...and their memories

Kahlil Bendib
Guest remembrance: "I remember first seeing Bendib's work in the DT when I was a freshman in the fall of 1980. Particularly memorable was a cartoon he drew after John Lennon was murdered...it showed the three surviving Beatles walking with their heads down. Powerful stuff back then. Another cartoon I remember was one that showed people dancing in the streets in the rain saying, "The trickle-down effect! It's happening!" (or something similar). The last panel showed President Reagan standing on the roof of a skyscraper, urinating over the edge. -- Submitter: Trisha Duron (Trisha Martinez), class of 1984 Add your own memory

Carmen Ramos Chandler
If I remember correctly, I started out as a news side reporter at the DT, then served as assistant city editor and investigations editor. The big news at the university, at least at the DT, was the booing of Walter Mondale and a harassment of his supporters by Trojan Republicans during a presidential campaign visit, the rape of a female student during a fraternity party and at sit-in in the Bovard by about 160 students to in support of fellow students at UCLA who took over their administration buildings to pressure the UC system to divest from South Africa. The protest occurred during my last semester my senior year, and I ended up leaving the DT to help lead the protest. We, the protesters, spent a week living in Bovard outside of administrative offices. It was during finals week and we were stunned by how many students participated, including South African students whose families faced reprisals if the South African government found out. We made the news, even more than our colleagues at UCLA because USC was known as a major Republican campus. The rape led to a heated argument among the DT editors regarding. I remember distinctly arguing, along with Laura Castaneda who was opinion editor at the time, with some of our male colleague over what constitutes a rape. By the way, the riots were in 1992, I covered them, and the preceding verdict in Simi, for the Daily News, and I'll never forget them. Add your own memory

Jennifer Cray
Thanks for putting my info up so fast. What more would you like to know about what I've been doing for the past 13+ years? Newspaper jobs? Titles? Why I got out of the biz? As for the DT when I worked there, I'd have to say the most memorable moment was my first day in the DT newsroom, when I showed up to try to get onto the news staff as an incoming freshman. I introduced myself (I think it was to Steve DeSalvo or Rich Ramirez) and said I was Jennifer Cray, Ed Cray's daughter. Hans Tesselaar, overhearing the conversation, blurted out, "Ed Cray has CHILDREN??!!" I still laugh about that. The most memorable person on staff would be DT Editor Marc Igler, who I started dating after a memorable DT Halloween party. He endured numerous jokes about robbing the cradle (He was a senior, and I was a freshman). Marc and I married in 1990. I also remember Monday night shop nights. Specifically, I remember eating so much Domino's pepperoni pizza (anyone remember Monday night madness?)that I swore it off after that. Haven't had Domino's in 15 years. The most infamous event was when Walter Mondale came to speak during the '84 presidential campaign. The persistent heckling from rude, boneheaded students in front of Tommy Trojan was so deafening that Mondale could hardly give his speech. The incident made national news and was replayed on the networks that night. I remember taking phone calls in the DT newsroom from distraught alumns who couldn't understand how students could be so intolerant and disrespectful. It was humiliating to be a Trojan that day. There was good news, too, in the years I was there. The Olympics in '84 was a great time on campus. I seem to remember special DT editions coming out during the games. Scott Howard-Cooper would know. Add your own memory

Eric DiGiovanni
I have some copies of the DT from times gone by, but if I search only my memory, my time with the paper included a lot of internal focus. Cornelius Pings and Dr. James Zumberge (sp?) were still around and there was a huge push to revamp the General Education requirements. The Cinema School mini-campus was built, and there were still cottages where the new library stands now. The administration was just beginning the endowment process which Pres. Sample has driven to new heights recently. In football, I remember only losing seasons, with Ted Tollner at the helm. As a Trojan Marching Band member, I also probably have splotches in my memory due directly or indirectly to alcohol. :-) Hope that's of help. I do miss people like Aaron Van Curren, Joel McDade, Beth Laski and Dan Povenmire, to name but a few. Each brought a special gift to the DT, and each was certainly their own person, but each was completely serious about their task, and such devotion continues to be rare. Add your own memory

Azniv Ketenchian
Great memories of writing late into the night, wild DT parties and shop night. Also, great memories of friends I unfortunately haven't kept in touch with over the years (to name a few: Kevin Sweeney, Ara Najarian, Joe McDade, Ron Flores who laid out the pages and made sure we put out a high quality paper). Have kept in touch with Karen Castro, Gordon Gary and Kirsten Levingston. Add your own memory

James Lee
As for memories, I was at the DT from 1982 through 1987, I was editor the spring of 1987. During my tenure the big issues were: reports of nuclear contamination at the Med School, date rapes at the frats, giving campus security police powers, rising tuition and building an on-campus pub. Add your own memory

Joe McDade
I have two distinct forms of memories at the DT. The first was of the women. I had come from an all-boys' high school, had come to the DT to see if I could cut it on deadline and spell everyone's name right and all that, but, good Lord, the women. I had never been in touch with such gorgeous brilliance. Jennifer Cray I met freshman year. And the others. Karen Kucher. Alison Adato. Roseanne Tellez. Melissa Morrison. Susan Lambert. Karen Kuettel. Allison Dolgas. I showed up in the city room and they were just THERE. And the final one--senior year. You know who you are, my grand passion. Then, the guys. Steve DeSalvo was my city editor, he put up with much more of my crap that he needed to. Chris Perez set me loose on movies and TV and I have not let him know the debt of gratitude I owe. Kevin Sweeney, Johnny-on-the-spot a hundred times or more: the best sort of friend. James Lee: my last editor, and a class act all the way. Still, what I think of now is senior year: the group that formed, of Jon Caplan, Ken Jorgensen, Frank Buckley, and me: the group that protected one another against all kinds of crap. Fellows, here's to you. Add your own memory

Kelimia Mednick
I started off at Fluor Tower working at Cafe 84 Pizzeria, and soon segued to the Daily Trojan where I worked under Editor Gary Coffee, and alongside Sigal Kletzky, Daisy Ridgway, and I can't remember his name, but he was a friendly Italian guy who wrote sports stories and worked at Disneyland "The happiest place on Earth" during summers. I wrote stories about people and events in and around the USC community, including Hwa Rang Do, how to slice, dice, and julienne your opponent in this hand-foot martial arts sport run by USC student and Master Henry Lee. Fun stuff. I did a feature on AIDS and it entailed all the precautions and stories of patients with the virus from the USC Medical Center. I believe my stories are stored on disk somewhere in the archives of the school -- perhaps you might know? Add your own memory

Wayne Pitts
I was tipped off by a fellow 'SC alumni that this website existed. I was a sports reporter at the DT where I covered women's volleyball and women's tennis (a dirty job but someone had to do it!) I had a great time doing it and met some great people through my work. Gary Caffey and Ara Najarian were great and supportive sports editors. Add your own memory

Aaron Van Curen
Frank Buckley did indeed work for the Daily Trojan. He worked as a city writer in the mid 80s. I want to say about 1985. It all gets kind of fuzzy right around the time of the opening of Traditions. Quote from Frank Buckley on the Bay Area road trip during his DT tenure: "This is really good cheese." Add your own memory

Lonnie White
Still holds the record for most yards returned on kickoff. -- anonymous tipster Add your own memory

Carrie Yoshimura
I still miss those free DT movie passes. Add your own memory

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