Steven Sample opens USC US-China Institute Conference (video and transcript)

USC President Steven B. Sample passed away on March 29, 2016. He was 75 years old. He served as USC president from 1991 to 2010. Prior to that he was president of the University of Buffalo from 1981 to 1990. He was an electrical engineer who became a leader in educating young people for a global future. At USC, for example, he was a founder of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Under his leadership USC enrolled more international students than any other American university. He strengthened the university's teaching and research programs, greatly advancing USC's reputation. In 2000, USC was named "college of the year" by Time/Princeton Review. In 1991, USC ranked 51st in the well-known US News and World Report college rankings. By 2010, Sample's final year as USC president, the university reached number 25, outranking crosstown rival UCLA. No school of its size and caliber had ever risen so far so fast. 

As president, Sample nurtured awareness of, research and teaching on, and connections with China. He visited China several times. In July 1995, he told China Daily he was anxious to forge strong ties with top Chinese institutions and to improve the study of China in the United States. In May 2006, Sample led a delegation of USC Trustees to China, a trip marked by his announcement in Beijing that USC would establish the U.S.-China Institute. At the time, Sample said, "China is no doubt a rising economic power... We feel it is necessary to research China and U.S.-China relations, and to answer the questions confronting both of us." On that visit, Sample met with Lei Jieqiong, former vice-mayor of Beijing and a 1931 sociology graduate of USC. He presented her with a duplicate of her lost diploma.

President Sample opened our inaugural conference, explaining why the university created the institute and how it was the latest of USC's effort to be a leader in fostering better understanding across the Pacific. The other conference presentations, including Ambassador Stapleton Roy's keynote address, are available at the institute website and our YouTube channel.

USC U.S.-CHINA INSTITUTE CONFERENCE

BY STEVEN B. SAMPLE

APRIL 20, 2007

Good morning. I want to thank each of you for being here. I’d like to extend a special welcome to the distinguished government representatives who are here. On behalf of the entire University of Southern California, I thank you for your participation.

Also in attendance are teachers from our Southern California community and representatives of organizations and of universities from around the world.

I should like to take this time to express my appreciation to the distinguished scholars on discussion panels. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on China and its relationship with the United States.

I also want to introduce the USC trustees who are here.  Would you please stand when I say your name? Mrs. Ann Hill. And Dr. Barbara Rossier.

I also want to take this time to salute a longtime USC supporter whose generosity helped make this conference possible. Mr. Leonard Sands is a Trojan parent who is a member of the Board of Councilors of our Annenberg School for Communication and a member of President Bush’s Export Council. Mr. Sands, would you please stand so that we may recognize you?

As you know, this is the first conference held by our U.S.-China Institute. Last May in China we announced our plans to create this institute. One of the advisors to the U.S.-China Institute is USC trustee and alumnus Herbert Klein. Mr. Klein played an important role in the success of our China trip. Tonight’s keynote lecture is named after him.

The USC U.S.-China Institute is unique because of its location and its university-wide scope. Many universities have Asian research centers. But these centers usually focus on Asian history or the humanities. The USC U.S.-China Institute has a much broader scope. Its focus is on modern China and the rapid changes taking place there. These changes range from economic to social trends, and from cultural to political trends.

I should note that outside the academy there are think tanks and other groups studying modern China. However, elite research universities such as USC possess some distinct advantages. These include the fertile environment for interdisciplinary research that a major university can provide, and the combined talent of its top faculty, researchers, postdocs, and students.

Now, there are many reasons why USC created the U.S.-China Institute. Some are obvious. They include globalization and the rapidly accelerating economy of China. However, there are three attributes that make our university and the U.S.-China Institute a perfect fit. 

First, USC is a global university.

Second, USC is located in a city that is the American gateway to the Pacific Rim.

And third, USC is dedicated to meeting the needs of our students and society as a whole.

Now let me briefly explain each.

First, USC is a global university. We’ve been educating international students for more than a century. In fact USC enrolls more international students and has more international alumni than any other American university. All together, students from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao represent the largest cohort of USC’s international student population. 

USC has also established some important alliances. Our university is a founding member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. And the Pacific Council on International Policy is a premier nonprofit group that has its headquarters on our campus.

USC’s connections to the Pacific Rim bring me to my second point, which is USC’s location in Los Angeles. As many of you know, L.A. is a creative and cultural powerhouse. Its ports are America’s busiest trade centers. And it is home to the largest Asian population in the United States. L.A. – and Southern California – have flourished in many ways because of the innovative research and the intellectual capital that USC and other neighboring universities produce.  I would add that USC is also contributing to – and benefiting from – the vitality of our Pacific Rim neighborhood.

USC’s third attribute is its goals of meeting the needs of our students and the global society in which we live. The U.S.-China Institute – and the work that you accomplish here – will help USC fulfill its international goals. A few moments ago, I emphasized USC’s top ranking in terms of international students. However, our students – both international and domestic – are well aware of how important it is for them to be prepared for life and work in a global society. For example, the number of USC students enrolled in Chinese language courses has doubled in just a few years. 

We at USC are also building on our location in Los Angeles to meet societal needs – which in many cases are global in scale. As an urban paradigm for the 21st century, Los Angeles is a microcosm of the larger world. A living laboratory of 10 million people, it is an extraordinary place in which to study and conduct research in subjects such as education, law, urban planning, medicine, environmental quality, economic development, and energy. These are also some of the topics that you will be discussing today and tomorrow. The insights and expertise you provide during these discussions will spark new ideas and forge new alliances for your institutions and for the U.S.-China Institute.

I’m delighted with the momentum of this young institute. It’s less than a year old. But it has already accomplished much.

The institute is working closely with other USC schools and other research centers, including the USC East Asian Studies Center and the USC Center for International Business Education and Research. It’s funding the China-related research of our faculty in disciplines such as cinematic arts, social work, gerontology, and urban policy. And the institute is advancing the community’s understanding of East Asia through public performances, lectures, and training seminars for secondary school teachers in Southern California. These seminars on East Asian history and cultures for private and public school teachers are funded by grants from the Freeman Foundation. Using the knowledge they gain from these seminars, the teachers – some of whom are with us today – will be able to engage their students in the life and culture of East Asia.

Because of the support and talent of outstanding scholars such as you, I have high hopes for what this conference and the U.S.-China Institute will achieve. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I can safely predict that the future of the U.S.-China Institute is bright.

The institute will be a beacon attracting top scholars from around the world. It will be the go-to resource for students, policymakers, journalists, and government officials. And it will help build the bridges that will broaden our understanding of the world and improve the lives of all peoples.

Please accept my best wishes for an enjoyable and productive conference. 

Thank you.