Ventura County Public Relations Insight

Moorpark College Foundation awards $120,000 in scholarships

Annual program honors more than 150 students from memorial scholarships, organizations and department scholarships and foundations

A total of $106,300 in scholarships were awarded at the nonprofit Foundation’s annual scholarship reception April 30 at the campus Performing Arts Center attended by about 150 student family members, college faculty and supporters.

“The students should be quite proud of their accomplishments this year, and the Moorpark College Foundation is very gratified to once again present a remarkable number of scholarships to help local students pursue their dream of education,” said Elad Goren, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Moorpark College Foundation.  “It is all made possible by the generous support from the individuals and organizations creating and contributing to these scholarships.”

The scholarships, ranging from $250 to $2,000, were presented by Goren along with Moorpark College President Pam Eddinger and Foundation Vice Chair Jodi Santino.  The Foundation thanked the 80 donors involved with the Foundation’s scholarship program.

In addition to the awards ceremony, another 16 students were awarded $14,000 in scholarships in August through a Foundation program with the Bernard Osher Foundation Scholarship Endowment campaign.

Overall, the scholarships were awarded from 21 community organizations, 20 memorial scholarship programs, 24 Moorpark College-related organization or department-related scholarship programs, 20 Moorpark College Foundation scholarships and the Bernard Osher Foundation scholarship program.  Recipients:

From Community Organizations:

• Altrusa Club of Oxnard: Amy De La Piedra, Debbi Gruenberger
• American Association of University Women-Thousand Oaks Branch: Annika Nunez, Julia Miltenberg
• Montobbio Benson: Jason DeCosta
• Clarissa Dong Anthropology/Multimedia: Gregory Karakashian
• County Schools Federal Credit Union: Elizabeth Nielson, Evan Santiago
• Tom Harris Engineering: Amelia Meyer
• Moorpark Rotary: Emma Stavropoulous
• Moorpark Women’s Fortnightly Club: Annika Nunez, Debbi Gruenberger, Kathleen Vigliarolo
• National Notary Foundation: Jessica Delijani
• Rotary Club of Simi Valley: Majed Kaseeh, Brad Von Feldt
• Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks: Jill Jensen, Connie Saucedo, Anthony Lewis
• Scherzer International: Devorah Seegal, Sandra Jabas
• Simi Valley Education Foundation: Katherine Musgrove
• Simi Valley/Moorpark College Continuing Student: Nicole Franck, Robert Rosenberg, Jonathan Tresner, Adrian Carcione, Tanja Gaspardo, Yoshi Yeh
• So Cal Kaiser Permanente Radiology Technology: Lisa Marie Russell, Andrea Shade, Joanna Heckman, Paula Galvez, Amber Dore, Domani Wells, Sarah Wing, Marilyn Rivas, Jessel Joy Aspuria, Annette Rodarte, Christina Klein, Cindy Rushing
• Alex & Sylvia Sullivan Nursing: Amy Jones
• Alex & Sylvia Sullivan Music Scholarship: Holly Houtman
• Van de Genachte Continuing Student: Emma Stavropoulos, Matthew Nickel, Thu Nguyen, Megan Dahl, Savannah Speerstra, Aneela Huda, Abel Ferrel, Katherine Campbell, Jennifer Opaskit, Mark Barnes, Christopher Barr
• Ventura County Retired Teacher’s Association: Annika Nunez, Jessica Regina
• The Ventura County Star will name its student recipient at a later date
• Westlake Village Garden Club: Justin Clause

Memorial Scholarships:

