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November
28, 2005
DH 05 RH29
Contact: Russ Hudson,
Media Relations Coordinator
(310) 243-2455/2001
rhudson@csudh.edu
Evening of Elegance: Chance to Dress
Up and
Support Students
Carson, CA—An Evening
of Elegance will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, beginning at
7 p.m. in the Rancho Dominguez Room at the Carson Community
Center. The dress will be formal, but the purpose is to raise
funds for student scholarships.
The proceeds from the event benefit the Deborah C.
Sears Scholarship Fund, which honors the memory
of the former professor of psychology and associate
dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (now the College
of Liberal Arts), who served CSUDH for 20 years. The Fund
was established in 1996, following her death from cancer.
Tracey Haney, office manager, Academic
Programs, and the event co-chair, says the Evening of Elegance is
a way to efficiently raise funds for assisting African-American students. According
to Haney, the first two Evenings have collectively raised almost $25,000, and
the popularity of the event is steadily increasing.
“Basically, it’s an opportunity for people to go someplace and
have a dress-up evening,” she say. “This is one of the few events
we have, besides the President’s Dinner, that is at least semi-formal,
which makes it fun. There’s never a program or keynote speaker. Dr. (Joyce) Johnson (emeritus
professor of Englishand president, BFSA) just welcomes
everyone and we acknowledge our student scholars, who will be introduced to
the folks who helped give them their award money. Basically, it’s an
opportunity for people to come together and have a good time and support a
good cause.”
A scholarship committee chooses the Sears Scholarship recipients
based on an essay by the students, their community and campus
service, and a minimum 3.0 GPA. Undergraduate students from
any discipline are eligible; there is no criteria for financial
need. This year’s recipients of the Deborah C. Sears
Scholarship are Rashina Young, senior, public
administration, and Deidre Knighten, senior,
public administration, who will each receive a $1,000 award.
A philanthropic group, the Ebony Ring, who donated to the
Sears Scholarship, will also give a $200 scholarship to Pernell
Jones, sophomore, health sciences, and Erin
Cooper, junior, business administration,
in recognition of academic excellence and financial need.
Traditionally held on the first Saturday in December, the
Evening of Elegance draws supporters from everywhere, with
an attendance of 200 guests last year. The evening is kicked
off with no-host cocktails at 7 p.m.. Dinner begins at 8
p.m., followed by dancing. There will also be a silent auction.
“I can honestly say that it’s been a successful event for the last
three years,” says Walter Jones, director, Educational
Opportunities Program (EOP). “It’s been very well attended, and
has gotten progressively bigger. We get a great deal of representation from
the campus, from the president, the administration, faculty and staff. And
from friends, a lot of people from the community show up, too.”
“We budget for 200 people and reserve a room to hold that many,” Haney
says. “We sell out every year and hope to sell out again this year. We
raise roughly $5,000 on ticket sales alone and the rest of the money comes
from private donations throughout the year. But the bulk of them come at the
time of this event.”
The Carson Community Center is located at 801 E. Carson St.,
east of Avalon Boulevard.
Tickets are $75 per person and will be available until the
seating capacity is reached. They will not be sold at the
door. For more information, contact Haney at (310) 243-3308
or Adria Edwards at (310) 243-3293.
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University Communications & Public Affairs
Welch Hall, B-363
1000 E. Victoria St.
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