Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Laguna College of Art & Design

Sammy Macias and Patsee Ober, from the Laguna College of Art and Design, were our guest speakers. We learned this is a fully accredited private non-profit college located in Laguna Beach. It offers both BFA and MFA degrees in a variety of disciplines.

You may recognize the campus by the statues in front of the campus as you drive down Laguna Canyon Road. The school has 360 students, making for small class size (5 to 15) and the ability for personal attention for the students. The school teaches all forms of fine art, drawing, animation, game art, illustration and design, as well as watercolor, oil, painting, and various art forms. They seek to promote the development of an artist's talent and awareness.

The college encourages visitors to enjoy their student's talents, and offers both individual or scheduled group tours of the college. Call Patsee Ober at 949-230-3774 for more information about visiting the school.

Another former president, Toni Fenton, also spoke to us. She was the 5th president of ISR; only two years after women were able to participate in Rotary International. She served on our Board of Directors for 7 years. Here are some of the key things she shared for future leaders of the club:
  • Enlighten everyone; keep members informed on what is happening, and what the club's needs are.
  • Engage everyone and give all members a chance to participate. Sometime people just need to be asked; they are willing and happy to step up and be involved.
  • Search out talent from people in the Club; be aware of the skills each member brings and how it can benefit the club.
  • Talk to former leaders in the club; ask, as they are happy to share from their experiences.
By Peggy Stalter