- About
About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our interdisciplinary curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and specialized areas.
Student Quick Links:
- Admissions
Admissions
USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
- Students
Students
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
Student Quick Links:
- Careers
Careers
We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
- Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
- Alumni and Giving
- Admissions

Mental Health in Film
USC Gould School of Law
- ABOUT USC GOULD
- A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
- + HISTORY OF USC GOULD
- LAW, RACE AND EQUITY
- + NEWS
- + EVENTS
- BOARD OF COUNCILORS
- CONSUMER INFORMATION (ABA REQUIRED DISCLOSURES)
- VISIT US
- SOCIAL MEDIA
- + CONTACT US
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Saks Institute and Media Institute for Social Change host discussion
-By Gilien Silsby
![]() |
Elyn Saks discussed mental health with the cinema school's Michael Taylor (right) at an event curated by Saks Scholar Osahon Tongo (middle). |
USC’s Saks Institute and Media Institute for Social Change hosted a discussion recently on how mental health issues are depicted in film.
The collaboration, which was part of Mental Health Awareness Week at USC, included a short screening of the documentary, “Walking Man” as well as three films on mental health struggles and triumphs. The event, known as Odyssey of the Mind, was curated by Osahon Tongo, a Saks Scholar and USC graduate cinema student. Melissa Miller, a Saks post-doc scholar, was instrumental in securing the speakers associated with "Walking Man."
In the film “Walking Man,” Eric Norwine, a 2012 graduate of USC’s cinema school, and his father, Mark, chronicled their journey to spread awareness about mental health. The powerful documentary captured the pair walking 200 miles across Missouri, educating students about mental health issues and sharing their own story with others.
The Norwines, and the director of “Walking Man,” Josh Salzberg, described how the film was produced as well as challenges making the film. Elyn Saks, director of the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy and Ethics, and Michael Taylor, director of the Media Institute for Social Change (MISC), moderated the discussion.
The 70-minute “Walking Man,” is culled from more than 100 hours of footage and offers an intimate platform for addressing the far larger issue of mental health, said Eric Norwine.
![]() |
Michael Taylor, director of the Media Institute for Social Change, co-moderated a discussion with Elyn Saks about "Walking Man," a powerful documentary about a USC cinema school graduate's journey to spread awareness about mental health issues. |
“Our hope with the film is to really provide hope for people who might be going through similar things and say, ‘You’re not alone. And there is hope for a better future, a better chance to really just live,’” Eric Norwine said.
After the “Walking Man” discussion, three short films were screened and discussed. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health challenges provided the thematic center for “Present Trauma,” directed by Mark D. Manalo.
The two other shorts, including, “Happy Bird” by Osahon Tongo and “Glass People,” directed John Berardo, were all MISC-produced projects, highlighting the Institute’s dedication to promoting responsible and socially impactful storytelling.
When making Happy Bird, Tongo consulted staff psychologists at USC’s Engemann Student Health Center to ensure the accuracy of his story, which was partially inspired by a past relationship with an individual who suffered from borderline personality disorder. The evening ended with live music, and original artwork, much of it produced and curated by USC alumni.
Read More
- Next Article: Immigration Clinic Offers Life-saving Legal Representation
- Previous Article: A Who's Who of the Legal World
RECENT NEWS

USC Gould Commencement Day 2023 - Ceremony Videos
May 12, 2023
Join the USC Gould School of Law in celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2023!

Katherine Sims JD ’23 to continue championing public service after graduation
May 11, 2023
Through the highly selective CA Attorney General Honors Program, Sims will be joining the CA Department of Justice

Rohan Garg JD ’23 to be Gould’s flag bearer for USC commencement ceremony
May 11, 2023
Garg is a DEI fellow and founder of the trial advocacy team at USC Gould