Keeira Ford of 909models.com models a dress designed by a student from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire during a fashion show at the Toyota North American Distribution Center. Photo by Miguel Zaragoza of Graceful Visions Photography.
Adrianna Diaz, a Fashion Design student at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, was proud to see her friend Tiffany Leilani model a designer gown Diaz had designed and created herself. A fashion show at the Toyota North American Distribution Center in Ontario provided the friends with this opportunity. Photo by Miguel Zaragoza of Graceful Visions Photography
Students in the fashion programs at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire recently put on their first fashion show, for employees of the Toyota North American Distribution Center in Ontario. Fashion Design students and outside professional designers designed and created the clothes, while Fashion & Retail Marketing students assisted in many ways, including styling models’ hair. The models were professionals from 909 Models.com as well as friends of The Art Institute students. Photo by Miguel Zaragoza of Graceful Visions Photography
(ONTARIO, Calif.) – The Toyota North American Parts Center usually focuses on car parts. But for a few hours recently, employees found themselves gazing on flirty spring dresses and designer formal gowns.
“Legends of the Apollo Theater,” a fashion show created by The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s Fashion Design program, was the lunchtime entertainment. This was one of the ways this Toyota facility celebrated Black History Month 2009 throughout February.
“People may wonder what a parts distribution center has in common with fashion,” said Ed Huante, manager of the distribution center. “But diversity is very important to Toyota and this fashion show is a celebration of Black history and its diversity.”
For The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, this was a first opportunity for its six-month old Fashion Design program to showcase student work. Six of the 11 designers participating are enrolled in the Fashion Design program. The others are a student from the Art Institute of California – Orange County and four professional designers.
“Our students were overwhelmingly enthusiastic,” said Sherry West, academic director of the fashion programs at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “They enjoyed it from start to finish.”
Most of these students had never been involved with a fashion show before, and none had gone through the process of taking an idea and turning it into a garment worn by a model, West said. As a long-time industry professional, she’s been involved in numerous fashion shows, but this was her first as a fashion instructor.
“Now they understand why they had to do sketches, why they had to make patterns and why they had to fit different models into several different outfits,” she said. “To see them work so hard and be so thrilled, was the best.”
“We want our students to see that if they work hard, they can have exciting careers doing what they love best,” said Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President Emam El-Hout. “Our Fashion Design and our Fashion & Retail Marketing students experienced a taste of this by participating in the show for Toyota.”
West is African-American, but said creating a fashion show to celebrate Black History Month was a challenge because most students in the Fashion Design program are of other races.
“One of the students came up with an idea to have the fashions inspired by the Apollo Theater,” she said. “They love Billie Holliday and the other Black jazz artists who came from that theater in the 1940s and 50s, and were inspired by them when creating their clothes for this show.”
West headed a team of 16 models, 11 designers, and about 25 other behind-the scenes workers, including a model coordinator, makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers and model dressers. Other than the four professional designers these were all students.
Adriana Diaz, one of the student designers, called this fashion show an incredible opportunity. She made a silver formal gown in a matter of days, then watched as her hand-selected model and good friend, Tiffany Leilani, paraded it down the runway as part of the Legends of the Apollo Theater fashion show.
“I want to open a haute couture (exclusively designed fashions) business after graduation,” she said. “This experience taught me how to work on a quick deadline with my clients’ needs in mind.”
While Diaz and several of the other designers asked friends to help with the modeling, members of the Inland Empire’s 909Models.com also delivered. This modeling agency matches professional models with clients for such diverse projects as television commercials, print advertisements, sales and event promotions, and artistic paintings.
“When many of these models joined the agency, they were looking forward to opportunities to be runway models,” said Carl Dameron, owner of 909Models.com “As an Inland Empire agency, these opportunities were limited before The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire began its Fashion Design program in September 2008. We look forward to working with The Art Institute on additional projects in the future.”
This was the first of many fashion events the fledgling Art Institute of California – Inland Empire Fashion Design program intends to hold. It is already planning another, larger show on June 6 at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga. That show will be open to the public, and will feature completely different creations by these and other Art Institute designers, as well as fashions available for purchase in the retail stores of Victoria Gardens.
“Our students can hardly wait for the next show,” West said.
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 April 6 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 of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu
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Friday, March 20, 2009
Art Institute Fashion Designers Change Gears at Toyota Plant
FORMER PRESIDENT OF ART INSTITUTE WILL ADDRESS FIRST GRADUATING CLASS
Founding Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President Byron Chung returns to San Bernardino on Friday, March 27 as the guest speaker for the school’s first graduation ceremony. Among the graduates to be recognized there will be Alyssa Mees, who completed her requirements for an associate degree in Graphic Design a year ago, making her The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s first graduate. In the past 12 months, dozens more students have completed their requirements for associate and bachelor’s degrees to become The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s first graduating class. Chung is currently president of The Art Institute of California – San Francisco.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Former Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President Byron Chung will return to San Bernardino on Friday, March 27 to help commemorate a milestone in some of his past students’ lives. They too are leaving The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire to begin new lives as college graduates.
Chung will be the keynote speaker for these graduates’ commencement ceremony, the first ever for The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. This ceremony takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Manuel Santos Student Union at California State University, San Bernardino.
“Most of these students started at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire in 2006, when we were just starting our programs in San Bernardino, so they are almost like family” said Chung, who now serves as president of The Art Institute of California – San Francisco. “It is my honor to come back to see them complete their educational goals and receive their bachelor’s and associate degrees.”
“Byron Chung is the best choice to send our graduates into their new lives as working professional people,” said Emam El-Hout, current president of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “It was his vision, combined with the dreams of these students, that made this Graduation Day possible.”
When he was president of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, Chung oversaw a team that built the school literally from the ground up. Under Chung’s leadership, the school moved into a 38,000 square foot campus at 630 Brier Avenue in 2005, and opened its doors to students in 2006.
Classes started with 40 students in Graphic Design, Web Design and Interactive Media, and Interior Design. Programs in Media Arts and Animation and Game Arts and Design were added later that year, and in Culinary Arts and Culinary Management in 2007.
Most recently, the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire added Fashion and Retail Management and Fashion Design to its programs. The school now has grown to more than 1,000 students and 70,000 square feet of building space, with more expansion planned in the near future.
Under Chung’s leadership the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire blossomed into an important community resource. Its students now lend their great talents to the community in many ways, such as graphic design, Web site building, event catering and helping non-profit organizations throughout the region.
