On March 16, 2023, the USC Chemical Engineering Alumni, in collaboration with the USC Chemical Engineering Society (USCChES) Foundation, Inc., formally turned over its gift to USC for the sponsorship of a smart classroom to be named after former Dean of the College of Engineering (now, School of Engineering), Engr. Elsa P. Roska.
Dean Roska was the Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering for 13 years and the Dean of the College of Engineering for 12 years. Prior to her academic posts, she also served as a faculty member of the Department of Chemical Engineering for seven years, rounding up a total of 32 years of dedicated service to the University until her retirement in 1994. Dean Roska is also the founder and President Emeritus of USCChES Foundation, Inc.
During Dean Roska’s term, the Department of Chemical Engineering produced 8 out of 10 board placers, thereby sealing the long-held tradition of excellence of the Department of Chemical Engineering, which remains one of USC’s flagship programs today.
Aside from the Elsa P. Roska smart classroom, the USC Chemical Engineering Alumni, in collaboration with USCChES Foundation, Inc. also plan to launch scholarship programs for deserving students of Chemical Engineering.
The USC Chemical Engineering alumni group is the first alumni organization to bestow a gift to the University’s Research, Infrastructure, Scholarship and Endowment (RISE) Project which was launched in celebration of the University’s 75th anniversary as a University.