BY NANE AVAGYAN
At the heart of the University of Southern California’s campus stands the iconic statue of a Trojan warrior, a symbol of strength, resilience, and honor that has come to embody the spirit of the university.
It is a fitting emblem for an institution that, under its 11th president, C. L. Max Nikias, rose to the highest echelons of American academia. General David Petraeus once called Max Nikias “The American Trojan,” and the title carries the full weight of myth.
It is also the title of his book, “American Trojan,” in which Max Nikias chronicles the remarkable journey from war-torn Cyprus to the pinnacle of American higher education. Like the ancient heroes of Greece, Nikias is a man forged by loss, driven by vision, and defined by an unshakable will to build something lasting from the ruins of what was taken from him.
A descendant of a civilization steeped in philosophy and courage, Max Nikias has lived his own odyssey — one that began in a small village in Cyprus and led him to the United States. Yet his journey was not myth; it was marked by war, displacement, and loss. “In less than a month, our families had gone from living happy and successful lives to losing everything,” he recalls of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. “To escape the deadly bombs being dropped by Turkish aircraft, they left overnight without any of their possessions, believing they would be able to return once the bombing stopped. But they soon realized they were now refugees.”
It was during this time that Nikias came to understand the true meaning of the Greek word “apatris” — stateless. It is a wound that does not heal. And yet, rather than be defined by that wound, he chose to be defined by what he would build despite it. He arrived in America carrying nothing but intellect, character, and the deep cultural inheritance of a civilization that had survived far greater storms. “I never used the word ‘refugee’ from day one we arrived in America,” he has said. “I wanted to be judged by my work, not by sympathy for past experiences. I did not want to be seen as a victim in any shape or form.”
America gave him the ground to grow, and he never forgot to give back. As president of USC, he raised $7.16 billion in eight years, transforming the university into one of the nation’s most prestigious private research universities. His scientific research contributed to national defense. His leadership philosophy, rooted in humility, accountability, and the conviction that true leadership means serving others, became the architecture of an educational empire.
His influence would extend far beyond academia. Four decades after the Turkish aircraft bomb his homeland, the man he had become helped prevent another crisis from spiraling out of control. In August 2020, a dangerous Greek-Turkish military standoff over the island of Kasos was escalating rapidly, and only Turkey’s narrative was reaching the White House. Greece’s ambassador in Washington was struggling to reach National Security Adviser until C. L. Max Nikias stepped in. With a single phone call, he helped shift the balance at a critical moment for his homeland.
Max Nikias’ story resonates with particular depth within the Armenian American community, whose own history of displacement, survival, and renaissance mirrors his own. He has spoken openly of his special affinity for Armenians rooted in a childhood in Cyprus spent alongside Armenian neighbors, and later expressed through his championship of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies and his commitment to recruiting Armenian American students to the university.
“American Trojan” by C.L Max Nikias
“This memoir is the story of the American Dream,” wrote Robert C. O’Brien, the 27th U.S. National Security Advisor.
Days before the release of “The American Trojan”, Dr. Nikias reflects on all of it in the conversation that follows the trauma and the triumphs, the philosophy of leadership, the meaning of home, and the profound conviction that education is not merely a path to success, but the most powerful force we possess to heal the wounds of history and build a future worthy of those who came before us.
The Beginning of an Odyssey
Nane Avagyan: Your book tells the story of a refugee who lost everything during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Can you take us back to that moment? What were your emotions when you first realized you had to leave your homeland and begin an entirely new life?
C. L. Max Nikias: It was a life-changing moment. Once you lose everything – your property and your possessions, the businesses you’ve built, and photo albums that collect your memories – there is no going back. It is then that you understand the true meaning of “apatris”, which is the Greek word for “stateless.” In many ways, it is a scar that always stays with you, a wound that never heals, a trauma that stains the soul. And yet, amid tragedy, being stateless also contains the hope for its opposite – a chance to find a new home, which we would later do in America. For the rest of your life, you never get “too relaxed” because you know evil forces may always arrive and sometimes the best you can do is to minimize their impact because you are not able to stop them.
Nane Avagyan: Arriving in America as a refugee, what were the most difficult personal challenges you faced as an immigrant? Were there moments of doubt, times when you questioned whether starting over was truly possible, and if so, what gave you the strength to persevere. What empowered you to pursue your goals?