Prior to serving as president of the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, Chung was a vice president and admissions specialist for Educational Management Corporation. He also previously worked as admissions director at the Art Institute of California-Santa Monica.
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 April 6 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 Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Graduating Art Institute students to display portfolios
Tracy O’Bannon of San Bernardino is about to receive her bachelor’s degree in interior design from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. She will present this design concept she created in one of her advanced courses, as will other soon-to-be graduates, on Tuesday March 24 at the Riverside Art Museum.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will host its first off-campus Graduate Portfolio Show on Tuesday, March 24 at the Riverside Art Museum.
“This is an opportunity to present our students and programs to area employers that may be learning about us for the first time,” said Cindy Jones, director of Career Services for The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “We also celebrate with our students and honor this important milestone as they begin their journey into professional lives.”
Employers looking for talented, newly graduated professionals in the fields of Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media and Interior Design are invited to attend this reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside. They’re asked to RSVP with Brenda Medina at (909) 915-2192.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the party continues its focus on the graduates, but with a different emphasis. The guests joining them during this portion of the event will be their own friends and family. These three hours are also open to the public
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will serve hors d’ouvres and beverages.
The six Interior Design students who will be showing their work are the program’s first graduates. These students are Marissa Louden of Riverside, Cesar Bahena of Hesperia, Tracy O’ Bannon and Paige Petersen, both of San Bernardino, Alysha Cintas of Palm Desert and Bob Chen of Claremont.
Other graduates are Michelle Cossota of Highland, who is receiving her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design; Marcia McClellan of Riverside and Richard Macias of Highland who are receiving associate degrees in Graphic Design and Mary Nina Gonzales and her brother Patrick Gonzales of Moreno Valley and David Dresner of Redlands, who are receiving bachelor’s degrees in Web Design & Interactive Media.
The Graduate Portfolio Show is now a quarterly tradition for The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. It began holding this event last December, when most of its first 10 graduates completed their degrees. Thirteen more students graduate in March, with the numbers growing even more rapidly the rest of 2009 and beyond.
“Our numbers of graduates could reach more than 100 per quarter a year from now,” Jones said.
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 April 6 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 of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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Twelve Art Institute Students Competing for ADDY Awards
Students David Dresner (left), Niklas Meijer (right) and recent graduate Rachel Makowski, (center) of the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, earned three of four gold medals given to students during the first-ever student ADDY Awards competition, held in 2008. Meijer and 11 other current students hope to win more gold Friday, March 20 when the Inland Empire Ad Club holds its 2009 ADDY Awards Ceremony at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, and The Art Institute’s students participate in the second annual student competition. The ADDY awards, at both the student and professional levels, recognize excellence in advertising.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) A year ago Niklas Meijer of Riverside designed one of the best advertisements of any student in the Inland Empire. He’s one of a dozen Art Institute of California – Inland Empire students who hope to receive this honor in 2009, as they participate in the student portion of the Inland Empire Ad Club’s ADDY awards.
The other Art Institute students participating are Scott Kruger of Apple Valley, Andrew Hernandez of Pomona, Ron Mason, David Monge and Bart Welt, all of Fontana, Karen Pavon and Dante Guib of Moreno Valley, Rodolfo Godinez and Jesse Hoffman of Riverside and Marsee Smith of Bloomington.
This year’s ADDY Awards, recognizing the finest advertising in the Inland Empire, are scheduled for Friday, March 20 at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. The annual competition is sponsored by, Inland Empire Ad Club, the local chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF).
A cocktail reception with hors d’ oeuvres begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Cultural Center, followed by the awards presentation at 8 p.m. The ADDY’s honor creative excellence in advertising, graphic design, web design, photography and illustration.
According to AAF board member and program chair John McCarthy, “This is our opportunity to showcase the winners who were recently selected during very competitive judging.”
Last year, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire swept the student portion of the competition. Meijer and fellow students David Dresner and Rachel Makowski (who has since graduated) received three of the four gold awards. Meijer and Welt also were among the Art Institute students receiving nine of the 10 silver awards.
Last year was the first time the Inland Empire Ad Club had offered a student competition.
Gold winners, in both the student and professional categories are those judged the most outstanding in various categories. They will represent the Inland Empire Ad Club at a regional competition, and if they win there at the American Advertising Federation’s national ADDY Awards competition.
Silver winners are also judged to be worthy of recognition, and can also advance to the regional and national levels of the competition.
Tickets for the ADDY evening are $55 apiece. By ordering online, the price drops to $40 for local AAF chapter members, said McCarthy. Student members of the local AAF chapter can purchase tickets for $30. Everyone is encouraged to purchase tickets online: aaf-inlandempire.com/events.
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 April 6 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 Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Active LaSierra University student earns PR internship
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Dameron Communications welcomes a new public relations intern to its staff.
Carrie Patrick, a junior at La Sierra University in Riverside, joined Dameron Communications seeking to gain experience in a real public relations work environment that allows her to achieve knowledge and skill in the field of Public Relations before graduating in the spring of 2010.
Internships are important for college students because employers are hesitant to hire people right out of college with no experience. With millions of job cuts all over the U. S. options are decreasing daily.
“The job search is already hard enough with the economy doing so poorly,” Patrick said. “With the experience I gain here I will be able to confidently apply for a career after I earn my bachelor’s degree.”
This is not the first time Dameron Communications has taken interns. Carl Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, believes having interns is important for a company.
"It is critical that we bring interns in because it is the older generations’ responsibility to teach the next generation the field of public relations.” Dameron said. He also believes that interns can benefit the company, “They teach me, too,” Dameron said. “From them I learned that text messaging was the best way to reach the 25 and under public and that soon hand held devices will be responsible for at least 75 percent of Internet access.”
Carrie Patrick is currently earning her degree in the field of communications with an emphasis in public relations and advertising. She has a passion for the sport of soccer and has been playing for more than 10 years. She was recently the Centennial freshman girl’s soccer coach in Corona and is now working at Killarney’s Irish pub located at the Riverside Plaza.
Being a full time student with two jobs is not an easy thing to do.
