(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – “It is my goal to produce the most talented designers and fashion professionals the industry has seen in a very long time by inspiring our students to greatness.” That’s the credo of the new Academic Department Director of the Fashion Design Program of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, Sherry West.
With 20 years of apparel experience in women’s, men’s, children’s and accessory design, West knows what the industry expects of young designers, and equally knows what students need to make it in the real world. “In addition to developing the talent, it is critical that we prepare our fashion students to succeed in this fast-paced and very competitive, albeit very alluring, industry,” she explains. And that’s the way The Art Institute likes it.
Working under the Dean of Academic Affairs, Jerry Foust, Sherry West understands clearly “the Art Institute’s aim of developing students who leave the school fully prepared for entry level positions in their chosen field. In fashion, graduates have to be at their best and ready to earn their salary from day one,” Foust has said.
The Philadelphia native, now living in Redlands, has been on the job since December 1, bringing to the classroom a background as broad as it is extensive. West’s fashion experience includes spending extensive periods of time in Hong Kong and traveling to other countries such as the Philippines, Japan, India and Turkey, as well as Paris, London, Milan and Florence, all of which will come in handy as she prepares her fashion students for their careers in this very global industry.
West’s first-hand experience of designing collections, visiting apparel factories, recruiting local artists, evaluating production facilities and capabilities, shopping European markets and trade shows and developing fresh manufacturing techniques in foreign countries will be an added plus to her role as the Academic Department Director of the Fashion Design Program.
West graduated in 1988 from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. She was honored three years consecutively as the Outstanding Student in Fashion Design, earning her a place on the Dean’s List.
From there she joined Eagle’s Eye apparel company, a leader in sportswear and sweater design, in nearby Conshohocken as a Design Assistant. It wasn’t long before West’s designs were breaking company records garnering her an unprecedented promotion to Head Designer for the firm’s core brand after her first year with the business.
Soon West was invited by the owners and executives to explore new ventures to grow the business. West’s ideas and visions for the company were instrumental in growing the brand from $50 million in sales to more than $120 million.
After six years with Eagle’s Eye, she established Sherry West Inc. in Dresher, and over just four years she designed sportswear and sweater collections for more than 20 national labels along with founding a children’s design house, Rhyme & Reason.
It was there she oversaw the design, production and delivery of collections to more than 350 accounts across the country including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks and Fred Segal’s of Hollywood, with international accounts in Japan, Australia and the Cayman Islands.
Since 2003 West has worked for and with numerous apparel retailers and design studios, and has been a Senior Fashion Designer for Lilly Pulitzer, an on-site consultant and a Retail Director.
Her vast fashion-related background has provided West with what she says is “the ability to teach the entire design process from concept to consumer through all cross-functional perspectives from design, merchandising, technical design, product development, sourcing, marketing, to sales and distribution.”
As a teacher, Sherry West has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Philadelphia’s Drexel University where her courses have included Fashion Entrepreneurship and Drawing for Fashion Design.
For 15-plus years she has appeared as a guest lecturer and professor to four prominent design colleges: Moore College of Art & Design, Drexel’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts, the Savannah College of Art & Design and Philadelphia University.
At The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire West plans to continue that academic tradition by “honing in on, and enhancing, students’ innate talents and desires by providing them with the necessary tools and skills to make a positive impact on an industry that craves innovation,” she says.
“At the institute,” she adds after just one month, “the students are hungry and eager to learn about the fashion industry.” It’s not just about creating attractive designs, she feels, but learning about the “business of fashion” and how to work within it at all levels.
Reflecting on adding West to the institute’s faculty, Dean Foust says, “When you announce an opening for a position such as Academic Director for Fashion Design and Fashion & Retail Merchandising you usually get quite a few resumes and referrals. Most of them are qualified, and that is good. But sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you get one that makes you read it twice and say ‘Wow!’ That is Sherry West’s. Her background, her education, the things she has done in the fashion industry, her teaching and management experience all bring that word to mind. She was on the east coast and we are on the west coast – but we made it happen and our students love her and what she is doing for those programs.”
