Gold Honors Scholars - Juris Doctor (JD)

Undergraduate: Tulane University

Jordan was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Tulane University, graduating with honors in May 2022, with degrees in Psychology and Theatre Performance and a minor in Africana Studies. At Tulane, she participated in various activities, including serving as Tulane’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) President, President of the Black Pre-Law Society, and a Greek Life Ambassador. She also served as an event manager for TedXTulane and a Goldman Center for Accessibility Peer Mentor. Jordan received the Nan Boykin Memorial Award of Excellence in Dramatic Literature in 2021 from Tulane’s Theatre Department, and she was the 2022 recipient of the Janice Torre Perky Memorial Award for Excellence in Theatrical Writing.

Intrigued by the business of entertainment, Jordan enrolled in the Disney College Program and moved to Orlando. While at Disney World, Jordan worked behind the scenes in Fantasyland and learned what it takes to make the magic come to life.

Jordan is excited to spend the next three years at USC Gould, especially as an Honors Scholar. She intends to further explore her passion for the entertainment business by obtaining Gould’s Certificate in Media and Entertainment Law.

Undergraduate: UC Los Angeles

Lee grew up in Woodland Hills, California. After graduating from high school, she served two years in the Israeli Defense Forces as a drill sergeants assistant. Due to her job in the military, Lee was exposed to all sorts of military trials. This exposure set Lee on a path to law and inspired her desire to be a litigator.

After her service she attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated cum laude with a degree in philosophy. She was also a part of the Honors Collegium program. After graduating, Lee worked as a case assistant at Seyfarth Shaw’s Century City office. At Seyfarth she worked in labor and employment and fell in love with this area of law.

Lee is honored and excited to start this new chapter of her life at USC Gould. She’s looking forward to learning and growing both personally and professionally.

Undergraduate: University of Southern California

Caitlin grew up in Pacifica, CA, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Public Relations and a minor in Legal Studies from the University of Southern California. During her time at USC, Caitlin won three NCAA Division 1 National Championships as a member of the women’s beach volleyball team. In addition to her athletic pursuits, Caitlin served as the Director of Social for USC’s undergraduate Society of Women in Law.

Along with her on-campus involvement, Caitlin enjoyed her role as the Head of Public Relations for “Exposition,” a non-profit media platform dedicated to empowering student-athletes through independent storytelling. Before being published in Exposition, Caitlin wrote a story for Volleyball Magazine about the toxic culture of body image in beach volleyball to induce change in the sport’s uniform policies.

In her free time, Caitlin enjoys songwriting, poetry, working out, painting, finding coffee shops with good ambiance, and spending time with her family, friends, and her three cats.

Caitlin is excited for three more years at USC as a double trojan and will continue to stay involved in athletics by tutoring student-athletes. She cannot wait to explore her intersectional passions for writing and advocacy through the study of law. Fight on!

Undergraduate: Georgetown University

Roberto Diaz was born and raised in McAllen, Texas. His hometown’s proximity to the US-Mexico border inspired his study of international politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

After graduating from Georgetown in 2019, Roberto returned to South Texas and became a teacher at IDEA San Benito College Preparatory, a Title I public charter school. Roberto taught several courses over the course of his career, including an AP government and AP microeconomics sequence. To encourage deeper learning, Roberto often prompted students to think about the intersections of law, economics, and policy. Roberto’s teaching career culminated in him being named the 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year for his campus.

More recently, Roberto worked in the press office of the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank, where his role involved publicizing economic research from labor markets and monetary policy to financial regulation and antitrust policy.

Roberto is excited to start his legal journey at Gould, where he’s interested in acquiring a business law certificate to push his thinking on how economics, law, and policy intersect.

Undergraduate: University of Southern California

Alexis is from Palos Verdes, California, and attended USC Annenberg as a Presidential Scholar. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication in three years and attained summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and University Trustees Award distinctions.

A passionate advocate of childhood literacy, Alexis founded the highly-awarded nonprofit WriteKids in 2013 to promote literacy globally and currently serves as its Director. Her commitment to social justice also led her to the Loyola Project for the Innocent, where she assisted attorneys in formulating winning defense strategies and was appointed as a supervisor for new interns.

At USC Annenberg, Alexis served as Director of the Women’s Leadership Society. She concurrently worked at the Center on Communication, Leadership, and Policy, coordinating national cybersecurity and election transparency workshops attended by senators and governors, while managing daily social media content across platforms. Additionally, Alexis founded an Instagram site dedicated to gluten-free recipe creation. The account enjoys a community of 10,000 followers and sponsorships by national food companies.