“I feel that if I put in the effort now, it will pay off later in my life” Patrick said. Carrie says she gained her strong work ethic from her parents and shows it by working hard in school as well as the restaurant and internship at Dameron Communications.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
PRESIDENT'S WORDS PROMPT AHUSC TO OFFER 15 SCHOLARSHIPS
Austen Oghuma, director of Library & Communication Services; Dr. Jay Deb, vice president of Academic Affairs; Dr. Ray Briggs of the Business Administration department; Dr. Tony Ogiamien, president; Mildred Espinosa, registrar and Chris Wang, director of Business Development, look forward to welcoming 15 new students to American Heritage University of Southern California through scholarships the school is offering worth $200,000. They announced these scholarships availability during a press conference Monday, March 16. Photo by Brenda Erickson
Dr. Tony Ogiamien tells about the 15 scholarships American Heritage University of Southern California will offer, in a press conference held Monday, March 16 at the San Bernardino campus. Photo by Carl Dameron
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) American Heritage Foundation has created 15 new full scholarships for Inland Empire residents with 60 or more college credits valued at almost $200,000.
“The objective of these scholarships is to help our community by providing free college degrees to Inland Empire to help them cope with the present economic downturn,” said Dr. Tony Ogiamien, President of American Heritage University of Southern California. “Five scholarships are offered in each of the following programs: Paralegal, receiving an Associate of Arts degree a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration at American Heritage University of Southern California in downtown San Bernardino.”
“The foundation, in collaboration with, American Heritage University of Southern California is charting this course as part of our response to President Barack Obama's call for all Americans to be more involved in our community and for each citizen to commit themselves to at least one year of higher education,” said Dr. Ogiamien.
“On completing their education the 15 individuals would have acquired some skills that will in turn enable them to advance their career, better provide for their family and ultimately help our community to grow and develop,” he said.
“We selected programs for scholarships where students have a great employment opportunity even in this down economy and can complete their degrees in less than 18 months,” said Dr. Ogiamien.
These are also good paying jobs. According to the US Department of Labor the median salary in the United States for paralegals with less than one year experience is $34,718. With 10 years experience, average income advances to $49,042.
Paralegals with the least experience typically work under the direction of attorneys, using instructions and established guidelines to perform their job duties. The more years they gain in the field, the more employers expect paralegals to rely on their experience and judgment to conduct tasks and to work with less supervision.
The salary range for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration is $31,000 - $72,500; with the Median $52,000 according to http://www.payscale.com/.
Starting salaries for graduates with a Masters in Business Administration ranges from $50,000 - $75,000; with a median starting salary of $65,000 according to http://www.mbaschool.com/
The mission of the American Heritage University of Southern California is to meet the educational needs of motivated, self-directed, mid-career, adults whose past geographic, personal or professional time constraints have prevented them from completing their education.
While the scholarships are for on campus degrees, AHU also offers online degree programs.
According to Dr. Ogiamien the focus on degree completion is paramount “If you have not completed your degree, you have a new opportunity to do so here at American Heritage University on campus or online.”
They are required to complete a minimum of two courses per session, and must finish their undergraduate program within two years. Undergraduate students must have already completed 60 units.
Total Value of AHU Scholarship
Scholarship for Paralegal (AA Degree):
30 units @$330/unit = $9,900.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) scholarships for this program: $9,990 X 5 = $49,500
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA Degree completion):
40 units @330/unit = $13,200.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) scholarships for this program: $13,200 X 5 = $66,000
Master of Business Administration (MBA Degree):
36 units @$467/unit = $16,812.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) Scholarships for this program: $16,812 X 5 =$84,060
Total Scholarship amount offered by AHU Foundation: $199,560
American Heritage University also offers bachelor’s degrees in business administration, film studies, social studies and computer information systems, master’s degrees in business administration, public policy and computer information systems and a doctorate degree in business administration. It offers certificates for nursing assistants and English as a foreign language.
American Heritage University has been granted full approval to operate by the California State Bureau for Postsecondary and Vocational Education.
For complete information or a private interview go on line to www.AmHeratigeUniv.net or call 888-484-8689.
Eligibility for the Scholarship
The following programs are offered beginning Monday, May 11, 2009
Paralegal (AA Degree):
Scholarship for Paralegal (AA Degree):
30 units @$330/unit = $9,900.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) scholarships for this program: $9,990 X 5 = $49,500
Adult students with following background will be eligible for the scholarship provided by the American Heritage University in collaboration with AHU Foundation. Five scholarships are available for this program. The following are the pre-requisites to qualify:
1. Applicant must be a legal resident of Riverside or San Bernardino County
2. Applicant must be a mature adult who has completed at least 30 units of general education from a community college or any institution of higher education
3. Applicant must show evidence of financial hardship and need for assistance
4. Applicant must have a strong affinity for paralegal profession
5. Applicant must furnish three letters of recommendation from individuals who are in a position to evaluate applicant’s ability to complete professional studies
6. Applicant must provide proof of community service
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA Degree completion):
40 units @330/unit =$13,200.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) scholarships for this program: $13,200 X 5 = $66,000
Adult students with following background will be eligible for the scholarship or free education provided by American Heritage University in collaboration with AHU Foundation if the following requirements are met: Number of scholarships available: 5.
1. Applicant must be a legal resident of Riverside or San Bernardino County
2. Applicant must be a mature adult who has completed at least 80 units of college credits from a Community College or any institution of Higher Education
3. Applicant must show evidence of financial hardship and need for assistance
4. Applicant must have a strong affinity for higher education
5. Applicant must furnish three letters of recommendation from individuals who are in a position to evaluate applicant’s ability to complete college studies
6. Applicant must provide proof of community service
Master of Business Administration (MBA Degree):
36 units @$467/unit = $16,812.00 Scholarship amount per student
Five (5) Scholarships for this program: $16,812 X 5 =$84,060
Adult students with following background will eligible for free education provided by the American Heritage University in collaboration with AHU Foundation. Number of scholarships available: 5
1. Applicant must be a legal resident of Riverside or San Bernardino County
2. Applicant must be a mature adult who has completed a Bachelor Degree from any accredited college, university or institution of Higher Education
3. Applicant must show evidence of financial hardship and need for assistance
4. Applicant must have a strong affinity for graduate level professional education
5. Applicant must furnish three letters of recommendation from individuals who are in a position to evaluate applicant’s ability to complete graduate level studies
6. Applicant must provide proof of community service
Below is the immediate benefit to any of the students using the AHU scholarship.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual paralegal salary, including bonuses, ranged from $33,920 to $54,690 in May 2006.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,450, while the top 10 percent earned more than $67,540.
September 2008 data from Salary.com indicates that paralegals can definitely boost their annual earnings as they gain more experience in the field.
