friendships
> Late night chats with the roomie and my Birnkrant buds
> The football games!!
Advice for freshmen:
> Explore LA and all the different clubs and activities on campus. Once you find something you're interested in, look into it. It's a great way to meet new people and expand your horizons. Get involved!
> Don't be afraid to ask professors, TAs and other students for help if you need it. They want you to succeed.
> You're going to face new challenges, whether it's doing your laundry for the first time, managing your budget, or living with a roommate. It will take time to adjust. Don't get overwhelmed or worry too much about it beforehand. It will work out!
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Robin Hartman
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Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Austin, TX
High School: Lyndon B. Johnson High School
Student Organizations: SWE, USC Hellions (ultimate frisbee), work at California Science Center
Hobbies/Interests: Ultimate frisbee, dance, music, genetics, biology
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Spending 4 hours with my physics study group at
tempting to review the practice test our professor gave
us, but we were really just drawing on the chalkboard
and watching youtube videos.
Advice for freshmen:
> Get out there and meet people. Meet them in your dorm, in your classes, at work, and in the dining halls.
> Don't be afraid of what people think of you.
> Study hard, but don't get too caught up in grades!
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Penny Ishizuka
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Major: Biomedical Electrical Engineering
Hometown: Aiea, Hawaii
High School: Punahou School
Student Organizations: Society of Women Engineers Treasurer, Southern California Nikkei Association President
Hobbies/Interests: Chilling with friends, watching Family Guy, CSI, Food Network, Dramas, or Friends, Reading, Ukulele
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Making new friends and meeting tons of new people during my first days at USC
> Going to football games and cheering for USC
> Seeing snow for the first time and learning how to snowboard!
Advice for freshmen:
> Get involved! It's a great way to meet new people!
> Go to class!
> Don't be afraid to ask for help, there are SO many people around willing to help you out!
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Ann Jun
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Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: La Crescenta, California
High School: Clark Magnet High School
Student Organizations: VP of Student Affairs - Society of Women Engineers, Corporate Chair - Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering, VP - Korean Student Organization, Research Assistant
Hobbies/Interests: USC FOOTBALL!, swimming, water polo, watching Korean dramas, sleep
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> staying up all night talking to friends
> Grey's Anatomy parties
> movie nights
> floor dinners
Advice for freshmen:
> Get involved early with anything and everything you're interested in. It's a great way to meet people and to give back to the school and the community. But don't join organizations purely for resume building - make sure you enjoy what yo
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Kazuma Kitagaito
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Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Torrance, CA
High School: North High School
Student Organizations: APASA, Viterbi Overseas Program Paris 2007, Nikkei, JSA
Hobbies/Interests: Kendo, Watching soccer, Snowboarding, eating scones at RTH cafe!
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> meeting new students
> having late classes
Advice for freshmen:
> Try to go to all your classes even though it's tough!
> Look into studying abroad early!
> Have fun!
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Harry McCoy
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Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
High School: Academy of Math, Science & Applied Technology (AMSAT) - Clark High School
Student Organizations: NSBE, CED
Hobbies/Interests: Golf, Cards, Sports, ESPN, Sleep
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> game day
> Meeting new people from tons of places
Advice for freshmen:
> Remember you probably came to USC to get your education.
> Try to set a sleeping schedule that ensures you don’t oversleep important deadlines.
> Don’t be overwhelmed by being in a new environment.
> Learn to enjoy the laid back nature of college campus.
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Daniel Orr
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Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Seal Beach, CA
High School: Servite High School
Student Organizations: Aerodesign Team, Viterbi Student Ambassadors, Surf Club, Directed Research
Hobbies: Surfing, Sailing, Fishing, Diving, Spear Fishing,Table Tennis, Camping
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Traveling with the marching band to the USC vs Notre Dame game
>Fountain hopping at in the middle of the night
Advice for freshmen:
> Go to the beach, then go to the l
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Rob Taft
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Major: Biomedical (Mechanical) Engineering
Hometown: Fallbrook, CA
High School: Fallbrook High School
Student Organizations: Campus Crusade for Christ, Adventures Ahead Reading Program, CALPIRG Volunteer, Viterbi Book Club, Bible Study Leader
Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, Football, Tennis, and pretty much any other athletic activity, Watching ESPN, Reading, Rooting for the Trojans!, Building stuff, Going to the beach
Favorite memories from freshman year:
Spending a month on the USC football team, Going to football games (duh), Intramural Soccer, Campus Crusade Men's Retreat, Chase Edler's Life (RIP), Building the ENGR 101 Robot, USC Basketball Sweet Sixteen
Advice for freshmen:
Have fun and take advantage of living in LA. There are so many opportunities here that can be found nowhere else. Get off campus every once in a while and enjoy the surrounding area. At the same time, try not to do too many things at once. Start small and keep your grades up and then add more activities and responsibilities as you go. To get involved, join clubs and organizations - there's more than you could ever want! Finally, remember that you're living your own life now, not your parents or anyone else's. Be yourself , do what you want to do, and have fun, but remember that you're also responsible for yourself and your actions. Good luck and Fight On!!!
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Benjamin Vatterott
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Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
High School: St. Thomas Military Academy
Student Organizations: Alpha Lambda Delta, ASME, After School Sports Connection, Supplemental Instruction, Catholic Center
Hobbies/Interests: Baseball, Broomball, Running, Traveling and Road Trips, Camping and the Outdoors, Fishing, Minnesota Baseball and Hockey, Trojan Football and Basketball
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> The USC vs. ND football game - I was there!
> Going to San Francisco
Advice for freshmen:
> Be open-minded and try new things, especially if you like the other people who are participating - you may be surprised what you can have doing
> Learn and utilize proper time management - USE YOUR PLANNER!
> Make an effort to meet plenty of new people, even if they are someone that wouldn't have hung out with in high school. Your first couple months at SC are the best for getting to know people you normally wouldn't.
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Kimberly Wong
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Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Aiea, HI
High School: Punahou High School
Student Organizations: Society of Women Engineers, Nikkei
Hobbies/Interests: Cleaning, cooking, Disneyland, dramas, eating, friends, music, and shopping
Favorite memories from freshman year:
> Meeting the cast of Gilmore Girls
> My friends and I spending the entire weekend before the Math 126 final in VKC trying to learn Taylor Series
> Being front row for The Fray at Conquest!
Advice for freshmen:
> Go to office hours; it's always good to get to know your professors. They don't bit, I promise.
> Don't let yourself be intimidated by other people -- you are just as worthy and capable.
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