USC has been an integral part of Los Angeles since the university's founding in 1880, and through the years has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to its surrounding communities.

President Steven B. Sample has made partnership with our neighbors a hallmark of his administration: "USC has been a university in the city and of the city for more than 125 years," he says. "This is never more true than when we join with our neighbors to ensure that our streets are safe, our children are healthy and well educated, and our local businesses and institutions thrive."

Both of USC's two main campuses are located in historic districts of the city, which offer opportunities as well as challenges for our students, faculty and staff.

University Park Neighborhood

A residential community located just south of downtown Los Angeles, University Park is home to an abundance of museums, galleries, theatres, sports venues, gardens, libraries and churches. University Park also contains the largest cluster of historically recognized sites in the city. Click here for a map of University Park neighborhood resources.

Health Sciences Campus Neighborhood

Like University Park, the neighborhoods surrounding USC's Health Sciences campus are a mosaic of past and present, home to parks and historic sites as well as arts, cultural and educational institutions. Both Boyle Heights, just south of campus, and Lincoln Heights, to the north, have long been destinations for immigrant groups, reflecting the cultural richness that diversity inevitably brings. Click here for a map of Health Sciences campus neighborhood resources.