Experience Level % Average Salary Highest 10%
0 – 2 years $45,080 $58,844 or more
8+ years
$68,779 $86,440 or more
Median Salary in all segments - Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).
Per Payscale.com
Median Salary by State or Province - Degree: BA, MBA (United States)
Additional information on potential benefits to MBA graduates
There has never been a better time to get your MBA Degree. According to CNN.com, “MBA graduates can look forward to rosier job prospects and higher starting salaries.”
Eighteen percent more MBA graduates were hired in 2006 than in 2005 and base salaries jumped to over $80,000, with total compensation packages coming in just a shade under $100,000. Most colleges offering MBA degrees report an increase from business recruiters of 10 to 30%.
Business Week Magazine also continues to have more recent good news, according to an article published on May 9, 2007: “MBA students continue to be in an enviable position in this year's job market, riding the crest of a two-year up tick in hiring. Recruiters said they plan to increase their hiring of MBA graduates by 18 percent this year.”
Clearly, now is the time to pursue an advanced business degree. Career prospects have never looked better. An MBA most definitely means long-term career success!
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Monday, March 16, 2009
DANCER CROWNED MISS COVINA 2009
Miss Covina Christina Duke, center and Brittany Sanchez (second-runner up, left) and Sarah Gleason (first runner up, left)Duke will represent The City of Covina at the Miss California 2009 Pageant June 27th in Fresno, California. The winner will go on to compete in the Miss America Pageant in 2010. Duke’s platform is “Keeping the Arts in Inner City Schools.”
Other Miss Covina 2009 winners include Sarah Gleason 1st runner - up and Brittany Sanchez the 2nd runner - up.
A current resident of Covina, Duke graduated from Rancho Cucamonga High School in 2005 and attends Azusa Pacific University in Azusa. She is also a member of the dance program at Citrus College, Glendora. Duke graduates in May of this year with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Broadcast Arts.
While in school, Duke works at Millie’s Dancewear in Covina. Katrina Moramarco, owner of Millie’s Dancewear said, “Christina is a hard working and diligent worker in everything she does, she will represent the City of Covina well.” Moramarco had an instrumental roll and helped Duke during the process of this pageant.
Her first public appearance as Miss Covina 2009 will be at the Covina Women’s Club March 28th at 9 am.
Duke is the daughter of Robert and Mary Schaefer, who live in Rancho Cucamonga.
“I am excited about the many new people I will meet and new places I will visit. I know that I am privileged to represent the City of Covina as well as the Miss America Organization and I will do my utmost to honor my city and my country,” says Dukes.
She added, “I would like to extend a thank you to my family, friends, and all those involved in the Miss Covina pageant for their support.”
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Sunday, March 15, 2009
MAURA O’NEILL TO SPEAK ON “MENDING A TORN WORLD: WOMEN IN INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE”
Maura O’Neill served as Professor of Philosophy at Chaffey College from 1986 until her retirement in 2007. Dr. O’Neill taught classes in philosophy, ethics, and critical thinking as well as Introduction to Religion, Monotheistic Religions and Eastern Philosophy. She will deliver the 22nd Annual Morrow-McCombs Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, March 31st at 7:30 pm in San Bernardino.
(SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.) Maura O’Neill will deliver the 22nd Annual Morrow-McCombs Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, March 31st at 7:30 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1475 North Park Blvd. in San Bernardino (adjacent to the California State University in San Bernardino campus). She will speak on “Mending a Torn World: Women in Interreligious Dialogue.”
The Morrow-McCombs Memorial Lecture was established in 1987 at California State San Bernardino to promote Jewish-Christian relations and more recently has been expanded to promote Jewish-Christian-Islamic relations. The annual event has brought eminent religious scholars to the Inland Empire.
McNeill began her career as a member of a Roman Catholic religious order. Following her graduation from Brentwood College in New York she taught in schools in Puerto Rico and the United States. She received her M.A. in Theology from St. Michael’s College in Vermont.
After leaving the order McNeill was appointed as Catholic Campus Minister at Cal State San Bernardino and San Bernardino Valley College. During her tenure as campus minister she completed her doctoral studies in philosophy of religion and theology at Claremont Graduate University.
McNeill served as Professor of Philosophy at Chaffey College from 1986 until her retirement in 2007. Dr. O’Neill taught classes in philosophy, ethics, and critical thinking as well as Introduction to Religion, Monotheistic Religions and Eastern Philosophy.
She is currently Professor Emerita at Chaffey College. During McNeill’s years at Chaffey College she served as president of the college Faculty Senate and as advisor to the Muslim Student Association.
In 2007 her book “Mending a Torn World: Women in Interreligious Dialogue” was published by Orbis Books. She has received numerous awards including a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to organize and administer workshops for educators in Southeast Asia.
Dr. O’Neill has lectured throughout the world on the role of women in interreligious dialogue as well as other related subjects.
The Morrow-McCombs Memorial Lecture is open to the public and admission is free. Ample parking will be provided. A reception will follow the lecture. The lecture is being co-sponsored by California State University San Bernardino and the City of San Bernardino Human Relations Commission.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
WOMEN LEARN HOW TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES BY WORKING TOGETHER AT RIALTO CONFERENCE
State Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter with Rialto City Councilwoman Deborah Robertson. Photo by Ellen Porter
State Senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod addresses about 120 women, including Rialto Council Member Deborah Robertson, on the challenges of the state budget during the third annual State of Women: A Dialogue Between Women conference held March 7 in Rialto. Photo by Ellen Porter(RIALTO, Calif.) “Santa Claus isn’t coming. The Easter Bunny is dead and the Tooth Fairy will take all your teeth.”
State Senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod (D-Rialto) might have added that Prince Charming isn’t looking for a new relationship, were the news not bad enough that she brought to a roomful of about 120 women and a few men who attended the Third Annual “State of Women: A Dialogue Between Women” conference Saturday, March 7 at the Rialto Senior Center.
This conference was hosted by Rialto council members Deborah Robertson and Ed Palmer and Rialto City Clerk Barbara McGee.
Senator Negrete-McLeod and Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter (D-Rialto) brought bad news about the state budget. Other speakers spoke of challenges women face in the education of their children, in maintaining their and their family’s health, and in other aspects of daily life.
Still, each speaker offered hope that by working together, women can get through these tough times and bring forth new solutions.
“The world has changed dramatically,” Senator Negrete-McLeod said. “Not just in California, but all over.”
