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ALUMNI & STAFF STORIES: DOLORES JENERSON-MADDEN

DOLORES JENERSON-MADDEN

What brought you or your family to Southern California?

I came to Southern California to do a pre-doctoral internship in clinical psychology at the North Orange County Child Guidance Center in Fullerton, CA.

Explain why you chose to study/work at Fullerton College.

What follows is a long answer to a short question. As a full time faculty member at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in their Graduate Counseling Department, I was required to publish or perish. I opted to make training videos, “Ethnicity and Counseling: Multicultural Approaches.” I felt demonstrating specific techniques would have a greater impact on students and educators alike, rather than writing journal articles that only a select group of researchers would ever read. Thankfully, CSUF had a great technical department and they shot and edited the sessions for me. I am grateful that over 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States have purchased the video training series to include in the undergraduate and graduate training programs.

Clicking on the link below will highlight selected national college and university libraries have the following videotape in their holdings.

Counseling the Native American Indian Client by Dolores Jenerson-Madden; California State University. Dept. of Counseling.; California State University. Learning Technology Center.

Counseling the Vietnamese Client by Dolores Jenerson-Madden; California State University, Fullerton. Dept. of Counseling.; California State University, Fullerton.

Counseling the Mexican client by Dolores Jenerson-Madden; California State University, Fullerton. Dept. of Counseling.; California State University, Fullerton.

Counseling the Black American/African American client by Dolores Jenerson-Madden; California State University, Fullerton. Dept. of Counseling.; California State University, Fullerton

The kicker for me was that CSUF kept the copyright of all of my intellectual content, which is an academic issue. So I decided that my future work would be done privately by a company I developed, “Multimedia Services 4U”.

I advanced my professional academic career and went to teach at Vanguard University of Southern California, then known as Southern California College, in Costa Mesa, CA. I taught in the undergraduate Psychology Department and was the founding Director of their Graduate Marriage, Family and Child Counseling Department, which is now a Graduate Psychology Department. After many years, I earned my sabbatical, and while on it, I started to attend Fullerton College. My initial intent was to take a web design course so I could make a more professional website for my business, “Multimedia Services 4U.” Since I had a year off, I noticed that in the CIS department at Fullerton College that I could get a Web Design Certificate if I took several more courses. I did obtain that certificate, but that opened the door to so many other courses Fullerton offered and I settled in at the Art Computer Graphics program taking many of their courses as well.

I knew that I had to get up to speed on the new technologies in the fields of computer graphics and digital video editing and filmmaking. Fullerton College gave me my start in all of these areas.

Since this beginning at Fullerton College I have had both narrative and documentary films screened and won awards in film festivals, screened experimental and other types of films at the Fullerton College Faculty Art Exhibits, and at the Art Institute of Orange County, Faculty Exhibit.

In what areas of college life were/are you engaged?

I was a student in the following departments:
CIS, RTV, Music and Art Computer Graphics

I have taught for 11 years and continue to teach Digital Video Editing and other courses previously in the Art Computer Graphics/Digital ARTS Program.

Describe what the college was like and your principal interests during your year(s) at the college.

I was not a young adolescent but a mature adult who already had a successful academic teaching career when I started to attend Fullerton College. Even in that status, I was amazed at how many areas there were courses that I wanted to take. I took singing lessons and increased my vocal range, I took music courses and learned how to record a band using Pro Tools, I took music business courses so I would not be manipulated, I took computer graphic design courses so my work would represent me as a professional, I took digital video courses to learn the new applications and to work on state of the art Macintosh computers. Finally I took CIS courses to see if I wanted to become a computer geekess.

During your time at Fullerton College, who were people you had friendships with, were inspired by, or in some way made a difference in your time here, and why?

Todd Glen was a role model and my mentor. He inspired me in multiple courses and also hired me to be an adjunct instructor in the summer of 2001. He was a man who had multiple careers and succeeded in all of them. He embraced the digital revolution and shared his joy of it with his students, of which I was one of them.

Marie Perez in the RTV department showed me a strong feminine role model in a male dominated career. She was also my instructor in the RTV internship class that I took. She is such an encouraging “can do” woman and a true asset to Fullerton College.

Alex Cima in the Music Department is a magnificent musician and educator. He has since retired but is still creating his music.

Dale Craig in the CIS department. He made computer programming make sense in English, which is a miracle and a great gift to students.

What were some of the biggest changes or most significant events that took place during your time at the college?

The biggest change is that I decided to actually change my entire career orientation and left the field of psychology/counseling completely and entered the field of creating and teaching digital video editing and computer graphics.