West notes, “We have some exciting times ahead of us here at the Art Institute as we grow our new department. I am looking forward to developing the talent in the students here and preparing them for their first big fashion show scheduled on June 6th at Victoria Gardens.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
For more information or a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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Friday, January 30, 2009
Art Institute Welcomes New Fashion Director
Three students receive $6,250 in awards for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is honored in many ways in San Bernardino. Recently, The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire honored him by giving three high school students scholarships and other awards as prizes for essays about their own creative dreams.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has awarded $5,000 in scholarships and an art supply kit worth $1,250 to three high school seniors.
The seniors, Alex Shaffer of Yucaipa and Megan Flanagan and Sylvia Rodriguez, both of Riverside, are winners in The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s “I Have A Creative Dream” essay contest, which it held in conjunction with a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day open house on Monday, Jan. 18.
“They wrote great essays,” said Monica Jeffs, senior admissions director for the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire and contest coordinator. “Some of them were very heartwarming. It means a lot to these students to be awarded these scholarships.”
Shaffer, 17, attends Yucaipa High School. He received a $3,000 scholarship for his first-place essay.
“My family and I are definitely planning on using that scholarship,” Alex said. It will be a great help to me in fulfilling my creative dream.”
Flanagan, 18, attends Riverside Polytechnic High School. She received a $2,000 scholarship for second place.
Rodriguez, 17, attends Summit Valley High School. She received an Art Institute art supply kit valued at $1,250 for third place.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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Wanted: Creative People for Creative Careers
(INDIO, Calif.) If you think making a living doing something you love to do is impossible, then you don’t know about the huge demand for people in the creative careers like graphic design, culinary arts, computer game design, web design and interior design. To illustrate the possibilities, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire comes to Indio in February to help high school seniors find careers they can love.
Campus President Emam El-Hout says, “The primary mission, focus and ultimate goal of The Art Institute is to assist students toward the successful achievement of satisfying creative careers in their chosen field. We have brought together a dedicated group of professionals who are committed to providing students with career-oriented curricula - including the organizational, interpersonal and theoretical, as well as the practical skills needed to become a well trained entry-level job candidate in today’s competitive creative job market.”
The first free Indio Previews for graduating high school students and their families are slated for Friday, Feb. 6 at 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. More sessions will follow Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m., noon, 2:00 and 4:00 at the Fantasy Springs Resort, 84-245 Indio Parkway.
“We definitely want students from Indio, Palm Springs and the rest of the low desert to join us at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire,” said Monica Jeffs, director of admissions. “They will learn more about our programs of study in fashion, culinary arts and design and about the exciting career paths an Art Institutes education would lead them to. We will also discuss scholarships and other financial aid options, the admissions process and housing options available to them.”
Along with Jeffs will be five assistant directors of admissions who will spend an hour explaining what The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is all about. They’ll describe the curriculum and the degrees offered, the earning potential, review all the school’s financial aid and scholarship programs, discuss their professional award-winning faculty and preview The Art Institute’s multi-million dollar facility in San Bernardino.
To save your space, register on line at www.aipreview.com/indio or call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Black Culture Foundation Will Crown Royalty
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Black Culture Foundation will crown Marion and Charlotte Black of Rialto as the Senior King and Queen 2009 on Friday, Feb. 6.
The couple will be crowned in an invitation-only reception. To RSVP, call Margaret Hill at (909) 864-3267.
“The Black Culture Foundation selects senior citizens who are involved in the community every year for this honor,” said Margaret Hill, program chairman.
Marion Black is a deacon and a member of the Board of Directors for several ministries at Ecclesia Christian Fellowship Church, and is a past recipient of the Taft Newman Award from his church. He is also a member of the San Bernardino Kiwanis Club and works with its Key Club at San Bernardino High School and is a past recipient of its Harry Rheubotton Award. He’s an Ambassador for the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce and has previously been named its Ambassador of the Year three times.
Marion is a long time supporter of the YMCA. He’s also a member of the Volunteer Center of the Inland Empire, the board of Advisors for California State University, San Bernardino, the Black Culture Foundation and the Civil Service Commission of San Bernardino County.
Marion Black is also the board chairman of the Provisional Accelerated Learning Center (PAL Center) and a member of the board for the Life Stream of San Bernardino and Riverside. He has received citations from the League of Women Voters as a Citizen of Achievement.