The two state legislators were both fighting colds, each said they had contracted while the Legislature was in lock down trying to resolve the $42 billion state budget deficit. Since then, both said, they’ve had to face angry constituents who were upset either about taxes being raised, or their favorite social program receiving less.
“It was a budget we all hated,” Assembly Member Carter said. “There was something in it for everyone to hate.”
“We had very irate calls; we had curse-laden calls,” Senator Negrete-McLeod said. “They said ‘How dare you raise taxes? How dare you cut services to school children? How dare you cut services to seniors and disabled people? Furthermore, I want more services!”
With real estate foreclosures and high unemployment, there just isn’t enough money to give everyone what the previous state budget has promised, she said.
The two state legislators agreed, one good thing that will come from this financial difficulty is that it will force people to work together. Assembly Member Carter even suggested one way local groups, such as school boards and parents, could work together is by determining what state-funded programs they would most be willing to sacrifice until the state budget can be more generous.
“We have to develop ways we can work together,” Assembly Member Carter said. “We’re going to have to pool our resources and work together.”
Other speakers were:
• Fontana City Councilwoman Acquanetta Warren, who in 2010 will run as a Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 63rd District. She also urged people to work together for the common good, and to set goals for what they want to accomplish. She also talked about Healthy Fontana, a program that helps that city’s residents get exercise by joining one of the city’s walking groups and also promotes other healthy lifestyles.
• Rialto City Clerk Barbara McGee, who talked about how people can apply for passports or obtain forms for voter registration at Rialto and other city halls. She also discussed Healthy Rialto, which promotes healthy lifestyle choices in her city.
• Brenda Parker, the coordinator for Healthy Rialto. Just before the lunch break, Parker led the audience in exercise, singing and cheering, all designed to make people more aware of what they can do to promote a healthier lifestyle. She also used visual aids, such as a cardboard tube symbolizing an artery, stuffed full of paper scraps (symbolizing junk food) that clogged the artery until plastic fruit (symbolizing real fruit) came in and pushed the bad stuff out.
• Rialto School Board Member Joanne Gilbert, who advised parents on ways they can help their child to succeed in school. Her tips were to ask their children questions about school regularly, to develop a relationship with their children’s teachers and to be an advocate for their children by communicating first to teachers, then to administrators and school board members when they feel something is not right.
• Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, Public Health Officer for San Bernardino County. He gave a Powerpoint presentation on health conditions affecting women in this county. Unfortunately, San Bernardino County, especially Blacks and Latinas, is higher than the nation in many incidences of health problems.
• Dr. Diane Woods, CEO of the African-American Health Institute of San Bernardino County. From 2003 to 2005, Woods headed a comprehensive county-wide study that also showed Blacks suffer disproportionately from many health conditions. That study, the African-American Health Initiative, also made recommendations for change. Woods updated the conference participants on what has happened since then. While there’s been progress, much more needs to be done.
• Beverly Powell, Regional Manager for Southern California Edison, who talked about her company’s goals for providing “green” energy.
• Sheriann Johnson, Manager of Countrywide Home Loans in Colton, who talked about programs to help people buy homes for the first time, modify their mortgages or refurbish their homes to increase its property value.
For more information about the “State of Women: A Dialogue Between Women” conference, call (909) 820-2519 or email bmcgee@rialtoca.gov.
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TEEN CULINARIANS, DESIGNERS AND COMMUNITY EDUCATORS SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT AT FHA-HERO REGIONAL COMPETITIONS
Travis Rothwell, a student at Sultana High School in Hesperia, competes in Commercial Food Preparation, a Competitive Recognition Event for FHA-HERO. Travis competed in a regional at Ontario High School, and advances to a state championship on March 29 in Fresno.
This cake was made and decorated by Randy Rodriguez of A.B. Miller High School in Fontana for a Competitive Recognition Event regional competition in Ontario. He will create another one like it for the state competition on March 29 in Fresno.(ONTARIO, Calif.) Nearly 900 of California’s most talented teenage culinarians, designers and community educators competed Saturday, Feb. 7 at seven high schools throughout the state.
The best of these will compete again on Sunday, March 29 when their school organization, FHA-HERO, hosts the state finals of Competitive Recognition Events as part of its State Leadership Meeting March 28-31 in Fresno.
The events in early February were the Competitive Recognition Events Regionals. These were held at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, Westmoor High School in Daly City, San Juan High School in Citrus Heights, Buhach Colony High School in Atwater, Golden West High School in Visalia, Santee High School in Los Angeles and Ontario High School in Ontario.
Competitive Recognition Events showcase the talents middle and high school students have learned in their Home Economics Careers and Technology courses. FHA-HERO is a career technical student organization open to all who are or have been enrolled in a HECT course.
“Competitive Recognition Events showcase the development of the participants’ career skills,” said April Rosendahl, who coordinated the FHA-HERO Region 10 Finals at Ontario High School, and who teaches HECT courses at Chino High School. “Students enrolled in HECT courses and pathways are developing professional skills for their future as well as skills for living.”
There are 21 competitions within the Competitive Recognition Events. These include commercial food preparation, six categories of culinary art, salad preparation, apparel construction, fashion design, interior design, child development, public speaking and more.
In the Interior Design competition at Ontario High School, college instructors serving as judges were impressed to see middle school students using Auto-CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to create their entries. Auto-CAD is a program a least one of those colleges teaches its third-quarter students.
But for the young teens who did this, learning Auto-CAD from family members was just one of the many ways they have enriched their lives through learning. To create entries that showed the judges their concepts of an ideal room for a pre-teen child, the students also relied on freehand drawing, math and public speaking to create entries that included display boards, cost and materials analyses and five-minute speeches.
“It was fun,” said Arturo Rodriguez, an Interior Design competitor and eighth-grader at Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Bloomington. “I designed the room I would have wanted at that age.”
Rodriguez, like many of the competitors, started work on his presentation months in advance. FHA-HERO members learned the theme in October, he said, so he began designing the bedroom shortly after that.
Students in the Commercial Food Preparation competition had to rely on only one skill – cooking. Their competition required them to prepare pork chops, cabbage, salad and a fruit compote within a time limit of less than two hours.
“We assume they learned how to cook this recipe in school already,” said Ontario judge Eyad Joseph, academic director of the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “And, hopefully, they have been practicing all year.”
As high school juniors and seniors, most of the students taking part in the commercial food preparation competition have been studying cooking for at least three or four years. Many of these students dream of careers in the culinary industry, which is exactly for what an advanced high school cooking course is designed to prepare them.
