The Media Arts Department is proud to
announce that Rhonda Guess, journalism professor, is a recipient
of the 2010 Journalism Educator of the Year Award.
Guess, along with professors Rob OšNeil, Pierce Community College
and Max Branscomb, Southwestern College, Chula Vista, were honored
by the California Journalism Coalition at the Journalism
Association of Community Colleges annual convention on April 10 at
the Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
The California Journalism Coalition was founded in 2003 by veteran
journalism professional, Sylvia Fox. It seeks to "enhance
communication among education and industry groups. It identifies
issues in California journalism education and, with its various
partners, seeks solutions."
Each year the coalition selects three recipients from the
candidates nominated by their peers to honor for their outstanding
work.
"I am really proud of her," Jean Stapleton, Department
Chairperson, East Los Angeles City College said. "She has done a
wonderful job. She is a terrific teacher. I cannot imagine anyone
doing a better job than her."
Guess came to City College to teach journalism and mass
communication. She is also the faculty adviser for the college
newspaper, the Collegian. Before she began her teaching career,
Guess, an Emmy Award winning journalist whose background
encompasses print as well as broadcast journalism worked as a
correspondent for such organizations as Associated Press and Fox
News.
Stapleton nominated Guess for this award because of the progress
the journalism programs has made since she arrived and because of
her commitment to her students and to the defense of First
Amendment rights.
"When I hear about the girl from San Francisco who met Ms. Guess
and moved to Los Angeles to be in her class or the boy who came to
the Collegian from Nevada after seeing our product, it's no
surprise to me that she was honored with this special award," said
Frank Elaridi, former Collegian editor in chief. "She inspires and
instructs the student reporters to produce an award-winning
publication, which we can proudly lay as a gift of service upon
the lap of City College. It's because of Prof.Guess that the
Collegian never returns from a competition with empty hands."
Daniel Marlos, Media Arts Department Chair, is in agreement with
Elaridi about the impact she has had on the students and the
program.
"When Rhonda began teaching journalism for us in 2005, our program
was languishing," Marlos said. "Within three years we were
competing and winning on local, state and national levels. Under
her guidance the Collegian has become a force to contend with.
Rhonda is truly a student advocate."
Her students agree that she seeks to motivate and inspire them and
that they would not be where they are today without her.
"She has worked tirelessly for the students here at City," said
Tim Carpenter, Collegian News Editor. "She has earned and deserves
this award and I am very proud of her."
Will Lewis, President, Los Angeles Press Club remembered the
influence his teacher had on him when he was in school.
"It starts in student publication," Lewis said. "It is great to
have an educator who is fearless and outspoken on free speech."
