'In A Word' Fundraiser

August 11, 2015 | San Diego Community College District

The community colleges of San Diego County and the popular public radio show A Way with Words are hosting a special event on September 17, “In A Word,” which will celebrate the importance of language and literacy.

The event will feature an entertaining presentation by A Way with Words co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, and will also honor the colleges’ most distinguished alumni. Those honored will then state a single word that best describes their college experience; hence the title, “In A Word.” 

A Way with Words hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett.Proceeds will benefit alumni and scholarship programs at the colleges as well as the educational nonprofit that produces A Way with Words.

“Language is the key to understanding our complex American culture and literacy is the key to navigating it,” said San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance M. Carroll. “Our community colleges and A Way with Words share these goals and are pleased to have a partnership in promoting them.”

The participating institutions include: the San Diego Community College District (City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges, and Continuing Education); the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District; Palomar College; Southwestern College; and MiraCosta College. The institutions, which combine to serve over 200,000 students annually, are taking part in the affair that begins at 5 p.m. A     Way with Words hosts Martha Barnette and        with a VIP reception at the Doubletree Hotel in         Grant Barrett.                                                 Mission Valley. The event begins at 6 p.m.
  

Individual tickets cost $100, tables are $1,000, and VIP tables (with a VIP reception) are $2,500. For more information, visit: www.sdccd.edu/inaword.

“Grant and I and the rest of the A Way with Words team are delighted to join forces with our local community colleges to honor their distinguished alumni, and honor our shared missions of promoting intellectual curiosity, academic achievement, and better human communication,” said Barnette. “We are also looking forward to an evening of great fun!”

Distinguished alumni being honored and the college they attended are: Jerry Sanders, former San Diego Police Chief and Mayor and current President at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (San Diego Miramar College); Artie Ojeda, weekend anchor for NBC San Diego (San Diego City College); Dan McAllister, San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector (San Diego Mesa College); Brad Daluiso, a former NFL kicker and Super Bowl veteran (Grossmont College); and Darren Greenhalgh, who headed construction of the $187-million downtown San Diego Central Library (Cuyamaca College).

Also being honored are Aaron Byzak, founder of Hazel’s Army and Director of Government and Community Affairs at UCSD Health Sciences (MiraCosta College); Lori Holt Pfeiler, Executive Director for San Diego Habitat for Humanity and former Mayor of Escondido (Palomar College); Glen Degler, Planned Projects Supervisor, San Diego Unified School District (San Diego Continuing Education); and Dr. Olivia Graeve, a UC San Diego professor who has gained international recognition in the area of nanomaterials manufacturing (Southwestern College).  Media personality Clark Anthony will emcee the event.

Janet and Jim Sinegal are the Title Sponsors of the event.  Jim Sinegal is co-founder and former CEO of Costco, and an alumnus of City College. Both Sinegals are active philanthropists with a long history of support for community colleges and other educational institutions.

Other event sponsors include: The San Diego Foundation, Dr. Seuss Foundation, Price Philanthropies, RBC Capital Markets, the law firm of Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz, the International Student Tutor Mentor Program sponsored by Director Gigie Price and retired KPBS Associate General Manager Stephanie Bergsma, Author Bridge Media, Front Porch Communities and Services, the law firm of Best Best & Krieger, the San Diego Community College District, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, Point Loma Nazarene University, Mission Federal Credit Union, AT&T, SDG&E, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance M. Carroll, Eleanor Musick, Palomar College, San Diego State University, UC San Diego, Southwestern College, San Diego City College President Anthony Beebe and his wife, Carolyn, and Jerry Sanders and Rana Sampson.

Friends of A Way with Words includes: Dr. Constance Carroll, Dr. Anthony Beebe, Stephanie Bergsma, Ignacio del la Torre, Joan Houston Hall, Ed McIntyre, Dr. Cindy L. Miles, Eleanor Musick, Betty Peabody, Gigie Price, Rana Sampson, and Betty Willis.

A Way with Words is a San Diego institution that began at KPBS in 2008 and is now produced by an independent nonprofit. It is broadcast in more than 250 cities in 31 states and is heard worldwide by podcast. The listener call-in show highlights offbeat words, etymologies, and language usage that spans generations, regions, and cultures. More information about A Way with Words can be found at www.waywordradio.org.

 In a Word Event

 

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