STUDENT AFFAIRS

Contact Student Affairs

USC Thornton Student Affairs advises and supports all students at the School of Music through their degree requirements and programs.

Phil Placenti stands in the hallway of USC Thornton Student Affairs.

Leadership

Phillip M. Placenti, Ed.D.

Phillip M. Placenti, Ed.D, is the associate dean for Admission and Student Affairs at the USC Thornton School of Music. In this role, he provides leadership to the areas of recruitment; admission; academic advisement; student support; and scholarships.

Placenti’s work in higher education began as a recruiter for the USC Thornton School of Music; he later became the director of Admission and Financial Aid before assuming the role of assistant dean for Admission and Student Affairs. Originally from Central California, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music (Piano and Voice); a Master’s degree in Public Administration; and a Doctorate in Education, all from USC.

Student Affairs Team

Contact the USC Thornton Student Affairs team with questions regarding academic programs or requirements.

Viet Bui poses for a photo on the USC campus.
 Viet T. Bui, Ed.D.

Director of Student Affairs

 vietbui@usc.edu

 213-740-4721   

Headshot of Nancy Wong on the USC campus.
Nancy Wong, M.M.Ed. 

Senior Academic Advisor

 nanwong@usc.edu

213-740-4721 

Ligaya Dozier Lewis

Administrative Services Manager 

dozier@usc.edu

213- 740-8986

Madeline Doyle

Student Services Coordinator

Undergraduate Minors Advisor  thornton.minors@usc.edu 

 213-740-4721 

Job Springer poses for a photo at USC campus.
Job Springer, M.Ed.

Doctoral Advisor

 jspringe@usc.edu 

 213-740-4721 


Daniel Andrade poses for a photo on the USC campus.
Daniel Andrade, M.S.

Academic Advisor

 daniela0@usc.edu

 213-740-4721 

Vito Grillo poses for a photo on the USC Campus.
Vito Grillo

International Programs Administrator 

vgrillo@usc.edu

213-740-8187

Headshot of Yesenia Nava on campus at USC Thornton.
Yesenia Nava, M.Ed.

Student Services Assistant

ynava@usc.edu

 213-740-4721

Academic Advising Assignments

All Thornton majors have an assigned academic advisor. Please check your USC email account for correspondence from your academic advisor.

Viet Bui, Ed.D.

Advises BA, BM, BS, MA, MM, MS, and GCRT students in:  Early Music; Jazz Studies; Music Industry (BS* and MS); Screen Scoring; Studio Guitar; Vocal Arts

Advises undergraduate minors in: Jazz Studies, Musical Theatre, Musical Studies (emphasis in voice) 

Nancy Wong, M.M.Ed.

Advises BA, BM, BS, MM, and GCRT students in:

Classical Guitar; Keyboard Collaborative Arts; Music Industry (BS*); Music Teaching and Learning (including Community Music and Popular Music Teaching and Learning); Organ; Piano; Popular Music

Advises undergraduate minors in: Musical Studies (emphasis in classical guitar, piano, and organ) 

Job Springer, M.Ed.

Advises all DMA, PhD, and Artist Diploma students 

Daniel Andrade, M.S.

Advises BA, BM, BS, MM, MS, and GCRT students in: 

Arts Leadership; Choral and Sacred Music; Composition; Music Industry (BS*); Music Production; Strings; Winds and Percussion

Advises undergraduate minors in: Musical Studies (emphasis in Strings and Winds & Percussion) 

Madeline Doyle 

Advises undergraduate minors in: Music Industry, Music Recording, Music Production, Popular Music Studies, Songwriting 

*BS Music Industry – Each undergraduate Music Industry student is individually assigned to one of three academic advisors.

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Stay Connected

USC Thornton Student Affairs is located on the University Park Campus in The Music Complex (TMC), Room 200. You can reach our office by calling (213) 740-4721 or via email at thornton.studentaffairs@usc.edu.