Beong-Soo Kim’s Bold Roadmap for USC
By James Moreau | 11 Mar, 2026

The first Asian American president of USC has unveiled an ambitious vision for the university centered on life-saving research and a "PICOF" framework for integrity.

Beong-Soo Kim was named the 13th president of the University of Southern California on February 4th, 2026, following his tenure as interim leader since July 2025.

Just days after the official announcement, Kim delivered his first State of the University address, where he laid out an ambitious vision rooted in both ethical governance and scientific breakthroughs.  Central to this plan is the Keck School of Medicine, through which USC boldly promises to develop cures for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, blindness, and cancer.  

Emphasizing a sense of urgency Kim noted during the address, “If we’re not running, we’re falling behind.”

To manage this massive initiative, Kim introduced the acronym PICOF – Partnership, Innovation, Collaboration, Operational Excellence, and Focus – as the framework for how he intends to run USC.  He has paired these traditional values with a modern focus on technology, specifically through the formation of a university-wide AI Strategy Committee designed to navigate the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in academia.

Furthermore, Kim sees USC’s setting in Los Angeles as an engine for global branding.  He highlighted a trifecta of upcoming major events – this year’s FIFA World Cup, next year’s Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympic Games – as catalysts for the university.

The 53-year-old’s professional background is a blend of public service and legal practice.  Before joining USC as Senior Vice President and General Counsel in 2020, Kim spent six years at Kaiser Permanente as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel and served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California from 2005 to 2014.

His connection to the university is generational, making his appointment a full-circle moment.  Raised in Woodland Hills, he is the son of Korean immigrants who both pursued graduate studies at USC.  His mother earned a master’s in education from the school in 1970 and his father completed doctoral coursework in economics there.

Kim graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies, earned a Political Theory master of science from the London School of Economics the following year, and received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1999.