C. L. Max Nikias: I never used the word “refugee” from day one we arrived in America. I wanted to be judged by my work and not from any sympathy from past experiences. I did not want to be seen as a “victim” in any shape of form. The first time I have used the word characterizing myself as “refugee” is when I started writing this book a few years ago. Arriving to America as an immigrant, I was full of insecurities and not having a clear path how to plan our future. However, I dedicated myself to my university studies and very quickly developed a “drive” and “determination” to succeed in my graduate studies in engineering. The refugee experience and my heritage— rich in classical history and philosophical inquiry—instilled in me “unshakable optimism” that propelled me through “near penniless” arrivals and professional ascents. This is the immigrant spirit, isn’t it?
Nane Avagyan: What did you find in America that no other country could have offered you?
C. L. Max Nikias: America welcomed my wife and me with open arms! America offered us first class education and opportunity; if you work hard, watch your behavior, realize that you are here as a guest initially, focus on your work to impress people with your accomplishments, prove yourself, and eventually you will reap the benefits of what America has to offer. There is no other country in the world that can embrace immigrants like me and offer them so many different opportunities for a better life. If I were to characterize America in one word, it is OPPORTUNITY!
Nane Avagyan: At what point did you stop feeling like a refugee and begin to feel like an American? Was there a defining moment or a gradual transition?
C. L. Max Nikias: When did I feel like an American? It happened gradually not overnight. From day one I knew I did not come to America to remain Cypriot. I came to America to become an American! And yes, when my wife and I became naturalized citizens, it was a day of celebration – we were Americans!! We were full of gratitude to this country. This is the reason in the book that the chapter where I described our experiences becoming naturalized citizens is entitled “Second Homecoming.”
Nane Avagyan: America welcomed you and your wife when you arrived with nothing. How that experience shaped your sense of responsibility or obligation to give back?
C. L. Max Nikias: Absolutely! You feel so grateful to this country that you do want to give back as an American! I want to believe that I did give back through my technical contributions to national defense and through my leadership positions at USC where the programs we put in place made it possible to offer first class education to students from all walks of life. In some regard, I want to believe that through my efforts I contributed to American exceptionalism especially in the areas of technology innovation and education.
Leadership Philosophy & Education
Nane Avagyan: Coming from a land that is one of the cradles of world civilization, you carry a legacy that includes Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and countless other philosophical giants. You brought your wisdom and expertise to the United States, playing a pivotal role in shaping USC into one of the nation’s leading universities. How have the ideals of these ancient philosophers influenced your approach to leadership?
C. L. Max Nikias:I have always believed it is essential to go back to the wisdom found in the classical works of our civilization. We can examine the timeless truths that have guided humanity during past periods of change. There, we find that those truths can guide us reliably in our own moment. We gain wisdom for our leadership circumstances. For example, we can draw parallels to, and metaphors for, the particular challenges we face. Let’s don’t forget that our founding fathers who gave us this United States of America were very well educated in the Greco-Roman classics.
This is the reason why, at the beginning of most of the chapters in my book “American Trojan,” there is an excerpt from the Greek classics.
Nane Avagyan: How do you define true leadership in higher education and which qualities do you believe matter most?
C. L. Max Nikias: There’s a reason I started the book with a quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it, for it is hard to be sought out and difficult.” Leadership is fundamentally about navigating the unexpected. You can have a bold vision, create a strategy, assemble the best team, but invariably, the unexpected will find you. How you respond defines you and your leadership.
The ability to inspire others, the capacity to make difficult decisions under pressure, the willingness to take responsibility for outcomes both good and challenging, and the humility to recognize that leadership is not about your own accomplishments, but about serving others. Leadership demands love for humanity, endurance, and self-restraint. The key is to lead with integrity.
Building USC – Vision & Strategy
Nane Avagyan: The transformation of USC into America’s leading research universities. didn’t happen overnight. Was there a specific turning point, a faculty hire, a research breakthrough, or a competitive victory, when you realized USC had crossed into the upper echelon?
C. L. Max Nikias:I tell the story in the book! It was the publication of the WSJ ranking in 2016 with a cover news story singling USC out as the surprise success story. The Wall Street Journal ranked USC at #15 nationally, ahead of some prestigious institutions. West of Chicago, only USC, Stanford and CalTech ranked in the top 20!
I felt at that moment that USC had finally arrived at the top tier of schools! It is important to note that this ranking was published for the very first time; nobody knew their ranking formula; nobody was going to “game” the formula; and it turned out to be a much more comprehensive ranking formula than other publications.
Nane Avagyan: You raised billions of dollars for student scholarships, medical research, working with donors who each brought their own temperament, priorities, and expectations։ How did you navigate these diverse personalities and competing interests while preserving USC’s mission and institutional integrity
C. L. Max Nikias:We need to remember that donors are very successful and very smart people. It’s important to build the trust with them and get them to buy into the vision you pursue for the institution. You need to articulate to donors their return-on-investment (ROI)– how their support will make a difference for the institution, students, faculty and society at large.
