California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, Calif., Oct. 30, 2009 – Four CSU Channel Islands (CI) Art students have been announced as finalists in the 2009 Media Arts Festival awards competition. The 2009 Media Arts Festival, which will be held on Nov. 7 at Cal State Fullerton, gives talented students studying film, video, and interactive media within the 23-campus California State University system, an opportunity to present their work for critical review and recognition.

Nominated in the Interactive media category are Charlotte Ferguson (www.charlotteferguson.net), a senior Art major from Ventura, for her interactive website Velouria Vodka (www.velouriavodka.com); and Katherine Thompson, a senior Art major from Ventura, for her interactive website www.kmtdesign.com. Nominated in the Television category are Luke Sommer (www.modernhumandesign.com), a senior Art major from Ojai, and Kellam Cunningham, a senior Art major from Camarillo, for their commercial Xtreme Dog Walking.

Distinguished CSU professors and industry leaders choose the student finalists and winners in the film, video, and interactive media competition, and all finalist works are screened during the Festival. Winning students will receive cash prizes as well as the Rosebud Award for the top entry in each of the categories.

“Our students are proving year after year that they are top competitors at the state, national and professional levels,” says Art Professor Liz King, who teaches interactive media and web design at CI. “The goal is to continue to create cutting edge, competitive work that will get our students noticed by employers and their professional peers around the world.”

Since its founding in 2002, CI has placed 25 finalists and won first prize six times.

This year’s festival’s screening of CSU student works and award ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7 on the CSU Fullerton campus at the Ruby Gerontology Center. More information on the festival is available at www.mediaartsfestival.org.

For media inquiries contact Nancy Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at CSU Channel Islands at 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu.

# # #

CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CSUCI Mission Statement

Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.