Beong-Soo Kim will be formally installed as USC’s 13th president Friday during a ceremony at the university’s University Park campus, where he is expected to outline his vision for the institution’s future.
The academic procession will begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday, with university representatives marching from the steps of Bovard Auditorium into Alumni Park, 3570 Trousdale Parkway. The investiture ceremony will follow.
Kim, 53, was unanimously elected president by USC’s Board of Trustees on Feb. 4 after serving as interim president since July 2025. He assumed the presidency immediately following his election, succeeding Carol Folt, who announced her retirement in 2024.
The board selected Kim following a national search that considered more than 1,000 candidates, according to USC.
Kim, a lawyer who joined USC in 2020 as senior vice president and general counsel, was initially not part of the presidential search but was invited to participate by the Board of Trustees in October 2025.
In an interview with student reporters following his appointment, Kim said his family’s ties to USC and his commitment to the university’s future influenced his decision to seek the presidency.
“I was very happy to do so because No. 1: I love USC, I love the work that we do,” Kim told USC Annenberg Media in February. “My parents were international students here. So I’ve always had an incredibly strong emotional attachment to the university, and I’ve always believed in its potential to extend its impact across the world.”
Kim took over as interim president amid significant financial challenges, including a budget deficit exceeding $200 million. The university subsequently undertook a broad restructuring effort that included layoffs of more than 1,000 employees.
He has said the university was on track to eliminate the deficit by the end of the 2026 fiscal year, according to USC Annenberg Media.
During his interim presidency, Kim also launched the Open Dialogue Project, an initiative encouraging academic freedom, free expression and open discussion across the university.
He has also overseen initiatives involving artificial intelligence, including a partnership with OpenAI, the creation of an AI strategy committee and USC’s inaugural AI summit.
Despite coming to the presidency without a traditional academic administrative background, Kim has emphasized his commitment to advancing USC’s educational and research missions.
“I think the most important thing is to have a leader who truly values, respects and wants to advance the academic mission of a university,” Kim told USC Annenberg Media following his appointment. “That’s part of the reason that the deans, the faculty advisory committee and other faculty members have been so supportive of my interim leadership. I think they recognize how much I care about advancing that academic mission.”
Kim has also served as an adjunct professor at the USC Gould School of Law and has been involved in university athletics. A lifelong cellist, he has performed in events associated with the USC Thornton School of Music.
Friday’s ceremony will include a speech by Kim outlining his priorities for USC.
The university will also host a Trojan Family celebration from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday at McCarthy Quad, featuring live performances, creative arts activities and food for students, faculty, staff and guests.
Additional information about the investiture is available at president.usc.edu/investiture.