Kathy Donnell's Interview Shooting

Today was another great day shooting Kathy Donnell's interview. The team worked very well together to make the interview go smoothly, here is what Sandi had to say:

Today we enjoyed a fun interview with Kathy Donnell! Ms. Donnell attended the school when it was pretty new and she shared her wonderful stories with us-- some about Dr. Milo Johnson and the pranks they pulled on him, as well as others about the SGA and athletics. She came back to MSJC some years later and has been working here for 17 years now! When we asked her what the school means to her she told us it was a huge part of her life and that she really loves it ( she said it much more passionately and expressively, though). We could easily see how attached she is to the people she works with and to the students who go here. More than once, we could hear just the slightest crack in her voice, and the whole time we could feel the power of her emotions as she told us about our college. By the end of the interview she certainly wasn't the only person in the room who needed a tissue--I saw several members of our team wiping their eyes! When we started this project a few months ago, I really didn't know much about this school, it had always been around and I didn't really think about it much. Now, however, I am so proud to be an Eagle and I have to thank all the people who shared, and continue to share, their stories with us for that.

Dr. Schultz Visit

After our nice visit from Dr. Schultz today, the teams went back to work following up on what they were doing on Tuesday and making plans for what should be in by Friday. The art/graphics team is selecting an asset gathering crew who will be venturing forth to the San Jacinto campus to continue looking for valuable photos to help tell the MSJC story. Other people will begin working on storyboarding the script-it will be cool to see their first efforts on Friday. The video team went to work with the green screens which we plan to use for the interviews coming up--we should be able to do a test interview as quick as next week. They also continued work on the logistics of the ribbon cutting shoot on Sept 14th--don't forget to save the date and come be one of our wildly cheering crowd that day! Our audio team is also busy selecting the best options for recording the interviews and the ribbon cutting ceremony. The lighting team is turning to the school pro's on all things electrical so we will have plenty of power for both the outdoor event and the interviews. Friday evening you may see them out by the new 400 building getting a feel for the actual working conditions they will face on the 14th. Our post-production team is just itching to get their hands on stuff, so instead of just sitting around waiting, they have started to check out the different editing programs available for their use and are also pitching in with the other teams wherever they can. Research is also still hard at work. We will finish gathering the alumni list to be used in the first part of the film, we are going to get a better idea of the length of the script so we can begin adjusting as needed for time, and we are working to have a refined/revised version of the entire script by September 11th. It was another busy day--I hope I got everything covered here!

Ribbon Cutting Location

Today was another good day. The 50th anniversary project team along with the professors Jerome Billins and Tom Meritt went and visited the location where the ribbon cutting is going to take place.  All the team members were busy working on the lighting, audio, and video making sure that it will work out perfectly when shooting the ribbon cutting. keep up the good work. Go Eagles

Today was our first day of class for the Fall 2012 Semester. Meeting all the new team members was incredibly inspiring, and we're all just ready to dig in and get some work done. This journey just keeps getting better and better!

The research team has been super busy for the past week. On Friday, July 20, the team talked with former student Mary Edmundson. Gilbert had this to report:

Today we interviewed another alum from MSJC, Mary Edmundson. Mary attended MSJC in 1966. She shared her experiences and delightful stories of old friends and fellow alum, some still living in the area. It is very enlightening to touch base with some of the these alumni from MSJC to see where they are today and hearing their experiences.

On Monday, July 23, researchers Gilbert and Danielle interviewed Lori Van Arsdale. Ms. Van Arsdale has strong links to the college and community. She was a MSJC student and went on to become mayor of the city of Hemet.  Danielle would like to share her experience with us.

Lori Van Arsdale offered a richly nostalgic view of the college. She regaled us with stories of John Chambers, classroom experiences, and the tremendous achievements of the college in the last 50 years. Perhaps one of our favorite moments in the interview was when she proudly recited a cheer she personally wrote for a homecoming game in late 70s, "MSJC! I don't know about you but it's home for me!" We're extremely excited to work more with her in the future. Overall, we felt that the interview was successful and enjoyable!

