Undergraduate Student Ambassadors

Roski School Ambassadors are currently enrolled undergraduates who are well-versed in what the Gayle Garner Roski School and USC has to offer and are available to speak with prospective, transfer, international, and current undergraduate students. They also participate as panelists, tour guides, and help at various Roski School events.

Ambassadors are available to meet with you (in-person and virtually) to discuss their experiences at the Roski School, show you around our campus, answer any questions about your program of interest, or point you to the right person to speak with.

Contact our Ambassadors today to get a student’s perspective on our school.

To become an undergraduate Roski Ambassador, contact Rosalva Isidoro at risidoro@usc.edu

Meet your Roski School Ambassadors:

XYLA ABELLA

Xyla is a senior pursuing a BFA Fine Arts degree. She engages in the fine art sector primarily as a photographer, researcher, curator, and analyst. Xyla is the director of photography at USC’s Haute Magazine and an active member of the Sidney Harman Academy for Polymathic Studies. Conflated with in-depth research and varying visual approaches, Xyla’s work aims to critically investigate the human condition.

Email: xabella@usc.edu
Website: xylaabella.com
Instagram: @xylaabella

SIM BEKEN

Sim Beken is a Junior from Istanbul, Turkey pursuing a degree in BFA Design with a minor in Marketing. Her interests mostly align in graphic design, branding, illustration, and marketing. She uses design as a communication device and likes to make smart design choices. She is also a member of the Undergraduate Student Government working in the Communications department for her passion for social media marketing as well as design. In her free time, she loves to go to museums, explore LA, and watch TV shows. Feel free to reach out to her whenever!

Email:sbeken@usc.edu
Instagram: @designbysimbeken
Website: simbekendesign.com

ETHAN CASTILLO

Ethan is a junior BFA Design major. He is an artist, gamer, and nerd from San Jose, California. Ethan has been in love with comic books since he can remember, and much of his art is borne of the same passion. His practice is ever-evolving but based mainly in storytelling. Ethan works in film, photography, screenwriting, and concept art (specifically character design) to create with and for others. He has exhibited his work at massive pop culture celebrations like Comic-Con International: San Diego, WonderCon, and LightBox Expo. Ethan is developing his own art and wellness brand and hopes to share it soon. He encourages students to reach out if they need anything and looks forward to getting to know everyone!

Email: eccastil@usc.edu
Instagram: @ethancastillo05

QIUYA CHEN

Qiuya is a junior double majoring in Design at the Roski School and Game Development Interactive Design at the School of Cinematic Arts. She works closely with Advance Game Projects (AGP) as a project art lead, which helps produce concept arts, direct visuals, and actively works with other teams and departments. She is actively looking for opportunities to work within the entertainment game industry and is always seeking more fun experiences! Outside of games, she is a freelance graphic designer and art teacher for kids. She is available to listen and help students who need advice or support about their creative lives!

Email: qiuyache@usc.edu
Website: www.qiuyachen.com

THOMAS CHO

Thomas is a sophomore pursuing a BFA in Design and a minor in Product Design / Web Development. Growing up in Korea, England, and the States, the exposure of different environments allowed him to think divergently, quickly adapting to changing environments. Utilizing the skill to be applied to design practices, his primary focus of work revolves around practicality, creating works regardless of digital or physical medium. By bringing something that people would actually use, and to provide a successful user experience of the object, his passion is to launch a product line and become an industrial designer.

Email: chosungb@usc.edu
Instagram: @thomascho711

JOHN (JD) DAVILLIER JR.

John “JD” Davillier is a junior BFA Art major. Originally from New Orleans, LA, he creates a variety of both digital and traditional work, including paintings of dreamy atmospheric spaces, drawings on articles of clothing, character designs, and animations. He enjoys using his art to tell stories, explore new perspectives, and discuss social issues. He is also currently in the process of creating a comic. In the future, he plans to experiment with more collaborative work with other artists.

Email: davillie@usc.edu
Website: johndavillier.art
Instagram: @jd.ville.art

WILHA DUNCAN

Wilha is a sophomore pursuing a BA in art. She grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and is interested in fashion, painting, drawing, and multimedia art making. Through her work, she wants to explore themes of technology and social change. Wilha hopes to fuse her love for making that with her other academic interests and positively affect people with her work. She also loves rock climbing, knitting, road trips, and my cats.

Email: wilhadun@usc.edu

SOFIA DURAN

Sofia is a senior student completing her BFA in Design. She is originally from Colombia but transferred to the USC Roski School of Art and Design in Fall 2022. Sofia is passionate about marketing, graphic design, sustainability, and social work, and is currently exploring digital media as a means of addressing social issues in her art and design pieces. In her free time, she finds inspiration in nature through hiking and outdoor activities.