Alexis is honored to begin her legal career at Gould. As an attorney, she aspires to make a lasting impact in the legal landscape of digital media, entertainment, and technology by protecting the rights of burgeoning artists and empowering them to produce creatively.

In her free time, Alexis enjoys dancing, traveling, baking, and cheering on USC football. Fight On!

Undergraduate: University of Southern California

Eduard Galumyan, born in Yerevan, Armenia, arrived in the United States with his family in 2007 ready to embrace the American Dream. His academic journey led him to the American University of Paris where he spent a semester developing as a global citizen prior to enrolling at the University of Southern California studying International Relations (Global Business), complemented by a minor in French. During the unprecedented events of COVID-19, Eduard embraced an opportunity to study French at Les Cours de civilisation française de la Sorbonne (CCFS) in Paris concurrently with his remote education at USC.

Eduard’s passions extend outside of the classroom as an equestrian showjumper. He once represented the USC Equestrian Team in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and now competes at events throughout Southern California. He devotedly rides his leased horse, Aria’s Destiny, under the watchful guidance of trainer Kathryn Griffiths. To contribute to the equestrian world, Eduard also cofounded GallopGuard, an all-natural hoof oil with the added benefits of hemp seed oil.

After graduating summa cum laude and Phi Kappa Phi in December 2021, Eduard focused the next steps of his academic journey towards a legal education. He is grateful and excited to continue at his beloved alma mater as an Honors Scholar at the USC Gould School of Law.

Undergraduate: UC Berkeley

Yuting was born and raised in Nanjing, China. She immigrated to the United States with her family when she was a junior in high school. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in English Literature. During her undergraduate years, she also served as International & Legislative Affairs director at an ASUC Senator’s office.

Entrepreneurship was big part of Yuting’s undergraduate experience. With two co-founders, she founded an education consulting company in Los Angeles which commits to building a bridge between the American education system and Chinese international students, improving students’ learning outcomes, and making academic resources more accessible. This experience has inspired Yuting to develop a fundamental business mindset, making her more open-minded and passionate about the business world.

In her free time, Yuting enjoys creating art pieces, especially in the style of Japanese manga. She also enjoys recording select memorable or fantastic moments in her life in the form of art and posted them on her own art channel.

Yuting is grateful for the opportunity to study with her talented peers at USC Gould, and she looks forward to exploring the intersection of her diverse interests and the law.

Undergraduate: University of Miami

Caleb was born and raised in Dallas, TX. At the University of Miami, he majored in Sports Administration and double minored in Finance and Broadcast Journalism.

At Miami, Caleb was a member of the Eta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and later joined the E-Board of UM’s National Pan-Hellenic Council as the treasurer during his junior and senior year. As a member of Beyond the Horizons, he mentored underclassmen and helped them balance their academics, extracurriculars, and social life through their first year of college.

Early in life, Caleb developed an interest in the entertainment industry, which led him to pursue multiple internships during his time in undergraduate. These included a sports agency called Ballengee Group, and RCA Records through Sony Music Entertainment. An internship at Diaz, Reus and Targ LLP within the sports agency division inspired him to start his own NIL marketing agency, called Hall of Fame Sports Management, LLC. Through his company, he aims to help student-athletes achieve greatness through their name, image, and likeness, and when their athletic career is over.

Caleb is ecstatic to be a part of the Trojan family and experience life in Los Angeles. His hobbies include working out, video games, and playing recreational basketball.

Undergraduate: UC San Diego

Kelly was born and raised in the mountains of San Diego, California. At a young age she found a love for animals, especially horses. She rode competitively which progressed to a professional career by the age of 16. As a professional athlete, Kelly competed in show jumping at the national level. She traveled around the United States to compete, train horses, and coach riders.

After an eight-year career, Kelly pivoted to pursue higher education. She graduated cum laude from University of California San Diego in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in political science.

During her time at UCSD, Kelly worked at the San Diego Public Defender’s Office where she spent much of her time working in the mental health division. Kelly was integral during the transition from courtroom hearings to remote hearings during the Covid-19 pandemic. Working at the Public Defender solidified Kelly’s decision for her second career to be in law.

Kelly is ecstatic to be attending USC Gould as a Gold Honors Student. She is looking forward to being a member of the Trojan Family, and excited to be an active member of the community. She plans on remaining in Southern California and pursuing transactional work.

Undergraduate: Loyola Marymount University

Ashley was born and raised in San Diego, California. She graduated summa cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a B.B.A. in Finance, a BA in Economics, and a minor in Philosophy. As an undergraduate, Ashley was a student-athlete tutor and president of the LMU club basketball team. She was also a member of two prelaw fraternities, Phi Alpha Delta and Phi Delta Phi, and part of the business honors society, Beta Gamma Sigma.