As we wrap up the interview process, the team is working diligently on producing a working script. Only one week to go!

The research team met up with Dr. Roy Mason, MSJC former president, this morning.  We appreciate him for taking the time to talk with us about his period at MSJC.  Reta has this to share:

Today’s class adventure was interviewing Dr. Roy Mason, MSJC former president.  He was very enthusiastic talking to the research team, Gilbert, Sandi, Danielle, and I about what he did for the school when he was the president and now that he is the instructor and the department chair of the Biology Department at the Menifee Campus. Dr. Mason served as a president at Mt. San Jacinto College between 1994 -1999. During his time of presidency, the Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa program were started. He offered his insight and shared his experience with MSJC for the past 18 years that he has been here. The team was very happy interviewing him and listening to his experience as a president and as an instructor. I want to take the time to thank Dr. Mason for taking the time to talk with us about his experience at MSJC.

Yesterday, the research team traveled from Fallbrook to San Jacinto to conduct interviews for the documentary. Gilbert Van Buskirk had this to say:

Today the team was honored and privileged to conduct several interviews. First, Joanne Hinchliff and Sherri Domenigoni shared their MSJC experiences with us over lunch. Having alumni participating in a project that represents two generations dating back to the institution's roots was an opportunity that comes few and far between. Later, Mr. Don Domenigoni shared his experiences at MSJC and his roots to the community. Their commitment to the school, and this project, exemplifies them as pillars of the institution.

New Humanities/Science Building

Today's class adventure was a trip into the construction site of the Menifee campus's new Humanities/Science building. We all donned our closed-toe shoes and Mr. Dempsey, the Assistant Superintendant representing the construction company, C.W. Driver, showed us around and allowed us to take some photographs. We had fun posing for group photos then turned Ashton loose with Jerome and Bob to start lining up shots and angles for when we shoot the ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 14th. As of now, it looks like the ribbon cutting ceremony will play a prominent role in the prologue of our film and we would love to have a big, wildly cheering crowd for the film--so everyone should save the date and come be a part of our project at the ribbon cutting ceremony in September!

MSJC Boot Camp

Tuesday was an exciting day in class. We started off with a presentation by our illustrious leaders, Tom Merritt and Jerome Billins, about the Fair Use Act. They did a great job explaining it so even the Multimedia newbies got a clear understanding. They also taught us what our responsibilities are and how we can make sure everything we do is in our film is in compliance with the laws. Next, we had a presentation by the art people showing some of the cool technology we will have use of—they did some examples of turning a still picture into 3-D, some different types of morphing from an older photo of a building to a new photo, and shared some of the types of music we can use to help portray moods and emotions in the film. The writing team also had a chance to give an update and we shared our progress on the script. It was so much fun to have everyone participate in a fantastic discussion that expanded and refined some ideas for the opening. At the end of the day we even got a surprise treat! The instructors and participants of the MSJC Multimedia Summer Bootcamp invited us to have lunch with them.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Bootcamp, I was able to talk with Don Smith and get an idea of what it is all about. The Summer Bootcamp is a training program offered by the MSJC Multimedia Dept. to teachers from area high schools. It was funded by the Chancellor’s Office, the California Community College Governor’s Technical Education Initiative, and Career Technical Education Community Collaborative Grant and fourteen teachers from the following schools attended: Temecula Valley, Val Verde, Elsinore, Heritage, Chaparral, Perris Lake, Beaumont, Murrieta Mesa, Tahquitz, Murrieta Valley, and Perris. The event is a special 3-day course designed to help the high school teachers prepare their students for a seamless transition into MSJC Multimedia classes—for both dual-enrollment participants and graduates attending MSJC for the first time. MSJC representatives led a total of six sessions that were an Introduction to Multimedia. The sessions were designed to allow MSJC instructors and high school teachers a chance to “get on the same page”. The fast pace of technology changes everything so much, in what seems like just a few minutes, so an open dialog and effective communication between the college and high schools are important for the continued success of students. We are so lucky to have programs like this!