Email: duransar@usc.edu
Instagram: @sofiaduran01
LinkedIn: Sofia

JACKIE HUNG

Jackie is a junior BFA Design major and User Experience minor. She grew up in Palos Verdes, California, and has been involved in the arts ever since she was young. Although she grew up with a background in fine arts, most of her current art focuses on digital and graphic design. She is interested in marketing and brand identity but is still exploring different avenues of design to pursue in the future. Outside of classes, she is involved in clubs such as OK and the USC Swim Club, and in her free time, she enjoys crocheting, watching K-dramas, and spending time in nature. She encourages students to reach out with any questions or just want to connect

Email: johung@usc.edu

ASHLEY KANG

Ashley is a senior pursuing a major in BFA Design and a minor in Business. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and currently residing in Los Angeles, she was exposed to a multicultural environment. This shaped her to become the more interdisciplinary designer she is now. Studying in such diverse fields often gives her unique insights. To apply such multifaceted thinking and generating into a creative designer helps keep her challenged and grow as an artist. Her passion for design varies from 2D graphics to 3D motion graphics, however, her biggest interest is generating illustration into 3D motion art. She hopes to launch her own brand and become a successful designer/entrepreneur in the future. Ashley is open to making new connections and giving any advice if you need it! Feel free to contact her to build connections, ask questions, or for a design collab project!

Email: hkang186@gmail.com
Instagram: @c herish_ashley
LinkedIn: Ashley

NISHKA MANGHNANI

Nishka is a junior pursuing a BFA in Design. With aspirations to be a visual identity designer, she has a strong understanding of user-centered design which she applies to her branding projects. Nishka’s creative process combines analog and digital media to produce work that is refined without losing its handmade touch. With a knack for public art, she strives to create visual work that can catalyze social change. Having been born and brought up in Mumbai, India, her cultural background seeps its way into her work in contemporary ways. At Roski, she continues to be experimental to grow as an artist and individual.

Email: nmanghna@usc.edu
Instagram: @nishkamanghnanii

GRACE MARTIN

Grace is a senior from Carlsbad, California majoring in Design and minoring in Product Design at the Iovine and Young Academy. Her path is unique, transferring after completing a year at Santa Monica Community College. Currently, she is an active member of the USC community as head of the design team for the Surfrider Club and serves on the design staff at the Daily Trojan. Passionate about sustainability and environmentalism, Grace hopes to use her designs to promote change. She is inspired to share her perspective with audiences in unexpected ways and is excited to offer her insights and experiences with new students studying with the amazing faculty at Roski.

Email: graceema@usc.edu
Instagram: @graciextras
Website: graceema.myportfolio.com

JEANA PARK

Jeana is a senior pursuing a BA in Art in Roski with a Designing Products minor in IYA. She moved from Seoul, Korea to Palos Verdes, California in 8th grade, and she’s lived in the LA area ever since. She merges both design and fine arts, and though she started as a two-dimensional painter and a digital illustrator, her recent focus has been on three-dimensional sculptures, fashion and product design, and digital 3D modeling. A lot of her artworks discuss feminist ideas, the fetishization of Asian culture, and the impact of technology on mental health. Her design practice aims to be eclectic and inclusive, drawing inspiration from childhood and nature to bring comfort and nostalgia. Feel free to contact her about anything!

Email: jeongahp@usc.edu
Instagram: @jeana.333
LinkedIn: Jeana
Portfolio: cloudcandy333.wixsite.com/jeong-ahpark

VRIDDHI TOOLSIDASS

Vriddhi is a junior majoring in Art with a specialization in design. Her unique upbringing in India and the Middle East has given her a distinct perspective on her surroundings, which she expresses through her creative output. Her interests lie in brand identity, graphic design, and multimedia, and she continuously seeks new ways to develop her skills. Vriddhi is a committed member of both the Business Cosmetics Club and Women’s Network Club, where she holds the position of campus ambassador. She is passionate about empowering women in male-dominated fields and finds solace in the supportive communities these clubs provide. During her free time, Vriddhi loves listening to R&B and jazz, which also inspires her artistic endeavors. She values openness in all its forms and welcomes anyone to reach out to her.

Email: toolsida@usc.edu
Instagram: _vriddhi, _artbyvriddhi
Linkedin: Vriddhi

JOSHUA YUAN

Joshua is a senior BFA student studying design. He has a background in Fine Arts and is particularly interested in fashion and multi-media art. He studied abroad at the University of the Arts, London with a Graphic Design Media Focus in Spring 2023. Feel free to reach out about anything you might need!

Email: yuanjosh@usc.edu
Instagram: @joshuayyuan