During her studies in economics and finance, Ashley was introduced to mergers and acquisitions and became fascinated with how laws have the power to dissuade monopolies and dictate the market economy. She further intersected her knowledge of finance and interest in the law when she worked as a financial accounting intern for the National Football League. Ashley used her experience with financial valuations to assist in numerous licensing deals, investment analysis, and vendor contracts for the NFL.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys playing basketball, doing ceramics, and reading adventure novels. Ashley is grateful for the opportunity to learn from the esteemed faculty at USC Gould and is delighted to join the Trojan family. She is excited to continue learning about mergers and acquisitions and explore the intersection of finance and law.

Undergraduate: University of Southern California

Brynley is from San Diego, California and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Southern California in 2023 with a BA in Journalism. In her time at USC, Brynley was a member of the Society of Women in Law, served on her sorority’s executive board as the Vice President of Standards, and worked as a multimedia journalist for Annenberg TV News, USC’s student-run newsroom. As a journalism student and reporter, Brynley embraced the privilege of a platform where she could bring awareness to untold stories and unheard voices in media.

Through her undergraduate academic and extracurricular experiences, Brynley found a unique enthusiasm for the intersection of journalism and law in her efforts to foster propriety through writing and storytelling. Brynley is eager to make strides toward a balanced, ethical relationship between free speech media and the law, and is eager to further explore her interest in entertainment and media law.

In her free time, Brynley enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on USC football, and trying new recipes. Brynley is thrilled to be returning to USC as a Gold Honors Scholar, and looks forward to making lifelong friends and taking advantage of the incredible opportunities Gould has to offer.

Undergraduate: Rice University

Julia Joohyun Jung (she/hers) was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Cupertino, California. Her exposure to different value systems—cultural, religious, and economic—sparked her interest in examining what it means to be “good” and led her to double major in Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences at Rice University, where she graduated cum laude. During her undergraduate degree, she developed a passion for unpacking moral dilemmas and conducted research in bioethics and public health.

As a young professional, she worked as a digital marketer in tech. Craving for more nuanced normative reasoning, she pursued a Master’s in Applied Ethics at Utrecht Universiteit in the Netherlands through the Fulbright Scholar Program. Studying ethics at the peak of the pandemic, she was confronted with pressing questions about paternalistic policy, the spread of misinformation, and distributive justice, which became the focus of her degree. Most recently, she spent two years back in Seoul, connecting with her grandparents, working on creative projects, and freelance translating. At Gould, she is excited to build a career in navigating unanswerable questions and explore all the ways that legal expertise can be applied to answering questions of justice.

Outside of law and ethics, she enjoys playing music/singing, cooking, strolling on sandy beaches, biking, and catching up on the latest hit Korean drama.

Undergraduate: Stanford University

Jasmine Kerber (“Jazzy”) grew up in the Chicago area, then moved to California to attend Stanford University. She graduated with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Russian language in 2020, then remained at Stanford to earn her M.A. in communications with a journalism focus in 2021. Jazzy was also an editor at The Stanford Daily and enjoyed teaching yoga at the campus fitness center.

A former rhythmic gymnastics National Champion and World Championship finalist, Jazzy worked as a full-time rhythmic gymnastics coach from 2021 to 2023. She also served as an athlete representative on USA Gymnastics’ Programs Council and earned her judging certifications for all levels of rhythmic gymnastics. These experiences gave Jazzy a passion for protecting athletes’ rights as well as an interest in how rules and policies are created in sport, contributing to her decision to pursue law. Jazzy is excited to join USC Gould’s amazing Class of 2026!

Undergraduate: University of Southern California
Graduate: University of Southern California

Jacob Lind was born in Long Island, New York and raised in Los Angeles. He attended USC for both undergraduate and graduate schools, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in English and History before going on to a Master's degree in Literary Editing and Publishing. While at USC, he focused his studies on student movements of the 1960s, particularly the 1964 Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley. He also was the co-founder and President of the Trojan Advocates for Political Progress, an organization dedicated to political education and advocacy on and off campus.

After graduation from USC, Jacob worked at an employment law firm, representing plaintiffs who had lost their jobs due to discrimination and other unfair labor practices. While there he developed a passion for legal advocacy that complemented his previous experiences both studying and working towards progressive change.

He cannot wait to return once again to USC, and not only because he has missed sitting in the student section at football games. He is looking forward to learning with and from his fellow Trojans at USC Gould and to beginning his legal career alongside them.

