Steven Sample
Encyclopedia
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC). He became president in 1991 and was succeeded by C.L. Max Nikias on August 3, 2010.
Background
Sample holds B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, M.S.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degrees in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
fraternity.
Sample was president of the University of Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
from 1982 to 1991. While president, he gained fame for upgrading the long-languishing sports program and guiding the university into being a major research institution. Accordingly, the university's academic functions were consolidated under the office of the provost, in a major change from prior tradition.
USC presidency
Under Sample's leadership, USC has become world-renowned in the fields of communication and multimedia technologies, received national acclaim for its innovative community partnerships, and improved its status as one of the nation's leading research universities. In 1999, USC was ranked #41 among universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, the final year of Sample's term, USC was ranked #26 in the same listing (USC is now ranked #23). In 2008, his own salary was $1.9 million.USC announced on November 1, 2009 that Sample would step down as its president in August 2010. He explained that he wanted to see "fresh leadership" take charge. He has not publicly disclosed his future plans.
On August 3, 2010, C.L. Max Nikias became the 11th president of the university.
Fundraising
Sample’s fundraising initiatives have raised over $430 million for sponsored research. He led two strategic planning processes to improve the university on the whole. During his term, the university also conducted the second most successful fundraising campaign in the history of higher education, raising nearly $3 billion. These donations included major contributions of $112.5 million from Alfred Mann to establish the Mann Institute of Biomedical Engineering, $120 million from Ambassador Walter AnnenbergWalter Annenberg
Walter Hubert Annenberg was an American publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat.-Early life:Walter Annenberg was born to a Jewish family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 13, 1908. He was the son of Sarah and Moses "Moe" Annenberg, who published The Daily Racing Form and purchased The Philadelphia...
to create the Annenberg Center for Communication, $100 million from the Annenberg Foundation, and a $110 million from the W. M. Keck Foundation for the Keck School of Medicine. More recently, Sample has overseen the $175 million gift from George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
to the School of Cinematic Arts.
Construction projects
Sample has overseen the construction of a number of important structures at USC. These include the Leavey Library, Popovich Hall, International Residential College at Parkside, Arts and Humanities Residential College at Parkside, Ronald Tutor Hall, Galen CenterGalen Center
The Galen Center is a multipurpose indoor arena and athletic facility owned and operated by the University of Southern California. Located at the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, it is right across the street from the campus and...
, the George Lucas Building at the University Park Campus, and the Ronald Tutor Campus Center. Other projects have included the University Hospital at the Health Sciences Campus.
Research
Sample is the author of numerous journal articles and published papers in science and engineering and in higher education. His 2001 book, The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership, details his style of leadership in the context of USC's rise as an institution in his decade as president. His patents for digital appliance controls have been licensed to practically every major manufacturer of appliances in the world. Over 300 million home appliances have been built using his inventions.Teaching
President Sample had a passion for teaching and education at USC. He taught several classes to students in different fields and different class levels. Most recently, he taught "The Art and Adventure of Leadership" with Warren BennisWarren Bennis
Warren Gamaliel Bennis is an American scholar, organizational consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership studies....
. He has not indicated if he will continue to teach after he steps down as president.
Personal life
Sample was diagnosed with Parkinson's diseaseParkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
in 2001, but said he would not let it affect his duties as president.
Sample published a book, The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership, in 2003. It explains his personal leadership philosophy and provides advice to readers.
Sample is a resident of San Marino, California
San Marino, California
San Marino is a small, affluent city in Los Angeles County, California. Incorporated in 1913, the City founders designed the community to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways...
.