Donors have many choices to donate their money. They will give to your institution if they trust the leadership to see through their commitments. It’s about trust and commitment.
Nane Avagyan: Your book offers behind-the-scenes insights into major decisions and strategic moves that helped build an educational empire. Can you share one pivotal decision or defining moment that best illustrates your approach to institutional transformation?
C. L. Max Nikias: In the book you read the story of the USC medical enterprise being in real crisis in 2005 when I became provost and the behind-the-scenes decisions and pivotal moments over a period of three years to turn the crisis into a great opportunity of growth and academic ascent by buying the hospitals form Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Relevant sections in the book provide an insider’s perspective on the relentless planning, meticulous preparation, strategic announcement, and disciplined execution of a fundraising campaign that raised $7.16 billion in eight years, with the endowment expanding from $2.77 billion to $6.8 billion during the same period.
Nane Avagyan: In an era when universities face intense pressure to make political and social statements, you’ve maintained that institutions should stay neutral on issues outside their core mission. Yet students, faculty, and alumni often demand the university ‘take a stand’ on controversial issues. How do you hold that line without appearing indifferent to injustice or important social movement?
C. L. Max Nikias:It is not easy and has always been very challenging. The university is not a foreign or a domestic government that must comment on any political event around the world. The policies of a university need to change at the Board of Trustees level and make it clear to everybody that university leadership doesn’t comment on any political event or ideology, it only comments on issues that may affect higher education and the university itself. Ensure a neutral environment where all ideas/opinions can be debated in a civilized manner without any threats expressed against any students or other faculty.
Nane Avagyan: You launched a massive fundraising campaign that created a ‘war chest’ for recruiting what you called “better than excellent” faculty. Why is strategic fundraising so critical for universities aspiring to greatness, and how did you convince donors to invest in this vision?
C. L. Max Nikias:For private universities like USC with a medical enterprise and active research programs in engineering, medicine and sciences, they do not break even financially without philanthropy money. There is no way to elevate a university academically by executing a strategic vision without massive resources to support the academic ascent. Without raising the financial resources needed, your plans and vision are only words like fireworks that become a “pipedream.”
You inspire donors with your plans and vision for the institution and if they trust the leadership then they become enthusiastic supporters.
Nane Avagyan: The rising cost of higher education has become a national crisis. Yet you increased USC’s financial aid commitment from $180 million to $336 million, the largest at any private university in America. Why was this investment so crucial, and how does it fit into your vision of balancing excellence with accessibility?
C. L. Max Nikias:We strongly believed that the only way to keep college education affordable for students was to increase the financial aid pool. The success of our fundraising campaign allowed us to do just that. We also kept tuition increases no greater than the inflation rate which was very low when I was president. The average student loan debt of our graduating class when I was president was $25,000 for the graduating students.
Higher Education & Current Challenges
Nane Avagyan: In your book, you discuss a growing crisis in higher education. What do you see as the root causes of this crisis?
C. L. Max Nikias: Universities have, to a large extend, lost sight of their core mission in recent years, and cancel culture, microaggressions, safe spaces, trigger warnings and the mob mentality of different activist groups along with antisemitism have shaken the university campuses. Certain campuses transformed from places to face challenging ideas to places where some believed they should never be challenged. Outside agitators, activist faculty of various and competing ideologies, and impressionable students hijacked the intellectual power of universities.
Nane Avagyan: For students or young professionals feeling disillusioned about the future or the American Dream, what message would you share?
C. L. Max Nikias: I tell them to embrace the moment because they live in the best country of the world where hard work gets rewarded, where there are individual freedom and economic opportunity.
Greek-Armenian Historical Commonalities, Resilience, and Recovery
Nane Avagyan: The Greek and Armenian communities share parallel histories of profound tragedy, including the Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, all resulting in lost homelands, countless lives, and mass displacement. These shared traumas have created a deep bond between our nations. Do you address this experiences in your book?
C. L. Max Nikias: Through the many stories and experiences described in the book, I hope the Armenian community identifies with them because they are not different from their own!
Nane Avagyan: What recommendations do you offer regarding collective recovery, healing, and the preservation of historical memory?
C. L. Max Nikias:As I described earlier the moment I became a refugee, it is a scar that always stays with you, a wound that never heals, a trauma that stains the soul. After our second homecoming in America, the importance of remembering and the historical memories especially for the future generations become very important. They are part of the healing. “Do not forget”what happened.
