Riverside's La Sierra University is taking the next step in its film studies offerings with a new major that will build upon the school’s proximity to the Hollywood movie industry.

   This fall the university will offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television that will prepare students for work in movie studios or on independent documentaries and feature films.

   Teachers will include award-winning producers, directors and writers who will lead them in the art of communicating stories through images.

   The program follows the university’s inauguration last summer of a film studies minor through the departments of Art, English and Communication, and History, Politics and Society. 

   The new film and television major will be based in La Sierra’s art department with additional classes in music department facilities. Students will learn skills in a large film/television studio, a soundstage, editing suites, recording studio and Foley recording studio.

Cal State San Marcos alumna Karina Gonzalez is a graduate student at Harvard studying biotechnology.

Interested in becoming a professor of biology, she hopes to one day accomplish her ultimate goal of receiving a Nobel Prize for making a scientific discovery to help humankind.

She attributes her academic success to the support she received at CSUSM through the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which was just awarded a $425,000 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education grant. The grant is expected to be renewed for five years and total $2,125,000. 

“My CAMP experience made it easier for me to feel secure and do well in school,” Karina Gonzalez said. “It would have been difficult for me to adapt to the university setting without that additional help.”