USD Magazine Fall 2005

AROUND THE PARK

For an audio sample of the new USD school song, go to www.sandiego.edu/usdmag.

SCHOOL SONG HITS A HIGH NOTE [ s i n g i t , s i s t e r ]

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bucolic version of traditional campus life with the recent announcement of the song “USD Alma Mater” as winner of the School Song Composition Contest, which was co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Music Program. Written by Thomas G. Ven- timiglia, parent of two USD alums, the song evokes spirit, loyalty and tradition, key themes in the university’s core values.

“There were a few revisions to the music and text,” explains Christopher Adler, director of USD’s music program. “We want- ed it to match the mission of the university.” College of Arts and Sciences Dean Patrick Drinan says the hope is that the new song will become part of USD lore and tra- dition. “We’ll be introducing it in some sort of splashy way this semester,” he promises. “Expect

t happens all the time in the movies: Students gather beneath a large oak tree, arms around one another’s waists, and sweetly warble their school song. Passersby can’t help but stop and listen, a few discreetly wipe away tears, moved by this spontaneous eruption of sentiment. In real life? Not so much. But perhaps USD has come a step closer to realizing that

us to use it in a variety of per- formance contexts.” While Ventimiglia is in the insurance business, this is far from his first foray into songwrit- ing: “It’s a labor of love,” he explains. “I’ve been writing songs since high school.” So if the sweet tones of soprano communing with tenor waft through the campus, by all means, stop, listen and make sure you’ve got a hankie handy.

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USD MAGAZINE