Nane Avagyan: Rather than being broken by trauma, you transformed it into a powerful commitment to education, investing in USC to advance teaching human rights, resilience, and historical truth. You view education as preventative tool against future atrocities. USC’s Shoah Foundation and its Dimensions in Testimony project have created an extensive archive of genocide survivors’ testimonies, including those from the Armenian Genocide. How can educational institutions like USC not only preserve truth, but also foster a culture where acknowledgment, remembrance, and justice are inseparable from academic excellence?
C. L. Max Nikias: I’m very proud of the fact that I secured the transfer to USC of the Shoah Foundation archives produced by Steven Spielberg, the 380 interviewees of Armenian genocide produced by Dr. J. Michael Hagopian and the more than 1,000 interviews of the Richard G. Hovannisian Armenian Genocide Oral History Collection. These testimonies provide critical material for curriculum development and for teaching the current and future generations of students remembrance and acknowledgement. They provide material for academic scholarship in history and social sciences.
Nane Avagyan: You have strong connections with the Armenian community and played a major role in championing the USC Institute of Armenian Studies. You also established a targeted strategy to recruit Armenian American students to USC. What motivated these initiatives, and what impact do you hope they will have on both the students and the broader Armenian community?
C. L. Max Nikias: Given the large population of Armenian Americans in California and especially in the LA basin, I felt strongly that we should reach out to the Armenian American community in a similar manner the university did for the Asian American and other communities. I must confess that I have a special affinity for the Armenian American community given my upbringing in Cyprus – I grew up socializing with many Armenian children in my neighborhood – and our common culture and religion. I’m very proud that I worked closely with Charly Ghailian, Judge Tevrizian and many other leaders of the Armenian community to establish the USC Institute of Armenian Studies.
Nane Avagyan: How do you envision the relationship between USC and the Armenian community evolving, and what role do you see the Institute playing in preserving Armenian cultural heritage?
C. L. Max Nikias: The role of the institute is that of a catalyst between USC, the Armenian American community, and the universities in Armenia, bringing all of them together for the benefit of academic scholarship and culture. USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering has established partnerships with a number of universities in Armenia, and the USC Institute of Armenian Studies can help strengthen and expand those partnerships.
Nane Avagyan: You visited Armenia two years ago, served as a keynote speaker at the 2024 WCIT Conference. What aspects of Armenia, whether its people, culture, innovation ecosystem, left the strongest impression on you?
C. L. Max Nikias: I must confess that I was very impressed by the high-tech industry sector and the people I met and interacted with. This is an enormous economic strength of Armenia. Having served on the board of directors of Synopsys (SNPS) – an S&P 500 company; largest tech employer in Armenia – for 13 years, I knew about the brain power of Armenia in engineering, sciences, and mathematics. But still, I was pleasantly surprised how strong it is!
The delicious food and culture as well as the various monasteries and churches and the stunning view of Mount Ararat made a lasting impression on me! Finally, the visit to The Genocide Museum-Institute dedicate to the victims of the Armenian genocide was a very emotional experience.
Nane Avagyan: What message did you share with the WCIT audience?
C. L. Max Nikias:My keynote address at WCIT was on semiconductor chips as the brains behind the artificial intelligence revolution. I should also point out that Synopsys in Armenia develops software for the design and verification of semiconductor chips!
Nane Avagyan: During your visit, you toured the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, and you’ve since endorsed TUMO Los Angeles. What excites you most about TUMO, and how do you see it shaping the future for youth?
C. L. Max Nikias: The exciting part about TUMO in Los Angeles is that it will give the opportunity to young people of LA to experience this state-of -the-art self-learning high-tech environment in creative technologies. It is a contribution of an Armenian innovative program to the benefit of the children of LA.
The TUMO visit was very impressive, putting the young children in charge of their own learning in creative technologies! TUMO is an investment for the high-tech future of the country!
Nane Avagyan: America has become your second home, yet you’ve remained deeply connected to your Greek heritage. How important is it to maintain this dual identity, being both a dedicated American citizen and someone faithful to their ancestral culture, history, language, and homeland?
C. L. Max Nikias:Very frequently remind our daughters who were born here in America that they should feel fortunate because the democratic ideals of the American culture are, in many ways, the same ideals of the Athenian democracy of Pericles and those of the Spartan constitution. I hope our daughters and in the near future our grandchildren as they grow up are proud of the fact that their ancestral heritage dovetails so clearly with the American culture they have been born into.
Nane Avagyan: Your story is one of resilience, vision, and mission-driven work. How do you want readers to be inspired by “American Trojan”?
C. L. Max Nikias: I hope they will be inspired by the many parallels they can draw from the stories in the book into their own experiences. I hope they appreciate the importance of endurance, hard work, resilience as well as the importance of family.
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