If anyone can give an oral history of the modern School of Cinematic Arts, it would be Brenda Williamson. In 1976, while studying at the USC School of Education to be a Special Education teacher, she got a work study job in Instructional Media Services, which was part of the School of Cinema Television. The rest is SCA history, and Williamson has been a fixture of the SCA business office for the last 30 years. “All forty-six years of my employment at USC have been within SCA,” says Williamson.

Through three buildings and thousands of students, Williamson, whose last job was as the supervising Budget Analyst in the business office, has helped the School grow its business practices, including overseeing the accounts for the growing number of special projects that extend beyond the core curriculum. “What I enjoyed about working at USC, and SCA, was the opportunities that were made available to me from working at such a prestigious institution and top ranked film school,” she says. “There was always something new and exciting happening. Also, working with students daily has always kept me on my toes and feeling young.”

Williamson was also a fixture at commencement ceremonies, working in different capacities to send off the next cohort of cinema professionals. “Graduation time is always a memorable time for me,” she says. “Graduation always represents a culmination of hard work and diligence. I love to see the students that we have worked with during their time at SCA culminate their time here and go on to many great things.”

Williamson says she will miss current staff (she’s worked with some people for 27+ years, she reports) and even staff who have retired. “We have been a part of each other's lives and seen many milestones happen in our lives,” she says. “I have met many people over these years that have made an impact on my life and who I can truly call my friends. I give thanks to God all the time for putting these amazing people into my life. Overall, I will miss my Trojan Family. Fight On.”