To say that the students of Studio School are shocked is an understatement.

Since its founding in 2014, Studio School has already undergone a name change, from Relativity School in 2014 to Studio School in 2017. Now, in 2020, the school’s name is being adjusted once again to Hussian College. Being an accredited campus of the Pennsylvania school Hussian College, it’s comprehensible that leadership might want to change Studio School’s name to better fit its mother-campus. However, we the students (and families) are not happy about it.

As written by Variety Magazine in 2017 (of which declared SSLA one of the top film schools in the world in 2019 and 2020–) in regards to the new name ‘Studio School’, “The school said that the name change is intended to more accurately reflect the breadth and depth of programs offered by [Studio School].” This paragraph leads us to ask — well, how does the name ‘Hussian’ better reflect the ‘breadth and depth of programs’ moreso than ‘Studio School’, the current name for our campus on a Hollywood studio lot? (“The first and only school of its kind.”) In a message from Dr. Jeremiah Staropoli, he writes, “Studio School will adopt the name Hussian College effective June 1, 2020 to better align with its origins, growth, and parent campus.” The origin of the name Hussian comes from John Hussian, a knowledgeable member of Philadelphia’s art community. Due to his knowledge and status, he opened Hussian College School of Art in 1946 following WWII. John Hussian is an esteemed Pennsylvania native. Why is a Los Angeles campus on the other side of the country, 2,828 miles away, using this Pennsylvanian namesake? We understand Studio School is under the umbrella of this Pennsylvanian school, but this said school does not know the Los Angeles Center Studios campus and the school itself in the unique way that we students do. After learning this shocking news, some of our students made statements such as, “Can we at least have an artsy name, not something that makes it sound like I go to a librarian school?” and, “So technically i’ve been to three schools already?” and lastly, “They did not.”

We would also like to add that many notable celebrities recognize us by the name of Studio School Los Angeles, including (and not limited to—) Bill Hader, Channing Tatum, Jessie J, and Gary Oldman. 

Studio School is a modern, fresh, and fitting name for our collaborative, innovative studio campus. We ask that this name change is rescinded, and Studio School keeps its current, fitting name. Thank you. #StudioSchoolL7