Undergraduate: UC Irvine

Sona Mkrtichyan graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, graduating cum laude. Throughout her three-year undergraduate career, she distinguished herself as a proud member of the Campuswide Honors Collegium. She was also an active participant in the Armenian Student Association and held board membership in the Alpha Gamma Alpha cultural sorority. Sona worked as a laboratory technician at UCI, experimenting with rigorous scientific methodologies while conducting Alzheimer’s research alongside graduate students and senior scientists.

Following her undergraduate pursuits, Sona undertook a role as a settlement negotiator at a prominent Los Angeles personal injury law firm, enhancing her understanding of legal nuances and interpersonal dynamics.

Sona aspires to become a successful patent attorney, navigating the complexities of intellectual property law while seamlessly integrating her scientific and legal interests. She is eagerly anticipating her academic journey alongside this year’s USC Gold Honors Scholars.

Undergraduate: University of St. Thomas (TX)

Bryon was born and raised in Houston, TX. He graduated from the University of St. Thomas (TX), where he received Summa Cum Laude honors with a joint degree in Communication and Political Science. Bryon was also a member of Lambda Pi Eta and Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor societies for Communication and Political Science, respectively.

Bryon competed as a member of the UST Basketball team throughout his time at the school. He received numerous awards for his performance on the court and in the classroom as he maintained the highest GPA in the program each season he competed and started every single game for the final 3 years of his career. He was also a member of the Mock Trial team during his final years at UST. Following graduation, Bryon worked in Human Resources at Alight Solutions, with a focus on payroll processing and health benefits.

Bryon has always had an intense passion for sports. Whether it is football, basketball, or baseball season, there’s a good chance Bryon has a game on the TV and knows more than he should about whoever is playing. He is thrilled to study law at USC Gould and hopes to leverage the skills he will gain to effectively represent the next generation of athletes so they can maximize their potential value within the everchanging landscape of name, image, and likeness rights.

Undergraduate: UC Los Angeles

Raised in Washington State, Elisa graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2020, where she received her bachelor’s degree in economics. In her junior year, she discovered her passion for community organizing when she served as a high school mentor at a Koreatown youth center, The K.W. Lee Center for Leadership.

Upon graduating, Elisa continued her work as a college mentor for The K.W. Lee Center for Leadership as well as serving as a Special Projects Coordinator for the nonprofit. Her mentorship responsibilities involved the implementation of the High School & College Korean American Youth Leaders in Training (KAYLT) program She also doubled as a legal assistant for The Law Offices of Do Kim, APLC, a civil rights and employment discrimination law firm that specializes in cases involving police misconduct, prisoner abuse, racial discrimination in the workplace and wage and hour.

Elisa also practices film photography with a special interest in documenting the diversity of AAPI femme beauty. She has collaborated on two limited edition zine projects with Heaven by Marc Jacobs, and her photo work has been featured in publications including i-D, Document Journal and Office Magazine. She enjoys volunteering as a mentor at Las Fotos Project, a photography non-profit for teen girls and gender expansive youth in East LA.

She hopes to intersect her interests in mentorship, community organizing and art into her legal practice as an Entertainment and Employment attorney.

Undergraduate: UC Los Angeles

Nathaniel Park was born in raised in Southern California. He graduated in 2017 from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. During undergraduate, he was involved in multiple sustainability research projects including native habitat restoration, integrated pest management, and wildfire management.

After graduation, he was commissioned into the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Commissioned Officer Corps. Following Officer Candidate School at the United States Coast Guard Academy, he served as a Junior Officer aboard the oceanographic research vessel NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette based out of Pearl Harbor, HI. During his sea assignment, Nathaniel facilitated numerous conservation projects including endangered species protection, coral reef monitoring and restoration, and the bottomfish stock assessment throughout the main Hawaiian Islands, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and the Marianas Archipelago. Following this, he served with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, HI as a field research team lead and small boat coxswain.

Nathaniel is extremely excited to start law school at USC this year and participate as an Honors Scholar. He hopes to learn more about the legal issues around environmental and ocean conservation and expand his perspectives in many other areas.

Undergraduate: Chapman University

Born and raised in Orange County, California, Christian graduated from Chapman University in 2022 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Business Administration. While at Chapman, Christian was the president of Global Brigades Business, a club committed to assisting impoverished communities abroad meet their economic and financial goals.

Christian discovered his passion for the law while volunteering at Veterans Legal Institute, where he got first-hand experience by helping veterans get the benefits they deserve. Pursuing his passion further, Christian later interned under the general counsel at Caravan Canopy. Here, Christian was able to work on a variety of cases, exposing him to all the different areas of law.

Christian loves to give back to his community. Most recently, he volunteered as a head coach for NJB (National Junior Basketball). Outside of school, Christian enjoys attending USC football games, trading on the stock market, and visiting new places.

Christian is ecstatic to attend USC Gould as a Gold Honors Scholar.