Sign ups are first come first serve! Links will open at 9PM sharp on Sunday.
If you’re looking to start your Saturday morning off with a relaxing stroll around a large(ish) body of water then join us for a 3.3 mile, 150-foot elevation gain hike around the Hollywood Reservoir with professors Maria Mercedes Fages Agudo and Leah Kemp from the Spanish Department (no Spanish knowledge necessary to have a good time)! Enjoy greenery after the recent rains and a great view of the Hollywood sign!
PACKING LIST:
WATER!
Sunscreen + a hat if you want one
hiking shoes or sneakers
Snacks if you’d like them
WAIVERS
PROFESSOR: MARIA MERCEDES FAGES AGUDO
DEPARTMENT: SPANISH
RATE MY PROFESSOR: “Professor Maria Mercedes Fages Agudo is one of the BEST Spanish teachers at USC"
María Mercedes Fages Agudo joined USC in 2010. She previously taught Spanish at St. Edwards School in England, the Ohio State University, and Nazareth College. Her focus throughout her career has been on language instruction at all levels. She has particular interests in second-language acquisition, teaching methodology, and language assessment. Teaching in the USA and abroad, Mercedes has always sought out opportunities to create ties between her students and the community. In 2014 she created, Feliz en la Comunidad, a service-learning program. It allows students to practice their Spanish, teaching, and leadership skills while becoming involved in Los Angeles’ culturally and socially diverse neighborhoods. In 2020 Professor Fages Agudo was awarded the USC Dornsife Faculty Council Service Award and the JEP Award for Community-Engaged Teaching and Research. In 2022 she and two of her colleagues launched Oerinspanish, a searchable site for Spanish instructors and students. The site is a collaborative project which publishes materials created by USC’s Spanish instructors and students, as well as AP Spanish students of neighboring High Schools. It showcases her strong interest in community collaboration.
NAME: LEAH KEMP
Dr. Leah Kemp is an Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures at the University of Southern California (USC). With a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from UCLA, her academic expertise spans Latin American film, contemporary narrative, and ethnic identity. Having taught a wide range of language, literature, and culture courses at both USC and UCLA, Dr. Kemp is deeply committed to fostering an engaging and immersive learning environment.
Her research and teaching interests include Latin American cinema, post-dictatorship cultural production, and testimonial literature, reflecting her diverse academic background, which includes studies in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. Dr. Kemp is also an ACTFL-certified Oral and Writing Proficiency Tester, demonstrating a strong commitment to language pedagogy. Recognized with multiple grants and fellowships, she continues to contribute to scholarship and curriculum development in Hispanic studies.
PEAK: Lake Hollywood Reservoir Loop
DIFFICULTY: 1/5
SCENERY: Views of the Hollywood sign!
FUN FACT: The reservoir was built in 1924 to provide emergency water to the city of Los Angeles.
TRIP LEAD: Ryan
Likes any body of water outside (other than the LA river that is gross)
Contact Ryan: rskidmor@usc.edu
Read Ryan’s bio here.