In her eight years leading USC’s Leadership and Service Center, Ambra Hiott says a key to creating a strong student experience is letting students lead the way.

Now, Hiott is entering her first semester as the Associate Vice President for Student Life, a role that she called her “dream job,” and is again ensuring students remain the central focus at every step.

“I believe that student organizations are the heartbeat of this campus. We had the opportunity to fine tune and streamline a lot of the infrastructure to support student orgs while I was Director of the Leadership and Service Center so that they doubled in my time over the eight years,” Hiott says. “It's been really memorable to support that part of the student experience and continuing to support it now. I think it’s so meaningful hearing the vision of the students and helping that vision come to fruition through the connections and resources that we have as staff.”

During her first semester as AVP, Hiott will embark on a listening tour to continue understanding what students want to see in Student Life programs. She also plans to invest in her leadership team and reintroduce the department with its current operating units: Gamecock Entertainment, Garnet Media Group, the Leadership and Service Center, the Center for Student Engagement, Off-Campus Living and Neighborhood Relations, Russell House University Union and Student Government.

“I am looking forward to the great work Ambra is going to do,” says Vice President for Student Affairs and Academic Support J. Rex Tolliver. “She has a great passion for students, and giving her the ability and the opportunity to be able to serve the students in a broader way — with her experiences that are unique to her as a person, as well as the experience that she had before coming to USC — will benefit our students."

Renewed student focus

Over the summer, Hiott and her team reimagined the department’s mission, vision and values to focus on the future of student life at the university and align with the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support’s overall strategic priorities — Student Experience and Post-Graduate Success; Research, Scholarship and Community Impact; and Operational Excellence.

 

Using these new guiding principles, Hiott plans to bolster the student experience with increased support and resources for student organizations. Beginning with the Fall 2025 semester, students can take advantage of new leadership training, increased financial support options, a revitalized Student Organization Fair on the historic USC Horseshoe and more.

She also aims to foster a greater focus on research, scholarship and community impact through more civic engagement opportunities and a greater spotlight on student free expression and community programming like Carolina Conversations, which Hiott helped launch in 2024.

Students and visitors can also expect to see physical changes in Russell House as part of the Department of Student Life’s evolution and operational excellence priority. The new Center for Student Engagement plans to open on the third floor of the building in mid-fall. Garnet Media Group and RHUU event/meeting spaces have already seen a refresh this summer, and both the Carolina Experience and Gamecock Entertainment spaces will receive updates in the coming months.

As AVP, Hiott also joins the Student Affairs senior leadership team, a role that will allow her to work with all aspects of the student experience and the strategic priorities of the division through collaboration.

“Our leadership aligns with what I truly believe matters when it comes to the holistic student experience in college. What we do in University Housing connects to what we do in Student Life, which connects to our work in the Student Success Center and more,” she says. “Being able to work with those colleagues in a new way will help me better advocate for what we do in Student Life.”

Hiott’s team will put their summer planning into action early in the fall semester as Student Life greets students throughout Carolina Welcome during the first two weeks of classes, including First Night Carolina on Aug. 18.

And that direct interaction won't end once the calendar hits September. Hiott wants to hear from students so they can see their influence reflected in programming. She says that starts with monthly meetings with a group of student leaders, called the Student Life Advisory Group (SLAG), but it will also mean being present in front of students consistently throughout the year.

“I want to be known by students, so they can come to me when they have a fun idea. I invite students to share those with me and to share those with my leadership team,” she says. “I firmly believe students should lead the creation of the student experience. We’re here to provide support and advisement to that and to get them across the finish line.”