Day showcases department's assets
Campus Times
March 5, 1999
Norman J. Pattiz, founder and chairman of Westwood One, the largest
radio network in the United States, speaks with Associate Professor of Communications
Mike Laponis and sophomore Shiva Rahimi. Pattiz arrived Friday morning at
Brackett Field in his personal helicopter and was the keynote speaker for
the Eighth Annual Communications Day. More than 150 high school students
attended a variety of workshops on courses offered at La Verne and toured
the campus.
An estimated 150 high school students and advisers roamed the University
of La Verne campus last Friday as they took part in Communications Day.
The event was the eighth annual in tradition for the Communications
Department, and with assistance from the Office of Admissions, this year
proved to be as successful as those past. Guest speaker for the day was
Norman J. Pattiz, founder and chair of Westwood One, the largest radio network
in the nation.
"You're always looking for speakers who have some kind of message
about the communications field," said Don Pollock, associate professor
of communications, as to the reasons for which guest speakers are chosen
for Communications Day.
"Here's a guy who started from scratch and created the largest
radio network in the United States," Pollock said. "We figured
that somewhere in there [his speech], there would be an interesting message."
Communications Day was set up to showcase the communications studies
at ULV, as well as to assist in the recruitment process for the school.
For the most part, the department extended an invitation to high schools
within a 50-mile radius of ULV. Advisers and up to five students interested
in the communications field were invited to participate in the event's activities
free of charge.
Victoria Cuevas, horizons director at Pioneer High School in Whittier,
said she learned about Communications Day through a flyer mailed to the
high school.
"I wanted to get information about the communications programs
at La Verne," said Cuevas, who accompanied five seniors from PHS for
the event. "This is our first time here, and it is something we will
start thinking about [attending] more."
The day began early Friday morning, as counselors from Admissions helped
students with the registration and check-in process. Dr. John Gingrich,
dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, then led the welcome address with
President Stephen Morgan in Dailey Theatre.
Dr. Morgan said he was honored to have Pattiz as part of the annual
event, and that, had he the opportunity, he would have loved to claim the
individual as an alumnus of the University.
Following the introduction, Pattiz took the stand before the audience
of nearly 200 to present "Breaking Into the World of Radio."
As an affiliate to the home radio's most renowned personalities -- including
Larry King, Dan Rather, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Martha Stewart and others
-- Pattiz shared about his experience in the communications field.
"At some point during this brief talk, I'm going to give you my
secret for success," Pattiz said. "I'm going to give it to you
for nothing, so some of you may think that's what it's worth.
"But I think if you use it, I can practically guarantee you that,
if it applies to you and if you use it correctly, that you will be successful
in this medium or almost any other medium."
He also stressed the key factors that make an individual successful.
"People who are successful are people who love what they do ...
have great passion for what they do," said Pattiz. He also said that
as soon as an individual discovers that he or she does, in fact, like what
he or she does, that person has "immediately leaped into the top 10
or 20 percent of everyone who's in that business."
Preceeding the speech, students and advisers were directed to the individual-study
workshops. Here, some participants had the opportunity to work hands on
with various types of equipment and production techniques used in the communications
area. In the meantime, other students learned tips regarding caption writing,
feature stories and ethics.
Among the workshops -- for which students could choose two different
sessions -- graphic design, speech, Associated Student Press, photojournalism,
radio and television were offered to participants of the event.
"I have never been to a function like this, and all the high-tech
stuff was neat," said Kristina Geno, a senior at Rancho Buena Vista
High School.
Geno's friend, Rosa Oeffner, also a senior at the Vista school, enjoyed
the experience as well. Oeffner admitted that, although she already has
another college picked out, she chose to be part of the event "for
the experience-for the hands-on work."
Geno, on the other hand, said she is considering ULV as a college choice.
She attended the feature writing and television workshops, and said Communications
Day "sparked an interest.
"I like the fact that I saw that everything I'm doing now at school
is right," said Geno.
The workshops took place through about 12:30 p.m., after which guests
met for a pasta bar lunch at Davenport Dining Hall. After lunch, guests
of Communications Day were given the chance to view the University in a
more casual and informal setting.
Student workers and volunteers led a series of campus tours for those
interested in learning more about what is available at ULV, as well as what
college life includes.
Falone Serna, a freshman broadcasting major, was among those who helped
throughout the day. "Usually when kids come to schools for things like
this, they aren't usually interested in it," Serna said. "But
they were really enthusiastic."
By the conclusion of the event, a number of students and advisers left
with more information, if not with more experience, about ULV and its Communications
Department as a whole. According to evaluations received from participants,
a majority of responses were favorable, with participants commenting, "Loved
it!," "Very informative. I enjoyed it!" and "Everyone
was very friendly." as their comments.
"It was our best Communications Day, and we've had some very fine
ones to date," Dr. George Keeler, chair of the department, said. "This
was the very best.
"There were a very high number of people who had never heard of
La Verne or had never been to La Verne; and they were very impressed with
what they saw."
