Office of Media Relations at the University of San Diego
July 16, 2024 | View in web browser

USD News Connect: Connecting Expert Voices to the Stories Impacting Our Community

July 16, 2024

Good morning newsrooms!

Here's your USD News Connect — where each week the University of San Diego media relations team offers expert voices to speak on stories impacting our community. If you're interested in the stories below, or need experts for any other topic you might be working on, don't hesitate to reach out to us at press@sandiego.edu.*

USD Employee Competing at Olympic Games

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics is less than two weeks away, and when the games kick off a USD employee will be among the athletes competing. Ali Gibson, is a budget analyst for USD Athletics and a member of the Puerto Rican Women’s National Basketball Team. She and her teammates qualified for the Olympics in February, and now they’re in Europe preparing the games. Gibson is available via Zoom to talk about her Olympic experience in the lead up to the Olympics in Paris.

Banning Cell Phones from Campus

Los Angeles Unified School District recently approved a resolution to ban cell phones from campus – including during non-instructional time like lunch – and as Voice of San Diego reports, San Diego Unified may be next. Reyes Quezada, professor of the Department of Learning and Teaching, is available to speak about why districts may be moving in this direction and the pros and cons of cell phone use when it comes to education.

California to Add Financial Literacy to High School Graduation Requirements

Governor Newsom recently announced that personal finance will be a graduation requirement starting with the 2030-31 graduating class. This comes as a recent WalletHub survey found Gen Z is the least financially confident generation. Dan Roccato, clinical professor of finance, can talk about the importance of this new requirement and why financial literacy is especially beneficial for young people.

For all media inquiries, email our team at

press@sandiego.edu.

* Please note that times of availability will vary according to professors' schedules.

USD Spotlight

At the Edge of it All Podcast: The Complexities of Homelessness and Understanding the People Experiencing It

Homelessness is a pressing and complex issue in the United States, particularly in San Diego. Here, and across the country, there are many ideas and approaches to addressing it. This week, “At the Edge of It All” was joined by Odilka Santiago, assistant professor of sociology, to discuss some of the factors driving homelessness, and the stark realities of those experiencing it. Santiago provided expert insight and explained why there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. You can listen to the podcast episode here.