Lief Erik Maseng, a World War II veteran who was a paratrooper during the D-Day beach landings and the Battle of the Bulge, will deliver the commencement address to graduates at the August 9 ceremony.
Maseng joined the war effort at 19. He landed in Normandy in the middle of the night before D-Day in 1944, risking his life to help clear the way for the Allied ship landings.
Commencement speakers are nominated through a form available on the USC website or through the Student Advisory Council, then evaluated on a variety of factors.
According to Wes Hickman, news and internal communications director, Maseng was selected based on his ability to give an inspirational speech. He is also an appropriate speaker as the USC community begins “looking back, remembering and honoring” the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
“I look forward to hearing him speak,” Hickman said. “He’s a role model, clearly an American hero, and someone we all look forward to hearing speak in August.”
The veteran later worked as an engineer for the Columbia firm Wilbur Smith and Associates. He will receive an honorary degree of doctor of engineering at the ceremony.
“Mr. Maseng clearly lived an exemplary life of public service,” Hickman said. “I think he would tell you himself, he’s really speaking on behalf of the greatest generation. He’s a representative of them.”
Also receiving honorary degrees are James Solomon, Henrie Treadwell and Jerome Odom.
Solomon and Treadwell were two of the three students to first desegregate the university in 1963.
Odom was a longtime leader at the university who served in a number of roles; he is the former executive director of University Foundations, former provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Carolina. Odom will receive an honorary degree of doctor of science.