• Marie Bellasalma Memorial: Kathleen Vigliarolo, Evan Santiago, Katherine Musgrove, Julie Perrin, Daniel Kab, Elizabeth Nielsen, Hannah Coyle, Sean Hirrel, Christina Burcelis, Ashley Tegley, Arshia Malekzadeh, Christian Dib, Martha Zavala, Craig Kjorlien, Summer March
• Nursing Scholarship in Memory of Tanya Burger: Jamee Haines
• Jason Fleagane: Ashley Tegley, Nicolas Kurtz
• Haddad/Osher Nursing Scholarship: Amy Jones
• Gladys Hyman: Sara Person
• Susan Izumo: Trevor Lentine, Megan Riley
• Gilbert Lopez Memorial: Danielle Agostinelli
• Glenna Meadows Memorial Nursing: Amy De La Piedra
• Dr. Gary Ogden: Alejandra Vera
• Jean Osborne Memorial Music: Holly Houtman
• Marie Panec Biology: Alejandra Vera
• Marie Panec Memorial: Megan Riley
• Stephen Conrad Rafter Memorial/Osher Foundation: Ira Holt
• Jason Raufman: Julie Perrin, Janet Tarasova, Kelly Calagna, Gregory Karakashian
• Clint Schoenberger Memorial: Majed Kaseeh
• Jim Sebeck: Conner Velarde
• John Sherwood: Thomas R. Irvine
• A.E. Truman Music/Osher Foundation: Matthew Ortega
• Kay Whitney, R.N., Nursing: Amy Jones
• Vanessa May Yan: Trevor Lentine

Organizations and Department Scholarships:

• Academic Senate: Sarah LaGioia, Arshia Malekzadeh, Ariel Ostrowiecki
• Phyllis Arnold Art: Hannah McMaster
• Associated Students’: Justin Clause, Majed Kaseeh, Uriel JT Mendoza, Holly Houtman, Maria Nikolis, Bailey Schentrup, Gabrielle Young, Gregory Karakashian, Evan Santiago, Adrian Carcione
• Brian Wolverton Anthropology: Julie Perrin, Allison Van Sickle
• Ceramics/Osher Scholarship: Mike Dellemonico
• Classified Senate: Katrina Hernandez, Lloyd Lucin
• Design & Media Arts: James Buttler, David Mungcal, Mitchell Carlson, Monique Gruspe, Bradley Krebs, Meghan Parker, Frank Zerhusen
• English Department: Sarah LaGioia, Doug Peyton
• History Department: Breeana Martin
• Karkare Family Biotechnology: Marcia Shanahan
• Fred Kavli Mathematics: Nicolas Kurtz
• Fred Kavli Biology: Chris Phillips
• Fred Kavli Physics: Joe Lam
• Fred Kavli Engineering: Majed Kaseeh
• Fred Kavli Chemistry: Majed Kaseeh
• Dr. David K. Murphy: Christian Dib
• Al Nordquist Economics: Evan Santiago
• John Gray Photography Department: Chris Isaac Domingo, Christopher Barr, James Nagy, Jessika Grenner, Hannah McMaster
• Producer’s Choice: Clinton Bragger
• Psychology: Carlie Tarnol, Jason DeCosta
• SAGE Publications/English Department Writing Awards: Sarah LaGioia, Amy Rudberg, Doug Peyton, Daniela Attia, Ottilie Roach
• Frank Sardisco Art: Dustin Sherron
• Dean Brenda Shubert/Osher Foundation: Amy De La Piedra
• David K. Wagner: Chris Phillips

Moorpark College Foundation Scholarships:

• Male Scholar Athlete of the Year: Quentin Kantaris
• Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Bailey Schentrup
• Classified Employee of the Year: Laura Ciodaru
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Daniel Patrick Brown: Danielle O’Dea
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Dr. James Peddie: Sandra Jabas
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Dr. Clint Harper: Jessica Regina
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Dr. Gene Berg: Lara Voelker
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Christine Aguilera: Annika Nunez
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Ranford Hopkins: Dongme Tan
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Sharon Manakas: Bailey Schentrup
• Distinguished Faculty Chair, Del Parker: Bailey Schentrup
• Moorpark College Continuing Student: Megan Riley, Nicole Scholes, Komiljon Aliev, Dina Bedwani, Oriani Leekam, Julia Gerber
• President’s Honors Scholarship for Continuing Student: Adrian Carcione
• President’s Honors Scholarship for Transferring Student: Arshia Malekzadeh
• Dr. James Walker Teaching: Annika Nunez

Scholarships Awarded Prior to the April 30 Scholarship Reception by the Osher Foundation for 2011/2012: Maria Nikolis, Khevin Pratt, Kelsey Bartlett, Caridad Greco, Annette Rodarte, Nick Romeo, Megan Dahl, Sandra Castle, Brenna Savage, Ethan Anticevich, Melanie Ann Baudour, Sandra Davis, Brianna Deyling, Richard E. Johnson, Arshia Malekzadeh, Dongme Tan.

