By Jill Barone
For as long as she can remember, Robin Maness has been passionate about higher education and fundraising. From her first position after college at Chapman University, to her current role as the Associate Dean of Development, Alumni Relations and Continuing Legal Education at USC Gould, Maness has thrived in the philanthropic world. In her present position, Maness is responsible for the forward-facing view of the law school. A southern California native, Maness spent her childhood among the orange groves of Irvine. She was a music lover and singer from an early age, performing in choirs and school musicals as an adolescent. This love continued into college, which she began as a vocal performance major. Maness modestly mentions that she was hand-picked by Lionel Ritchie as part of a twenty voice ensemble to perform in the 1984 Summer Olympics closing ceremonies at the Los Angeles Coliseum. She still enjoys singing and performs on occasion at weddings and other events.
Following her time at Chapman, Maness held roles planning and producing events for the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney Studios along with lead fundraising roles for Anaheim Memorial Hospital and Opera Pacific. Prior to USC, she spent over 10 years at Southern Methodist University in Texas in a variety of leadership roles in development. However, she felt a calling back to her roots in southern California in 2015 when then new Dean Andrew Guzman was looking to expand the Development and Alumni Relations office.
“USC is a respected brand and the Trojan family is so unique. The Campaign for USC is historic and it is such an exciting time to be here. Within the law school, Dean Guzman’s vision and enthusiasm for the future is infectious. The chance to be a part of that and to work with Dean Guzman and help to mold and shape this vision was and still is very exciting to me,” Maness says.
Since the Dean’s start over three years ago, much has changed at the law school. Examples are the creation of programs such the First Generation Professionals (FGP), which supports students who are first in their families to earn a college degree, and the Honors Scholars, which combines financial support with mentoring and networking for highly ranked incoming Gould JD students.
Aside from the evolving programming within the JD degree, there has been a significant focus on expanding degrees and certificates within the Graduate & International Programs, which now boasts seven master’s degrees, seven certificates and two non-degree programs.
Maness is quick to mention that these programs, along with many other student scholarships and the ability to continue to recruit first-in-class faculty, would not be possible without the financial generosity of our alumni.
With a changing academic landscape comes a need for physical changes on campus. This has included enhancements to the clinical programs which are now housed in Dauterive Hall, adjacent to the law school. Upcoming plans also include proposed modifications to the current law school building, including a new, state-of-the-art space to accommodate the increase in students and faculty and provide the best and most innovative law school experience possible.
A conversation with Maness frequently returns to alumni. She notes that she is proud of the ways that the Development and Alumni Relations team is able to engage alumni across divergent career paths and interests. Through communications such as the monthly alumni e-newsletter and social media channels, to events like Reunion, mixers and faculty lectures, Maness thinks that there are a myriad of ways to meet everyone’s interests and demands on their time.
Maness proudly reflects on the law school’s past, with an eye on the future. “I am so pleased with the team I have built, our recent successes and the trajectory of the law school,” she says. “Years after they earn their degrees, I hope that USC Gould remains a source of pride for our alumni. It is wonderful to hear from graduates who continue to find value and engagement opportunities here; there is no greater reward.”
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