Samantha, USC '29, on Chinese International Students, Housecleaning & Basketball

Samantha Gao, USC ‘29, shares her journey from China to USC, her involvement in Chinese Women’s Basketball, content creation while working as a housecleaner, advice on joining clubs, and the anxieties facing international students today.About the Show:Quad Cast is a weekly show hosted by speechwriter turned higher ed advisor, Inna Effress. In each episode, students and faculty share personal insights into campus life and their programs. Hear about new frontiers in science, real medical research, and departmental STEM innovations. Feel the wonders of arts and humanities. Hear directly from students about their internships and summer programs, unique career paths, and making the most of their potential in a shifting world, all through personal stories. Inna’s love for education began when she emigrated from Ukraine to the U.S., and her family had to start from scratch in a foreign language. After college, she became a writer helping American public figures and lawmakers tell their stories. Now, she works with students applying to top schools. She helps them go after their niche through the transformative force of education, knowing that once a person has it, no one can take it away. Cover art by Raisa Effress“Cathedral of Salt” (intro/outtro) composed by Abe EffressTimestamps:00:00 Intro to Samantha, USC '2901:35 Chinese Womens Basketball at USC03:29 Anxieties of Chinese Students05:10 Policies & attitudes towards international student06:32  Housecleaning with Tidy Trojans09:35 U.S. campus life & Chinese cultural dynamics11:01 From China to USC13:42 Playing the guzheng to the bass guitar15:32 Japanese class & multicultural friendships16:43 Applying to USC & essays on unique interests20:22 Wisdom on joining clubs