About the Moorpark College Foundation

The Moorpark College Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation designated to receive gifts for the college from individuals, corporations, and foundations.  Established in 1980, this volunteer board of community leaders broadens the educational opportunities of Moorpark College students through scholarships, program grants, and capital projects.  Information: (805) 378-1431 or www.moorparkcollege.edu/found.

Griffith Park battle for ballfields

The Los Angeles Times reports today about a debate about building two youth baseball fields at Griffith Park outside downtown Los Angeles and just off the Golden State Freeway (5). While not nearby, many Ventura County residents can recall similar debates about the need for youth ball facilities in local communities - and various objections to them.

The current hubbun involves the eastern portion of the 4,310-acre Griffith Park. Supporters claim, rightfully so, that fields are needed to serve youths around the downtown area, considering property prices and basically a limit of available flat open land.

Opponents include the Sierra Club, which does not want its monthly potlucks there disrupted among other concerns.

The fight for new ball diamonds is not new to Ventura County, where memories of trying to bring (and keep) minor league baseball to Oxnard College come to mind. More recently, in Simi Valley the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, Amanda McPherson Foundation and Simi Valley Girls Softball worked for several years with neighbors for the approval of Big Sky Park.

Ultimately Big Sky Park was constructed, and many concerns raised during meetings and debates during the approval process proved unwarranted. Certainly there is more traffic at times compared with the single adult softball diamond originally proposed there, and some additional public recreational opportunities were reduced, but the biggest complaint about the fields - night lighting - was properly addressed with a state of the art lighting system (See photo below, courtesy of Simi Valley Girls Softball parents).

Public recreational land is scarce, and getting more so as the region's population increases. Demands for use of recreational property becomes more and more varied, noticeable in recent years by the use of parks by sporting groups playing cricket, lacrosse and other new types of sports and recreational outlets. We should encourage the pursuit of them all by residents.

Most parks agencies aim to serve as many people as possible with their land and services. It would seem more people would use Griffith Park - and become acquainted with the entire park overall - if two youth baseball fields were built there. Let's just ask this: when was the last time you visited Griffith Park?

Oxnard teacher who acted in a porn video attracts media attention, debate

News this week that the Oxnard School Board dismissed a junior high teacher accused of performing in a pornographic video has generated attention from the media nationwide, posed a public relations dilemma for Oxnard school officials and ignited debate among media watchers and privacy advocates.

While Oxnard school officials debate the matter behind closed doors - the adult video was made before the teacher's 2009 hiring, she has been on paid administrative leave since last month and has 30 days to appeal the decision - many differing opinions quickly surfaced.

LA Weekly reported the porn industry claims former adult video actors should be allowed to become teachers.  (LA Weekly’s Porn blog also concluded another report, under the headline in part "Best Porn-Star Teacher Ever," by posting a link to one of the teacher's performances, stating, "See a VERY not-safe-for-work performance by the teacher here ...)

Oxnard school officials, meanwhile, not only have the media to deal with but angry parents. One official told the Ventura County Star, "Would (those actions) be disruptive to staff, students, families in one of our schools? We believe the answer to that is absolutely yes."

Good point. There are also other points to be made, as other media outlets are noting. Another teacher with a porn acting past just last week resumed teaching after a Florida schools commission reinstated his credentials. Will the Oxnard teacher continue to pursue the case and fight to return to the classroom?

Ventura County Credit Union Marketing its New Saturday Hours

Some may say it's about time, but while the huge national banks can have unlimited resources to offer a weekend day with open doors, our local insitutions do not always have that luxury. The VCCU in recent years has invested quite a bit into serving its community, with several large branches including with drive-through ATMs.

Simi Chamber Ribbon Cutting today at 1:30 - Sushi!

