Smartphone Apps to better your USC Experience
by Ayman Siraj ‘18
The amount of time we spend on our phones has increased at a exponential rate over the last few years. Smartphone screens have gotten larger and processing power is greater than ever. That means tasks that required a laptop before can now be completed or viewed on a smartphone. Here’s a rundown of a few apps that will better your USC experience.
1. USC Careers (iOS | Android)
USC has partnered up with Careers by Simplicity to bring it’s powerful ConnectSC portal to the phone. The app gives you a stream of relevant internship/job postings from companies you follow or positions you qualify for. The app also sends you weekly notifications with event updates and reminders.
2. Blackboard Student (iOS | Android)
Blackboard is central to most USC courses. Professors use them to send out announcements, post assignments and upload grades. The usual Blackboard app is not tailored for mobile but the new Blackboard student app is tailored for smartphone screens. It has an activity stream of announcements, course updates and due dates for assignments and quizzes. There’s also a nifty feature which displays the current grade in class!
3. USC Campus Cruiser (iOS | Android)
Campus Cruiser is essential to many USC students to get around surrounding areas at night. Many students do not know that there is an app (just like Uber or Left) that lets you summon a Campus Cruiser. Also Cruiser runs for longer hours than the free Uber!
Just last week there was a phishing scam that targeted members of the USC community. Attacks to steal passwords and personally identifiable information is on the rise across the web. Two-Factor Authentication is a method is a way everyone can use to put on an extra layer of security on their accounts to prevent unauthorized access. USC has partnered up with Duo Security to provided 2FA to anyone with a USC NetID. Here are the instructions to enrol.
5. USC Transportation Services (iOS | Android)
USC Transportation Services runs an extensive route network that encompasses the main campus areas and surrounding, parking structures, union station, health sciences campus and the downtown office building. The app lets you view routes, schedules and current locations of buses.
6. USC Card (iOS | Android)
USC Card is often used for printing services and purchasing food on campus. The complete list of locations that accept USC Card can be found here. In the case you find yourself in the situation where your USC Card does not have any money, you can use your Credit/Debit card to recharge it from the app.
There are instances when you are on the USC Libraries website trying to access a journal but it says you do not have access (but you opened it on campus just earlier in the day?) Well that is because there are some services which you need to be connected to the USC Wireless network to be able to use. USC has partnered up with Cisco AnyConnect to provide students access to services they would have if they were on the campus WiFi. Now you do not have to worry if you are away at home. This is also a great way to get past geo restrictions for international students trying to complete academic work at home. Set up instructions found here.
The USC Department of Public Safety launched a Mobile Safety App powered by LiveSage. This app lets you report incidents around campus, contact DPS in case of an emergency and lets you share your location temporarily with a trusted contact if you are walking home alone at night. Setup instructions can be found here.
Many of us students have on campus jobs and are required to use Workday to fill in our hours. I forgot a lot to do this on time, but having the app on my phone has changed how I log hours. The moment I get off work it is my second instinct to open up the app and put in my hours.
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