“I’ve always loved cooking,” said Commercial Food Preparation competitor Spencer Horton, an 11th-grader at Silverado High School in Victorville. “It is something I would like to get into as a career, and this competition gives me an idea of what it’s like to work in a restaurant.”
Another 11th-grader, Angie Mungia of Chino High School, hopes to open her own bakery after high school. With that focus, she has been involved in FHA-HERO for two years, and competed both times in the culinary arts categories of the Competitive Recognition Events. She always gives herself an extra challenge – whatever she makes complies with her strict vegan diet.
Last year, as a 10th-grader and first-year FHA-HERO member, Mungia won second place at the state Competitive Recognition Events for a display of vegan breads. This year, she instead made a vegan patisserie (pastry) display.
“It was much harder to make than the bread,” she said. “And I am working now, so I had less time to prepare. I took the last two weeks off work to get ready for this. I wanted to do so much more, but school got in the way.”
Her dedication paid off. She not only won her Region 10 competition and will head again to the state level, she also won the “Best of Show” award, given the best entry in all six of the Culinary Arts categories.
The “Best of Show” award was especially gratifying, as before it was announced, Mungia started to walk away with her first place medal. Then upon hearing her name again, she turned around and pumped her fist into the air. Many other teenagers who won their events displayed similar emotion. Some hadn’t expected to win anything.
At the regional level, three winners in each competition receive a first, second or third place medal. Two others per competition receive “honorable mention,” which gives them the right to travel with the place winners to the state level event.
At the state level, more medals are in store for the top three winners. But these students will also receive prizes, including kitchen knives, chef’s jackets, sewing machines and scholarships to some of the top schools in the culinary and fashion industries.
A first-place win at the state level allows a competitor to further advance to a national FHA-HERO competition. However, these are held in summer and often on the east coast, so for most west coast FHA-HERO members, participation in the State Leadership Meeting will be a highlight of the year.
The program now known as HECT has undergone a transformation over the last 40 years. Prior to the 1960s, the program focused on training women in skills they would need as wives and mothers. But, as more women began working outside the home, California changed its home economics curriculum to reflect this, and added the career component.
As all professions, including those in home economics related industries became more dependent on technology, so did the courses offered in secondary schools. To reflect this change, California renamed its home economics program Home Economics Careers and Technology in the 1990s.
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NOTE: A list of winners, including awards earned, is available on request for the competitions held in Chico, Citrus Heights and Daly City. All students earning first through fifth place advance to the state finals. For the competitions held in Atwater, Visalia, Los Angeles and Ontario, a list of students advancing to the state finals is available on request.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Ron Berglas Named New Host of KVCR TV Show
Ron Berglas is the new host of "A Conversation With..." on KVCR, local PBS Station.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) - Actor and educator Ron Berglas is the new host of “A Conversation With . . .” on PBS television station KVCR.
He made his debut March 4 by interviewing Chris Botti, who hosts “Chris Botti in Boston” a show running on all PBS Stations. His next guest will be Fiona Kennedy of Highland Heartbeat, who has produced her own show that will soon run on all PBS stations.
Berglas worked as a professional actor in Great Britain for 25 years before moving back to the United States nine years ago. The Highland resident also has a full-time job teaching in the Fontana Unified School District and works as an adjunct theater professor at a local community college.
Although Berglas worked as an actor primarily in Great Britain, he may be familiar in the United States for his appearances in numerous films. These include Highlander, Ishtar (which starred Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman), Death Train (starring Pierce Brosnan) and Eye of the Storm with Rob Lowe.
Although his focus is usually on the academic world these days, he jumped at the opportunity to audition for the role of “A Conversation With…” host.
“I love public television and public radio,” he said.
Berglas doesn’t expect to be in the limelight as he hosts “A Conversation With…” Rather, he sees himself as one who will craft creative, thought-provoking questions to help his guests tell their stories.
Berglas is a native of New York City and got his start in theater before moving to London in 1975. He has appeared extensively in BBC radio productions, more than 20 commercials, American and British television shows and many, many plays including his one-man show The Double Bass with which he won the International Edinburgh Festival Critics Award for Best Play.
He is available for speaking engagements by calling Ellen Porter at (909) 888-0017.
Communicating with Legislators for Educators
Carl Dameron, center, has forged relationships with his local Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter, with Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and with many other elected officials. He will tell educators why these relationships are important and how to develop them when he speaks to members of the Home Economics Teachers Association of California, Region 10 on Saturday, March 7 in Temecula.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif) – Public relations professional Carl Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, will discuss “The Importance of Communication With Legislators” at a meeting of Home Economics Teachers Association of California, Region 10 on Saturday, March 7.
This presentation and lunch meeting takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Carol’s Restaurant at the Bailey Vineyard & Winery in Temecula. It is open to members of Home Economics Teachers Association of California and their guests.
Dameron Communications is the public relations agency for the California Home Economics Education Foundation, which supports Home Economics Careers and Technology, a statewide educational elective program focusing on preparing students for home economics and technology related careers. The Association members participating in this Region 10 meeting teach this program in middle and high schools in Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Imperial counties.
“I want to help these educators communicate to their elected officials how important Home Economics Careers and Technology training programs are to California high school students,” Dameron said. “These programs build teens’ skills so effectively they could begin working in a good paying field immediately after graduation, or they could be admitted to a college or university that will further prepare them for some of the most lucrative, interesting and high-demand careers anyone could have.”
After it began working with California Home Economics Education Foundation in 2008, one of Dameron Communication’s first projects was to build state legislative support for filling an already funded advisor position, allowing the program to hire an adviser to work from Los Angeles, primarily with schools in southern California. This effort also increased state and local legislators’ awareness of the program.
California Home Economics Education Foundation is a privately funded organization, which supports Home Economics Careers and Technology. This program offers training in Food Service & Hospitality; Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation; Food Science, Dietetics & Nutrition; Fashion Design, Manufacture & Merchandising; Interior Design, Furnishings & Maintenance; Child Development & Education; Consumer Services and Consumer & Family Education.
For more information about the California Home Economics Educational Foundation, call Carl Morrison at (760) 724-9580.
For more information about Home Economics Teachers Association of California, Region 10, call Louise Zaki at (951) 845-4575.