A ribbon-cutting event is a decent way for a business to reach out for some straight public relations in Ventura County, to directly involve itself with the local business community, the public at large, potential future customers and maybe even the media.

Anyone who would like to see an example, there's a good one at 1:30 p.m. today in Simi Valley:

Raku Raku Sushi & Yakiniku

Grand Opening!

1970 Sequoia Ave.

Simi Valley

(corner of Sequoia & Los Angeles Avenue, behind the Med Center, down the way from 7-11)

805-581-1121

Mr. Jun Lee, owner

~~~

From the Simi Valley Chamber: "It is the newest Sushi and Korean BBQ restaurant here in Simi Valley. Everyone come out to help him celebrate his GRAND OPENING! Yes, there will be food! (it IS a restaurant ...)"

Weekly Newspaper Wars

In recent weeks I've seen much activity from the weeklies - the Ventura County Star is pushing its "Extra" edition hard, and the Acorn with all its editions seems to take notice.

Begs the question: how many free newspapers can the community absorb?

We'll see.  But the Star seems content on publishing Extra.  And the Acorn is not going anywhere - ask anyone in the East County and they'll tell you, the Acorn is where they get their news.

In the early 1990s there was a newspaper war in Ventura County.  The Los Angeles papers - the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Daily News - infiltrated our area and allocated considerable resources to generate news stories and attract advertising.

Is the battle of the weeklies mimicking that?  Time will tell ...

Email Newsletters Best of the Month - Mike McCaffrey's 'Groundhog Day'

It seems everyone is doing email newsletters nowadays. Blame Constant Contact, iContact and other up-and-coming email "e-blast" services that make it easy for everyone to craft and send email newsletters and manage email lists. While data more and more says email marketing is a fast-fading marketing tactic, it's like social media: everyone seems to think they need to do it because, well, everyone else is doing it.

A key could be to do, as they said in the Monty Python skit, something totally different.

This month's focus for the best use of an email message for marketing and/or public relations in email usage goes to Mike McCaffrey and McCaffrey Insurance Services.

McCaffrey has long been involved in his Simi Valley community, and currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Today, he sent an email message that was short and to the point:

Groundhog Day is around the corner! I don’t know about you, but my fingers are crossed for a good report from our favorite forecaster!

The link. It's a fun, brief watch.

Official Wikipedia Groundhog Day information.

What most of us know Groundhog Day from.

Happy Groundhog Day everyone! Oh, it's not today. It's this Thursday, Feb. 2.

Robocalls: Marketing, or PR Tactic?

The company in a statement claims the firm's trade name was hijacked and the company is not responsible for the allegedly illegal calls.

Regardless of the case - though it's interesting that it stems from a company based in Ventura County - let's take a look at robocalls. Typically these automated phone calls raise the ire of local residents only during election time, when a handful of candidates pay for services that bombard our landlines with those pre-recorded messages saying vote for him or her, or one of the ballot measures.

A few months ago some mobile phone owners locally reported getting robocalls for some conservative action group somewhere in the nation, apparently gearing up in advance of the upcoming primary elections.

Political campaigns are in essence largescale marketing campaigns. With a candidate, the candidate is the product. Used in such instances, robocalls are utilized in a marketing element: push the product-candidate.

Some however might argue that robocalls are a public relations tactic. You are conveying information to the general public, and the telephone - albeit with pre-recorded automated messages - is the method of connection.

The telephone certainly is a tool of public relations, whether for one-on-one calls or for mass calls made by teams. Human-to-human contact always is best because, as with social media, there is a give and take and a connection. People can listen, respond, communicate.

Not so with robocalls.

Does anyone have an opinion about robocalls as they pertain to PR? Any experiences with them as a public relations professional?

PRNewser: What Makes PR So Stressful?

Mediabistro.com’s blog PRNewser early this year published the post, “What Makes PR So Darn Stressful?” It cited a CareerCast list of 2012’s most stressful jobs, which had PR executive at No. 7.

