Jason Reitman speaking at the USC School of Cinematic Arts

Jason Reitman, Oscar-nominated director for Juno and Up in the Air will deliver the 2026 USC School of Cinematic Arts commencement address, it was announced today by Dean Elizabeth Daley. Additionally, acclaimed cinematographer Alice Brooks, known for In the Heights and the Wicked franchise will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award.

Daley described Reitman and Brooks as two of USC’s inspirational alumni. “We are excited to welcome two of our accomplished alumni back to USC to help usher our latest cohort of graduating students into the professional world,” she said. “Jason and Alice are responsible for some of the most beloved films of the last few years, and are having the kinds of careers our students dream about. Their presence alone will be inspirational, but I know our students are looking forward to their words of advice and encouragement.”

The School’s graduation ceremony will take place on Friday, May 15th held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. More than 500 students will graduate from the School’s divisions and programs: The Kevin Feige Division of Film & Television Production; the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television; The John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts; the Division of Cinema & Media Studies; the Media Arts + Practice Division, the Interactive Media & Games Division; the Peter Stark Producing Program; and the Expanded Animation Program.

As Commencement Speaker, Reitman, who attended USC, joins a list of celebrated entertainment figures who have welcomed School of Cinematic Arts graduating classes into the industry, including Jon M. Chu, Paul Feig, Jim Gianopulos, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Donna Langley, Miky Lee, George Lucas, Barry Meyer, Ron Meyer, Sidney Poitier, Sumner Redstone, Matt Reeves, Jay Roach, Stacey Sher and Laura Ziskin.


Alice Brooks (right) with professor Mary Macnamera speaking at SCA

Created in 1995, in partnership with the Mary Pickford Foundation, the Mary Pickford Alumni Award pays tribute to alumni of the School whose extraordinary achievements bring special distinction to the university and to the industry. Brooks, who graduated from the Feige Production Division, in 2001 joins past recipients : Susan Downey, Kevin Feige, William Fraker, James Gray, Brian Grazer, Conrad L. Hall, Ray Harryhausen, Nahnatchka Khan, Alan Ladd Jr., Jon Landau, Michelle Manning, Walter Murch, Tracy Oliver, Shonda Rhimes, Jay Roach, Melissa Rosenberg, Gary Rydstrom, Stacey Sher, Amanda Silver, John Singleton, Jennifer and Suzanne Todd, Lee Unkrich, Matthew Weiner, David L. Wolper, Robert Zemeckis and Laura Ziskin.

The USC School of Cinematic Arts, which was founded in 1929 in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is gearing up to celebrate its centennial in February 2029.