A message from our
Director of Community Outreach
Hi! My name is Lauren Markarian, and I am incredibly excited and proud to be the Helenes Director of Community Outreach for 2026!
Service is a fundamental part of Helenes and one of our four primary pillars. We take great pride in supporting both USC and the greater LA community, approaching service with passion and commitment to build meaningful connections through our work. Service events can range from hands-on, in-person engagement, such as working with the Ronald McDonald Foundation, Heal the Bay beach cleanups, and countless other orgs across LA, to on-campus fundraising for cancer research or creating cat toys for the Kitty Bungalow.
Additionally, our collaborations with other organizations on-campus such as Troy Camp, MadHatter Knits, and the Trojan Dance Marathon, have brought us closer to our USC community and service counterparts on campus. Another fantastic part of the service pillar is its diversity, as there is never a shortage of opportunities to serve!
Helenes has provided me with so many opportunities to make a real impact during my time here at USC, and I hope it does the same for you. Some of my fondest memories at USC are serving alongside my fellow Helenes, from waking up early to cheer on runners racing for the LA Cancer Challenge to reading to LA youth.
If you have ideas on how we can expand our community outreach pillar, or any other related questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Hope to see you serving!
Helenes love and all of mine,
Lauren Markarian (she/her)
Director of Community Outreach
helenescommunityoutreach@gmail.com
A message from our
Director of Youth Engagement
Hello, my name is Litzy Herrera, and I’m super excited to be Helenes’ 2026 Director of Youth Engagement!
Youth programming is such a valuable resource for many children in the community, as it provides critical resources and opportunities that help pave their way for future academic and professional success. One of the main ways Helenes gets involved in this regard is through our weekly tutoring and classroom support sessions at 32nd Street School, located right across the street from USC, although we are currently looking for new schools to partner with!
We are also currently in the process of restructuring and expanding our programs to include new initiatives, such as a mentorship program and a college/professional development workshop series in partnership with local high schools. These efforts are key steps towards our bigger goal, which is to eventually bring back Jr. Helenes! Jr. Helenes is a weekly extracurricular club for high school students previously held at 32nd Street School. In Jr. Helenes and Jr. Knights, high school students, Helenes, and Trojan Knights engage in a range of community service activities, work on personal and professional development through various exercises and workshops, and grow in friendship through fun meetings and field trips. This program is both an essential and special part of Helenes' mission, and we are fully committed to reviving it in any capacity we can.
Having the opportunity to contribute to the development and success of our local youth is one of the aspects I cherish most about Helenes, and I hope everyone will share the same love and passion for this mission! Our organization has so many bright and amazing individuals, and I want to make sure the youth in our community will also be able to feel Helenes love!
If you have questions, concerns, or ideas on how to expand our youth programming, please feel free to reach out!!
Helenes love and all of mine,
Litzy Herrera (she/her)
Director of Youth Engagement