Golden Support

The Golden Globe Foundation gives millions of dollars every year to Los Angeles-area schools and their journalism and communications programs with the goal of helping underrepresented communities.

California State University, Dominguez Hills is one of those recipients.

The foundation currently supports over 25 film and journalism schools. To date, over $55 million has been given to charitable causes.

The Golden Globe Foundation aims to promote cultural exchange and understanding through support for major programs and exhibitions that utilize film to ignite critical dialogue and promote global understanding. Donations are used to support special projects, education and cultural activities connected to the news and entertainment industry.

Last year, CSUDH received $21,500 for the Journalism program and $60,000 for the Film, Television, and Media program to provide fellowships for Communications students.

This year, the Communications Department will receive another donation from the organization. The amount has not yet been announced.

Applicants are required to write an essay and submit an application to the Communications Department, where faculty chooses the most promising ones to submit.

FTVM students who demonstrate a strong interest in film or television are eligible for the Creative Promise Fellowship and the Screenwriting Fellowship. For the Creative Promise, students present a creative project which they will undertake and decisions are made based on the project's merit and feasibility.

Screenwriting Fellows participate in and work at two in-person professional screen and TV writing conferences and must exhibit professional engagement skills and a strong desire to enter the field of screenwriting (or TV writing) along with a demonstrated potential in that field.

More than 50 Communications students have benefitted from these grants over the years, said Journalism program coordinator and professor Dr. Nancy Cheever.

Sandra Cuneo, grants officer at the Golden Globe Foundation, said the first donation to CSUDH was in 1989.

The cumulative few thousand dollars in donations has grown to a total grant giving of $5 million.

"We have helped over 2,500 students since the inception of this program," Cuneo said.

CSUDH has a large percentage of students who come from minority communities, which is 92 percent of the total enrollment.

"This type of help from organizations represents a huge opportunity for students in the Communications Department to keep pursuing their bachelor's degrees," Dr. Cheever said.

And students appreciate the financial support.

"I am paying for school out of pocket. This scholarship has greatly helped me out financially for my last year at Dominguez," said fellowship recipient and FTVM major Liv Magee. "I am so honored to be recognized for my writing. It is a boost of confidence before going out into the industry."

Vicky Pineda, a graduating Journalism major at CSUDH who received the scholarship this year, agrees.

"I was very humbled to be selected for this scholarship because I honestly thought I was not going to get it," Pineda said. "I was doubting myself a lot but I told myself it was worth a shot."

"These scholarships provide much needed support for students pursuing creative endeavors, strengthening their portfolios and creating opportunities for professional development," said FTVM associate professor Toddy Eames. "We're very grateful to the Golden Globe Foundation for their ongoing support, which connects our students to the film and television industry in exciting ways."