Ventura College announced its plans to offer a Social Media Marketing degree beginning the fall of 2016. The program was recently approved as a Certificate of Achievement and an Associate in Science degree to provide education and training on how social media has changed the way businesses communicate, including the use of mobile technology to increase interactivity between businesses and consumers. Twitter, Facebook, Snap Chat, You Tube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram are just a few of the top social media sites organizations are using to directly communicate with their customers and suppliers. Not only that, but many businesses are choosing to break down their outreach on national or international grounds, looking to hire a pr agency in the Philippines for one region and an agency in Nigeria for another. Understanding how all these factors can affect a Social Media Marketer is key in the course. Some businesses find that using social media services similar to SocialFollow to gain free instagram followers could help to reach potential customers. This isn’t the only way that people can more instagram followers though, so it’s up to you to find the right system to help you increase the number of followers that you have. So long as your instagram followers are increasing then that’s all that matters. Social media is the more modern way for a business to get themselves out there, hence why there are now so many platforms and so many marketing companies coming to light, in order to provide help to these businesses. From Facebook, to Instagram to even Youtube, all can be utilised to help a business venture get themselves out there and gain some potential clients. As well as using a marketing firm, one could also look to comprar suscriptores youtube if they decide to use this platform, this will also help to gain more loyal clients. No matter what route you choose to go down, these are a few solid examples as to why Social Media Marketing degrees are coming into place. According to the 2013 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, more than 3,000 marketers surveyed indicated the following:

“The inclusion of social media for marketing and planning can mean success or failure for a business,” said Dr. Greg Gillespie, Ventura College president. “We are thrilled to offer such a relevant and innovative degree that will enable students to develop skills and strategies to integrate social media into the conventional marketing mix.”

“Ventura College will be one of the first to offer a degree in Social Media Marketing. Based on current research, most institutions offer social media courses, but no degree,” said Ventura College Associate Professor Debbie Newcomb, Business Department Chair and Student Learning Outcomes Facilitator. “This program is a game changer. Students will learn how to develop more personal marketing campaigns that result in a better customer experience.”

For more information on the required classes and units, please contact Debbie Newcomb, [email protected] or 289-6268.

Robert Beilin and Stephen Kipp are new board members with college foundation.

Ventura College Foundation’s Executive Director Norbert Tan has announced the addition of new board member, Robert Beilin, Ph.D., MFT. A licensed marital and family therapist and a faculty member at California Lutheran University’s Graduate School of Psychology since 2008.

In 2003, Dr. Beilin’s 22-year-old daughter had just completed her 2-year degree and was planning to continue through the Nursing program at Ventura College when her life was taken from her by a drunk driver. As part of her legacy, Dr. Beilin and his wife established a $25,000 nursing scholarship in her memory which was then matched with another $25,000 from the VCF board.

Two years ago, Dr. Beilin established a Phoenix scholarship in memory of his mother, who was never able to finish school because she didn’t have the financial help she needed to attend college while working full time to provide for her family.

Stephen J. Kipp, president and CEO of Kipp Financial Group, has also joined the Ventura College Foundation’s board of directors. Kipp Financial Group had previously served as the investment management advisor for the Ventura College Foundation’s scholarship endowment funds. A third-generation Ventura County resident Kipp will help provide the expertise and investment oversight needed to secure and grow the Foundation’s enrichment and endowment funds.

The Ventura College Foundation awarded scholarships to 248 Ventura College students in April to help make their educational goals a reality. Nearly $500,000 in scholarships, ranging from $500 to over $10,000, was presented to student honorees by their respective donors at the 29th Annual Scholarship Awards Gala at the Ventura Beach Marriott.

Honorees represented each of the 10 cities in Ventura County, and included scholarship recipients from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.

Kendra Saunders and Cristina Tommeraasen, both of Ventura, and Deanna Garcia of Oxnard were honored with the top scholarship awards, each receiving $10,333 from the Mary Guthrie Teaching Scholarship.

“The scholarships have a great impact on the students’ futures, enabling them to continue their education at a four-year university and to concentrate on school by reducing the financial stress of paying for 100% college and their household expenses,” said Norbert Tan, Ventura College Foundation’s executive director.

The Ventura College Foundation received 430 applications for the scholarships, which honor students’ academic achievement or their chosen field of study. To be eligible, students were required to write two essays, have letters of recommendation and have achieved a high academic standing. Multiple volunteer readers from the college and foundation reviewed each application.