Bryan Richard Frost, a student in the USC School of Cinematic Arts, died early Thursday morning from stab wounds after a fight several blocks north of campus. He was 23.

Frost was walking near the intersection of 28th Street and Orchard Avenue when a man walking out of his apartment complex confronted him. The two got into a heated argument, which escalated into a physical fight. Frost was stabbed and pronounced dead at the California Hospital Medical Center.

Frost viewed his time at USC as a matter of personal fulfillment rather than simply career advancement, friends said.

"I would take classes very business-focused, trying to get ahead, and he would take classes like Economics of Happiness," said Jens Midthun, a close friend of Frost's. "He'd be telling me, 'Jens, getting ahead in life, making a lot of money, that's not what it's all about. That's not even going to make you happy. It's all about the experiences you have. And the relationships you have with other people is really what makes you happy in life,' and I think that's how he lived."

Midthun also remembers Frost as having a unique enthusiasm for his studies. His love of film led him to return to USC for a second bachelor's degree at the School of Cinematic Arts.

"You'd come into his room and he'd be watching some old, classic movie. You walk into a fraternity, you walk into a room and you don't expect to see he's watching a Hitchcock film," Midthun said.

Frost was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity as he worked toward his first undergraduate degree at USC. He transferred to USC after spending a year and a half at United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in economics in May 2007 and returned the next fall for his second bachelor's degree.

"I remember meeting him for the first time at bid night and he was the type of person whose presence immediately commanded respect," said Idris Jatoi, president of SigEp and a senior majoring in political science.

Peter Winter, another of Frost's fraternity brothers, remembered Frost's determination to contribute to improving the community around him.

"He always knew he was the type of guy that was going to do something important," said Winter, a first-year graduate student studying public diplomacy. "He [was] always kind of shot big. He was one of those types of guys that you could really trust. He was a loyal friend, and you could always depend on him to be there."

Frost's high school guidance counselor, Carmen Harm, also spoke of his loyalty, and said his relationships with friends, teachers and family seemed nothing short of profound.

"He didn't have a ton of people around him, but he had a few really close friends," Harm said. "He had a very strong family life. His mother and stepfather were very involved in his academic progress."

A straight-A student and a talented writer, Frost always brought a strong sense of intellectual bravery to his classes, said Shelli Taylor, Frost's AP English teacher.

"He was never afraid to say what he thought," Taylor said. "He went out of his way to do a good job on what he was doing. He just wanted to make his mark."

Frost also proved himself an enthusiastic and honorable sportsman, as he spent his last two years of high school playing for Eagle High School's varsity football team. During Frost's senior year, he and his team went undefeated and claimed the Idaho state championship.

"He was an easy player to coach because he was always eager to learn, " said Robert Montgomery, Frost's coach. "On the field, he always helped the players who were behind him. I don't think there was anyone on the team who didn't like him."

Friends and students solemnly gathered on the lawn of SigEp Thursday night for a candlelight vigil to remember Frost's life and mourn the loss of a friend.

As Frost's friends struggled to grasp the reality of what happened, they shared stories and memories of his lasting legacy as a fun and loyal friend, brother and son.

One of Frost's best friends, who introduced himself as Luke, reminisced about Frost's sense of humor and electric personality.

"I had dinner with Bryan's family and I have to say his mom is a champ," Luke said. "She only asked one thing: that he be remembered. I think that's the easiest request she could've made. I feel so lucky to have had him as a friend."

The family did not attend the vigil, but met with Vice-President for Student Affairs Michael L. Jackson, President Steven B. Sample and School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth Daly. Jackson also attended the vigil at the SigEp house.

"The family is doing the best they can. They are taking comfort in the fact that he loved USC and he had good friends," Jackson said. "We're all in our own way saying to the family that we care about them and will support them in their difficult time."

As students passed the candles throughout the large crowd, Jackson reminded students of the strength and solidarity of the Trojan family.

"We are Bryan and Bryan was us," Jackson said. "We must remember that we are one as we transition without Bryan's daily presence in our lives."