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10 High School Seniors vying for Best Teen Chef of the Inland Empire Honors
Who will receive the next gold medal and inherit the title of Best Teen Chef of the Inland Empire from Kevin Agra? One of 10 current high school students will be so honored when The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire holds its Best Teen Chef 2009 competition. This year’s winner receives an all expense-paid trip to Charlotte, NC for the national competition, and a chance for a full scholarship. Local first, second and third place winners receive scholarships of up to $3,000.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Ten local high school seniors will show off their culinary expertise Saturday, April 12 as they vie for the honor of Best Teen Chef at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.
Students entering the 2009 contest, and their high schools are Anton Pishchanellsky of Adelanto (Silverado High School, Victorville), Christopher Crawford of Hesperia (Sultana High School, Hesperia), Alex Shaffer of Yucaipa (Yucaipa High School), Ashlee Keane of Highland (Redlands East Valley High School), Brittain Madrid of Fontana (A.B Miller High School, Fontana), Jasmine Cervantes of Moreno Valley (Canyon Springs High School, Moreno Valley), Theresa Marquez of Fontana (Fontana High School), Angelo Cordova of Victorville (Sultana High School, Hesperia), Melissa Meza of Rialto (Eisenhower High School, Rialto) and Briannah Clark of Claremont (Options for Youth, Ontario)
This year, those participating in the Best Teen Chef competition are only half of those who entered. As part of their entry, contestants submitted their own original recipes and a high school transcript. Chef Eyad Joseph, academic director of The International Culinary School, considered the grade-point averages and the quality of these submitted recipes to narrow the field from 20 contestants to 10.
This is the third year The International Culinary School has held the competition, and it has grown each year, to the point this year that The International Culinary School selected 10 finalists from the total of 20 entries.
“This is in part fueled by The International Culinary School’s Passport to a Tasty Future program for high school students, but also reflects the growing popularity of Culinary Arts as a career choice,” said Chef Joseph.
The winner of this annual competition earns a trip to Charlotte, NC on May 9 to compete in a national Best Teen Chef competition sponsored by The Art Institutes. That winner will receive a full-tuition scholarship to the International Culinary School of his or her choice.
“The top prize is worth more than $75,000, which would make a promising culinarian’s dream come true, to one day become a professional chef,” said Chef Joseph. “The process is hard and long but promising for an up and coming culinary student.”
Each student will cook from the same menu, Chef Joseph said. They will demonstrate how well they can use certain basic cooking techniques to make shrimp cocktail, sautéed chicken breast, rice pilaf and broccoli.
The competition is an all-day event, lasting from 8 a.m. to about 4 p.m., Chef Joseph said.
The Art Institutes have sponsored a Best Teen Chef Competition for nine years. The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire first participated in 2007, a few months after opening its culinary program.
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 April 6 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 of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu
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Who will receive the next gold medal and inherit the title of Best Teen Chef of the Inland Empire from Kevin Agra? One of 10 current high school students will be so honored when The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire holds its Best Teen Chef 2009 competition. This year’s winner receives an all expense-paid trip to Charlotte, NC for the national competition, and a chance for a full scholarship. Local first, second and third place winners receive scholarships of up to $3,000.
Riverside County Still Building Assets
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) - Even in these tough economic times, Riverside County continues to spend less than its revenue, thus putting more money into its coffers to help residents.
County of Riverside Financial Highlights for Fiscal Year 2007-2008, a 28-page, full-color report recently released by the Riverside County Auditor Controller’s Office, shows this financial picture. It’s available on the Web at http://www.auditorcontroller.org.
The report reveals that Riverside County took in more than $3.5 billion in revenue from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 but spent just under $3.2 billion. Thus, it added $322 million to its net assets at the end of the fiscal year, bringing the total of net assets to $3,351,697,000.
“In Fiscal Year 2007-2008, our county continued to grow, thus easing the financial strain locally,” Riverside County Auditor-Controller Robert Byrd said. “Furthermore, Riverside County has been prudent in its fiscal management over the past years. While we are not experiencing double-digit property-tax revenue growth as in the past, revenue has not decreased as much as in many other California counties.”
However, Byrd cautions that next year’s financial report likely won’t be as glowing as this one.
“Our county, state, country and world are experiencing a financial crisis,” he said. “Issues involving mortgages, foreclosures and the collapse of banking institutions, as well as corruption and unethical behavior, abound. Riverside County is not an island unto itself; it has been impacted by these global problems. Now, more than ever, it is essential we do everything possible to ensure county operations are efficient and that safeguards are in place to identify and stop wasteful spending.”
This year’s Financial Highlights shows how Riverside County will spend some of its assets.
Not all of it is money in the bank, Byrd explained. About $872 million was the value on June 30 of capital assets the county owns such as land, buildings and furnishings.
Another portion of these net assets is restricted to certain purposes, as the county received this money through loans, grants or donations for specific uses, such as community development, paying off old debts, public protection and others. Some money is also restricted because of certain laws.
This leaves more than $1.6 billion in unrestricted funds available to the county for any purpose its leaders deem to be in the public interest.
Financial Highlights also lists some of the major construction projects Riverside County embarked on during Fiscal 2007-08. These include:
• $24.6 million for improvements to roads and traffic signals
• $5 million to build fire stations in Cabazon, Lake Riverside and Mead Valley
• $9.6 million for Mission Boulevard streetscaping
• $6.3 million for street improvements and a storm drain at Armstrong Road and Sierra Avenue in Sunnyslope
• $14.1 million for additional storm drains throughout the county
• $1.6 million for the Siemens Hospital Information System
• $15.2 million for the Rubidoux Fleet Operations Center
• $56 million to build the Riverside Centre
• $5.1 million for the Cabazon Fleet Facility
There are many colorful graphics in this report, including a “dollar bill" chart showing that for every dollar of property tax collected, 48 cents is spent on schools, 25 cents on community redevelopment, 12 cents on Riverside County itself, eight cents on the county’s special districts and seven cents on the cities within Riverside County.
Additional color pie charts and bar graphs further break down how money is spent and received by Riverside County. And for those who want even more detailed information, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report provides 206 pages of information about the state of Riverside County’s finances. . This report is also available on the Web at http://www.auditorcontroller.org.
In 2002, Robert Byrd became the county’s elected Auditor-Controller with more votes cast than in the entire history of the office. In so doing, he was California’s first African American elected to that office. He was subsequently re-elected to a second four-year term in June of 2006.