The blog post stated, “CareerCast’s job description says PR pros are often responsible for addressing large crowds, work in public, and keep tight deadlines, not to mention the hostility coming from the media, particularly in a crisis situation. It also says the average pay is $91,810.”

It’s interesting to note that being involved with big events seems to boost your ranking. No. 6 on the list this year is event coordinator, though its average pay is $45,260.

(The top three are enlisted soldier, firefighter, and commercial airline pilot).

Why are PR careers so stressful? A peek at some of the comments linked to the blog post offer some insight:

“PR is so stressful because you often have to have a hundred different balls in the air at one time, and you have to be able to make that look effortless to your clients. Demands and expectations are high, budgets are often low, and dealing with the media can be challenging and draining!”

“Unrealistic expectations, media outlets changing, shrinking and disappearing and doing the job of a small team yourself. There are never enough hours in a day, and if you're not doing 12 things at one time, it's a slow day. But when things go as planned or turn out better than expected...it's quite the good feeling. (For the two seconds before it starts all over again.)”

“PR is even more stressful now than it has been historically. Since marketing budgets have imploded, clients have unrealistic expectations that PR will replace advertising. It used to be enough to simply get high-profile coverage. Now ROI is based on traffic not media value.”

“As PR professionals, we are always trying to prove our worth.  That we are valuable to our clients.  So we work extra hard to prove that.”

“PR is all about communicating - and now we have so many ways to communicate, instantly, 24x7.

We have to manage numerous clients, many of whom do not understand what PR really does and does not do.

There are more content channels than ever before to keep track of.

The job has expanded vastly with the incorporation of Social Media tools.

Budgets continue to be in a down cycle

We must have domain expertise (and in some fields such as Tech, that is a tall order)”

Much, if not all of this, is the same for public relations in Ventura County. If anyone locally has stories to share or insights to offer, please do.

Another Shout-Out to PRI Twitter Followers

Some time ago, Ventura County Public Relations Insight posted a simple "thanks" to a list of its first Twitter followers. While it seemed innocuous enough, it ended up being a well-viewed post and something that generated attention for quite some time.

The number of direct followers to this blog has been limited, relatively. There are several reasons, among them its new, developing and ever-changing platform (Posterous, Posterous "Spaces"), plus a morphing focus, and a lack of consistent posts (we admit that one).

However, considering PRI has been around less than a year and has not worked specifically on building this, its Twitter following is decent.

Already too much has been written in this post. We always promise is brevity, so with that, here's a "six pack" of recent Twitter followers, chosen rather randomly for different reasons. Some are friends. Some are local, some not. Almost all were selected because they have cool personal profiles. Dig the "twitter at windmills" and "hostess-with-the-mostess" statements.

You have to do much on Twitter to attract attention, build your network, and utilize the social networking platform to the best of its capabilities. Part of it is marking a statement in the very small space Twitter allows in its personal profiles. It's a PR tactic everyone should pay careful attention to. Check out these examples.

Scott Blough

@ScottBlough

Simi Valley, CA 

A Rotarian grad student, father of two, and community volunteer is tilting at the twitter windmills. A social traveler, I hope for some wisdom from crowds.

Ventura Film Society

@Venturafilm

Ventura, CA 

The Ventura Film Society's mission is the belief that cinema has always been the most public of arts and should be deserving of a forum in Ventura, California. http://www.venturafilmsociety.com

Leonora cancer

@LeonoracancerOW

Lafayette 

I've been affected by lymph cancer and wish to assist others who have been changed by cancer   

Simi Valley BuickGMC

@SimiVBuickGMC

Simi Valley, CA 

We're a new dealer to Simi Valley. Come in today to meet the management, Consultants and the Owner himself. Supporting your Buick, GMC and used car needs. http://www.simibuickgmc.com

Kelli McKay

@Kellimckay

DJ extraordinaire weekdays 2p - 6p on Rewind 95.9 FM, and Sunday morning hostess-with-the-mostess of Locals Only on AM 1520 KVTA 

Patricia Lynch

@1PatriciaLynch

Simi Valley, CA

Freelance writer, marketing and public relations professional who appreciates good news, good sense, good friends and good wine.