Charlotte Black has supported her husband in his endeavors, while maintaining her own involvement in community activities. She is the vice president of her chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, where she’s held local and regional positions. She is also a member of Sunrise Church of Rialto and is involved with several of its ministries.
The ceremony and reception crowning Marion and Charlotte Black as Senior King and Queen is sponsored by Dr. Arturo Delgado, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District and the San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation.
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Monday, January 26, 2009
RIKKE VAN JOHNSON APPOINTED TO IVDA, SBIAA, IGLCBC
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) - Mayor Pro Tem Rikke Van Johnson has been appointed to serve on three agencies representing the City of San Bernardino in 2009. These agencies are the Inland Valley Development Agency, the San Bernardino International Airport Authority and the San Bernardino County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee.
“Two of these agencies, the Inland Valley Development Agency and the San Bernardino International Airport Authority, compliment each other,” Johnson said. “We will be doing everything we can to bring economic redevelopment to the area in and around the San Bernardino International Airport.”
San Bernardino International Airport Authority is a Joint Powers Authority representing the cities of San Bernardino, Colton and Loma Linda, and the County of San Bernardino. It is responsible for developing aviation related industries at San Bernardino International Airport (formerly Norton Air Force Base.)
The Inland Valley Development Authoirty, another Joint Powers Authority representing the same members, is responsible for developing non-aviation related businesses, industries and residences at San Bernardino International Airport and on 13,000 surrounding acres.
The passage of SB 621 established the Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee formed in each county with tribal government gaming operations. Consisting of tribal and local government leaders, these committees supervise the selection of grants to public agencies seeking assistance from the Special Distribution Fund.
“Usually, San Bernardino selects its Fourth Ward Council Member along with the Mayor to represent the city on this committee,” Johnson said. “Since the Fourth Ward position is now vacant, I was appointed to fill in until a new council member is seated.”
Neil Derry, now Third District Supervisor for San Bernardino County, held the position of Fourth Ward Council Member until he was elected to the Board of Supervisors. He will be replaced in a special election in March, and the new Fourth Ward Council Member will most likely be sworn in at the beginning of April.
Rikke Van Johnson represents the Sixth Ward on the City Council of San Bernardino. As a council member, Johnson serves on several other city committees. These include the Ways & Means Committee, the Redevelopment Committee, Budget Ad Hoc Committee, Educational Bridge Ad Hoc Committee, Police Ad Hoc Committee, Parolee Ad Hoc Committee. He also represents the city on the San Bernardino County Solid Waste Advisory Task Force and serves as an alternate member of the San Bernardino Regional Water Resources Authority Commission (JPA), and the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) Board and the SANBAG Major Projects Committee.
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More Than Art - A Bachelor's Degree
Ray Jones, director of the General Education program at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire, with students in a General Ed psychology class. Photo by Robert Swapp
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) At The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, the administration’s goal is to graduate students with a well-rounded education. While a person’s specialty might be Game Art & Design or Culinary Arts, when students leave with their Associate’s or Bachelor’s degrees, they are ready for the real world in addition to a career.
Ray Jones, head of the General Education program, puts it this way: “We make sure that our students have a well-rounded education that gives them more than just an emphasis in their chosen profession.”
Jones insists that the institute’s graduates understand how to deal with bank statements and investors, be familiar with the arts around them and understand the history of various cultures. “We include English usage,” he adds, “and teach them how to speak in public. We even add sociology, psychology and anthropology.”
With The Art Institute of California –Inland Empire’s General Education objective, their graduates, regardless of their major, obtain a broader education, knowledge that will carry them through a happier, more productive life, according to Jones.
Students graduating from the International Culinary School, for instance, will know math well enough to resize a recipe for larger or smaller gatherings; Web design majors will know how to buy a car or finance a business loan; animation specialists will understand art history as well as how to address a public meeting.
The Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree programs target a fully-rounded education for their students, one that will aid them in dealing effectively with society, and be ready to handle whatever the real world throws their way.
“If you leave The Art Institute mastering your specialty like a professional while knowledgeable with life and society in general,” says President Emam El-Hout, “we’ve done our job.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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