'25-'26 Dev Corner: Troy Philippines Shines in the Rain

November 16, 2025

HELLO TROY PHILIPPINES! I hope everyone is doing great and staying dry during these last couple of weeks. With the semester coming to a close, leading into Thanksgiving break, we’ve all been extremely busy, but Troy Phi continues to persevere, rain or shine, to keep our members active and close-knit! As we push through these final weeks, I’m constantly inspired by the energy and commitment each member brings. Let’s continue to bring the energy and finish the semester strong!

This past Thursday, TroyPhi had our second annual alumni dinner hosted by our awesome dev daddies Floyd and Joaquin! This is by far my top three TP events as I love seeking out new connections and seeing old faces. I was so excited to see my big, aka the past president, Nicole Concepcion! Something new that happened at the alumni dinner was the auction, which I enjoyed participating in, especially as I was able to win a lovely water speaker. I was pleased to see that the Troy Phi Legacy Fund is still active and continues to raise funds, as it was introduced during my Spring 2025 leadership cohort. 

Additionally, the alumni tailgate on Saturday was a wet and wormy fun time! It was nice seeing alumni (and lots of worms) coming out and feasting with them over some food and yummy home-baked goods. Tailgating in my fall freshman semester was how I first got introduced to TroyPhi, as Tylen Bell was the first TroyPhi member I met, and allowed me to feel welcome within the USC student community. I remember feeling anxious when I first came out to TroyPhi events all alone as a freshman, but now, looking back as a sophomore, I’m glad I did, and it’s nice to see how I was able to make strong connections and become extremely close with the friends I made along the way.

Outside of TroyPhi, I’ve been quite occupied as an engineering student. I’m in the midst of wrapping up midterms and working on final projects while being active in other clubs, such as Nexus and Delta Omicron Zeta. As a sophomore, I’m still exploring my interests and career goals while trying to be the best version of myself. This semester has been pretty rough, but if there’s one thing I've learned, it’s to never give up and not let obstacles get in the way. 

Finally, with Thanksgiving coming up, I wanted to express my gratitude towards my friends and family who have been here to support me and have been by my side whenever I needed company or a shoulder to lean on. I wish for everyone to have a restful break and I’m excited to see everyone at the USC x UCLA tailgate!

Signing off,

Ashlyn Mendoza Castro, Director of Development Intern