As a parting note, I would like to thank everyone in the Bootcamp for sharing their lunch with us. It was a great privilege and the tacos were wonderful!!

As we approach the mid-point of the summer class, the research continues at full speed. The writing team has met with several former students who have provided interesting thoughts and memories of MSJC. Last week there was a story, written by staff writer Gail Wesson, in the Press Enterprise about our documentary project. Since the story was published, we have been contacted by several current and former students who are eager to share their MSJC experiences. The team appreciates and welcomes the community support.  

The research team met up with Kathy Donnell, Director of Supt/President's Office, this morning. We appreciate her taking the time to talk with us before the holiday. Sandi has this to share:

Today, Gilbert, Danielle and I all had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Kathy Donnell during  an interview with her at the San Jacinto campus. Ms. Donnell has had a long relationship with our school: she attended MSJC as a student in the last couple years of the 1960's and she has been an administrator at the college for 17 years. She graciously shared with us some of her favorite memories from her time as a student, including pranks she helped pull on campus and her relationship with the esteemed Milo Johnson, and she passionately explained to us why she loves MSJC so much and why it is such an important part of our community.  It is truly touching to be able to conduct these interviews with people who have so much enthusiasm, love, and pride for this college. One of the most amazing parts of each interview we have done is that the people we talk to have fond, nostalgic personal memories of the school, and/or their own relationship to or individual successes with it, but they become the most emotional when describing their hopes, dreams, and plans for the future of the school and what they want to accomplish for us, as current students, and for the generations that will follow in our footsteps.

 

Dr. Schultz Interview

The research/writing team journeyed to the San Jacinto campus to talk with Dr. Roger Schultz, the President of the college. Everything went smoothly and Dr. Schultz had much to offer the group. Gilbert, head writer, gives us his perspective:

Today Sandi, Reta, & myself interviewed the college president, Dr Roger Schultz. The interview was very constructive and most helpful. He communicated a vision for the college that is inspiring and we were all impressed by his commitment to the school. It is very obvious that Dr. Schultz cares deeply for this institution and the faculty. The team looks forward to working with him for future collaboration on the project. 


Dr. Schultz with Sandi Colby, Reta Bidi, and Gilbert van Buskirk

Jerome Billins, one of our illustrious instructors, gave an informative lecture on techniques for interviews. He shared some links to youtube videos and offered these tips for successful interviews:

NEVER ASK A 'YES' OR 'NO' QUESTION
ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
ASK CONTRAST AND COMPARE QUESTIONS
REPEAT LAST THREE WORDS OF ANSWER
BUILD QUESTIONS FROM THE SUBJECT'S ANSWERS
THE LAST QUESTIONS SHOULD BE:
         "Is the anything I have not asked about that you want to share?"

Great stuff to work with and achieve successful interviews.

Dr. Dennis Anderson joined the research team to share his memories about MSJC.  He was interviewed by Danielle Perez and Sandi Colby, two of the writer/researchers on the project.  Here's some thoughts from Dani:

  Pride.

                Forward-looking.

                Tradition.

                Emotion.

                Inspiration.

                These are the feelings that Dr. Anderson exuded as he spoke of the history of Mt. San Jacinto College. “This school is my life. It is the soul of my experiences in education,” he expressed.

                From the moment Dr. Anderson began to speak—dusting off ancient, cherished memories proudly stored like trophies in the display cases of his cognizance—his audience was captivated. He is a unique member of the college’s faculty and an exceptional source of information because of his 41-year connection with this institution. Anderson began as a student of the college in 1967, earning his Associates Degree within the year. He gladly returned to serve as a theatre instructor and eventually became a Vice President of the college. Overall, Anderson conveyed a profound sense of pride in all that Mount San Jacinto has and will accomplish.