Byrd virtually revolutionized the office of the county’s Auditor-Controller by restructuring it to provide optimum customer service while improving the quality and flow of information to the county’s management. He adds, “We refocused Riverside County’s audit function to not only serve its regulatory mandates, but also to incorporate flexibility to audit proactively,” thus bringing fresh standards to the county’s processes and functionality.
He sees his professional contributions as going beyond what’s expected of his office, however. He has been chair of the Riverside County Employee Campaign and the Legislative Chair for the State Association of County Auditors. Additionally, Byrd has been a commissioner on the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission, and members of the Society of Municipal Finance Officers, the Government Finance Officer’s Association and the State Association of County Auditors.
Committed to his community, he’s a member of Riverside Rotary, board member of the Next of Kin Registry, is on the International Relations Council for Riverside and performs as Finance Chairperson for La Sierra Academy’s Board of Trustees.
For details on the Riverside County Auditor-Controller's office call (951) 955-3800.
The Office of the Auditor-Controller is headed by Robert E. Byrd, CGFM, who is elected by the voters of Riverside County. The Auditor-Controller staff and management teams are dedicated to providing sound financial accounting, auditing and reporting in order to serve the citizens of Riverside County. More information is available on the Web at http://www.auditorcontroller.org.
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Art Institute Instructor Winning Biggest Battle
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – His advertising art, layout and design for the Beverly Hills boutique Kitson have appeared on billboards across the country, on E! Entertainment News and The Simple Life with Paris Hilton and Nichole Richie, and in such high-profile publications as Vogue, In Style, People and Vanity Fair. Clearly Robert A. Delgadillo, recognized best as “RAD,” knows what he’s doing.
Aside from his talented success in the ad industry, Delgadillo has had a long career with celebrity portraiture, including pieces for Paris Hilton, Demi Moore, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Seacrest, Ashton Kutcher and Nicole Richie. “I use my art to pay homage to the very people who inspire me,” he says. “My work is a fusion of Hollywood, fashion and contemporary design.”
His work of art, “Temptation,” for instance, depicts Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as Adam and Eve, garnering Delgadillo international coverage in Hello! Magazine, National Ledger and In Touch Weekly. “I strive to capture the essence of the celebrities I chose to draw. My work is an embodiment of what’s hot, but it’s not purely about aesthetics.” “Temptation” was auctioned off at Kitson in 2005, raising “tens of thousands of dollars” from an anonymous collector, the funds benefiting cancer research.
“Years from now,” he continues, “my art will serve as a time capsule that chronicles all that was popular in mainstream culture.”
The 37-year-old artist/instructor will bring his years of detailed experience and hard-won knowledge back to the Graphic Arts Department of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire when he rejoins the faculty in January. Rejoins, after intensive chemotherapy.
Last September Delgadillo was diagnosed with testicular cancer. A tumor was removed, but by then the disease had spread to his stomach and was poised to move throughout his body. “It was serious, and spreading fast,” he says. There are four chemotherapy
cycles for him spread out over twelve weeks; his current final cycle is what he calls the toughest.
“Chemotherapy kills all the body’s cells, good as well as bad,” Delgadillo explains. “We’re in the home stretch now, and I’m feeling pretty well. My doctor says the cancer cells are almost undetectable, and that’s a welcome relief. There’ll be follow-up exams and treatment for years to come, though.”
In mid January, at the first quarter of the new year at The Art Institute’s Inland Empire campus, RAD steps into a teaching load with three classes instead of his usual five or six, as a way to tip-toe back into the school’s workforce, though as a member of the Graphic Design faculty he could be facing around 30 students. “Three courses is a great way to return to teaching, but by spring of 2009 I expect to be back to my former course level,” the Los Angeles native feels.
His parents, of Mexican and Chilean descent, have supported Delgadillo’s art/illustration interest since he was a child. “He was drawing before he could walk,” they say.
Delgadillo began his career in art as a Production Assistant with Walt Disney Feature Animation in Burbank where he aided the layout, story and editorial departments on the feature film, “Treasure Planet.”
He then spent several years with a high end fine art printing company where he supervised and trained artists, headed department meetings and oversaw the art firm’s quality control department.
In 2005 in Beverly Hills Delgadillo had his first solo exhibition, including works based on such contemporary pop idols as Gwen Stefani and film legends including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. This was the same year he launched a nation-wide ad illustration campaign for the well-known boutique Kitson. His fashion illustrations for the store, especially a large mural, have been displayed at Glendale’s popular Americana outdoor shopping center. As Kitson’s Fraser Ross says, “Robert is this generation’s Andy Warhol.”
In 2006 RAD accepted the complex assignment of developing branding for the popular Los Angeles-based talent agency Sutton, Barth and Vennari (SBV Talent), including redesigning the company’s corporate image. His work for SBV was also featured in the printed programs that year for the Hollywood Reporter’s Key Art Awards for the best in motion picture marketing efforts and the Golden Trailer Awards event for top movie previews.
The following year saw the summer issue of Warning Magazine’s cover featuring Delgadillo’s portrait interpretation of the recording artist and fashion designer Gwen Stefani. At the same time, in addition to media coverage throughout Europe and Japan, the Mexican newspaper La Reforma chose him for the cover of their Famous People section, including a lengthy interview, with photos of him and his celebrity-based artwork.
This past June, the artist debuted a new direction in his work. A collection of prints titled “The Pussy Collection” featured portraits of actress Julie Newmar, the original Catwoman from the mid-‘60s “Batman” television series that starred Adam West and Burt Ward. A highly successful autographing party with Newmar and Delgadillo was held at A Different Light bookstore in West Hollywood.
In 2009, the art world will see Delgadillo’s celebrity portraits from 2004 to the present collected in a lavish coffee-table book. “This is something,” he says, “that has been requested by my collectors for years. I’m very excited about this new project. I’ve been involved with it all year.”
It’s been non-stop ever since; ever since, that is, until September of 2008.
But RAD is ready now; ready to jump back into the classroom. As The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President, Emam El-Hout says, “We are grateful to have (Robert) working with our students. His talent and experience will show students many hands-on, practical ways to have a career in graphic design.”
Delgadillo explains, “One of the great things about this school is its focus on not just learning for the sake of learning, but its goal of guiding students toward being employable in a career they can love.”
And who better to lead graphic design students in that direction than a man with Disney studio experience, with award-winning ad agency work on his resume, with international recognition for his art, with illustrations appearing in many of America’s biggest magazines and on major TV shows. A man who is winning one of the toughest battles anyone could face.
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.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 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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