                After Dr. Anderson’s departure, the entire multimedia team gushed over all the incredible information we had just received. Research Staff and Art Department alike bubbled over with inspiration. Pride, forward-looking, tradition, emotion, and inspiration—these are the feelings that rose in the room. These are the cornerstones of our project. And this is just the beginning…

Thanks for your heart-felt thoughts Danielle. The school will definitely miss his incredible devotion to the students and institution. Dr. Anderson, you are awesome.

Our session today started off with the team voting on the possible theme of the documentary.  Each student thought about how they wanted the finished documentary to be perceived by viewers. This important step will determine how it is ultimately written and produced.  The top 5 themes were: Pride, Forward-Looking, Traditional, Emotional, and Inspirational.

The art design team will be taking a field trip to the San Jacinto campus to meet with Dorene Holt.  They will be given access to the historical photographs dating from the first days of the school.

On Thursday, June 21, we will welcome Dr. Dennis Anderson as our first interviewee.  His memories and insights will be most appreciated by the research team, as they continue to gather information on the 50 year history of MSJC.

Our second session started with a report from members of the research team.  They spent most of Wednesday at the San Jacinto campus, sifting through huge scrapbooks of newspaper clippings. Sandi Colby had this to say:

And the research begins...

 On Wednesday, Gilbert and I made the first of many trips to the San Jacinto campus to dig into the glorious history of MSJC. Our exploration began in the Administrative Building which houses an extensive collection of newspaper articles that follow the school from the time it was just a concept through the events of today as they unfold. The following information is a very brief outline of the first couple years. The MSJC college district was born in December of 1961 when representatives from the communities of Banning, Beaumont, Cabazon, San Jacinto, and Hemet met and voted to create it. Spring of 1962 saw the election of the original Board of Trustees for the fledgling junior college. In March of 1963 Mr. Milo Johnson left the Imperial Valley district, which he had built, and joined MSJC as President. The first classes were held in September of 1963 and were only offered in the evening at both the Beaumont and San Jacinto High Schools. There was a lot of disagreement within the district over the decision to begin classes without a permanent campus and buildings; some people wanted to rent a peice of land from the San Jacinto High School and set up mobile classrooms, others wanted to wait until the actual campus was built before classes started (which would have pushed classes back to at least 1965), other people were just worried about sending their children to sub-standard classes and wanted to keep sending their children to schools in other districts such as Riverside and San Bernardino. Once the question of when classes were to start was answered, the next bone of contention became where the new campus was going to be permanently located. Mr. Johnson and the Board tried to find the most suitable location that was centrally located for all attending students. Beginning with five locations, various factors such as location, flooding issues and cost whittled the choice down to two 160 acre parcels-- the Wolfskill property and the Quandt Ranch property. The owner of the Quandt Ranch offered the district half of the 160 acres free with the purchase of the additional half. After the initial $3 million bond vote to raise money for the new campus ended with a firm no, the Wolfskill property fell out of the running because the owner of the Quandt Ranch offered his entire property to the district free of charge, and he offered to pay for some of the costs involved with bringing utilities onto the land--a very generous gift! The first couple years in MSJC history can easily be described as turbulent-- many people had different opinions about how each detail should be handled. Fortunatley, Mr. Johnson had the experience and drive to keep pushing forward no matter what happened.  I can't wait to see how the rest of this story unfolds...

Thank you Sandi for a great report. Just to let you know, we have started a Facebook page and invite everyone to check us out and comment if you feel the urge. 

Today was the kick-off on the Anniversary 50 project. Our first class was a combination of introductions (Jerome Billins style), brain-storming, assignments and Documentary Films 101.  The students were all excited and eager to get started with planning the documentary.  Assigned to investigate the history of MSJC, we will all come Thursday morning ready to brainstorm and develop an outline of the project. More to come soon.