What advice do you have for our current students?

Take advantage of the quality of the education you can receive at Fullerton College. Not only is the price right, but the content and personal attention is beyond what you will ever get once you transfer to a 4-year institution of higher education. This is the place to spend time with your instructors to get to know them as persons and to pick their brains about life and the subject matter you are studying. Go the extra mile and do the extra credit and ask questions that go beyond your original assignments. Delve into your studies as if your life depended on it, because your future life DOES depend on what you learn and how you apply it. The connections you make while at Fullerton College can last a lifetime and may assist you in getting employed somewhere down the road. Just attending Fullerton College enriches your life daily as you meet others who are different from you who have different cultural expectations, beliefs and yet similar goals to your own.

What impact did your experiences at Fullerton College have on the rest of your life/career and how?

Obtaining the CIS Website certificate through the CIS Department, and the Adobe Premiere Certified User certificate through the encouragement of Todd Glen in the Art Computer Graphics Program helped me obtain part time teaching positions at both Westwood College and The Art Institute, Orange County teaching video and graphics related to web design.

Ultimately I changed my entire career path and became a professional digital video editor, started my own business, “Multimedia Services 4U”.

Due to the financial support of the Dean of Fine Arts, Bob Jensen, I was able to become an Apple Certified Pro Trainer in Final Cut Pro.

And ultimately I became a member of the faculty in the Art Computer Graphics program soon to be called Digital Arts Program at Fullerton College. I have taught in the ACG Program for the past 11 years, courses such as ACG 66/180 – Digital Video Editing on MAC, ACG 162 – Multi-Media for Macintosh, ACG 180 – Digital Video Editing on MAC, ACG 132 - Electronic Painting (Photoshop), ACG 164 Multimedia Authoring for Macintosh, andACG 102 Introduction to Macintosh Computer Graphics.

Feel free to include any other comments about your FC Experience.

I LOVED every minute of my time as a student at FC and LOVE EVEN MORE every minute of my time as an instructor at FC.

It is truly the highlight of my very intense and active work week. I look forward to teaching Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. I am “ramped up”, energized, and full of life as soon as I step in front of the students. Of course, I’m exhausted when I complete the class, but that’s only because I have given them everything I have to offer for those hours that we are together. It is exhilarating to me and I pray that I will be able to continue to do so into the future.

What ideas should be incorporated into the FC vision for the future?

Continue and increase the quality of education, require the maximum out of our students, and challenge students to think outside of the box while learning what is inside the box. We have to teach for a future that is not yet apparent what it will be. This is a daunting task and yet one that we as educators must accomplish. I encourage FC to stay updated with the technological aspects of educating students.

"Take advantage of the quality of the education you can receive at Fullerton College."

Year of Birth:

1953

Department of Specialty:

Art Computer Graphics/Digital Video

Dates/Years at Fullerton College:

Student Years 2000–2003
Instructor Years 2001–Present

Accomplishments/Awards:

Board Member, Orange County Multimedia Services 4U, 2011 to Present

Official Selection of the Barebones International Film Festival and nominated for Best Domestic Violence Film in the Domestic Violence Awareness/Prevention Category, April 25 – May 1, 2011, Muskogee, OK - “Forget Not My Dream” – Documentary (32:00 min.)

Awarded 2nd Place in Dallas Black Film Festival Award for my film, “Forget Not My Dream – 2010

Opening Film for the Women-in-Media Women’s History Month Conference and Film Festival at Rutgers University, New Jersey, 2011

Nominated for 3rd Place and Official Short Film Selection of the Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival, October 1-3, 2010, Lithonia, GA, “Forget Not My Dream”

Official Short Narrative Film Selection of the Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival, October 11, 2008, Lithonia, GA "In Bed With Bach" (14:00 min.)

Judge for the First Inland Empire 48 Hour Short Film Festival, August 2008

Award from the School of Visual, Performing Arts and Communication Classified Staff College 2007

Semifinalist in Hollywood Reporter Key Arts Awards - Movie Trailer Contest 2005

Chaffey College Dean’s Honors Certificate 4.0 GPA Spring 2005 Semester

Inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for Academic Excellence – Fullerton College 2002

Vanguard University Award for Dedicated and Inspired Leadership as Founding Director of Graduate Marriage, Family and Child Counseling Program 1998

Winner Comcast Cablevision Public Service Announcement Award 1996 (Subject: Domestic Violence) Developed concept, shot video, and edited PSA

1st Recipient of the Jewel Plummer Cobb Diversity in Education Award California State University, Fullerton 1991

Apple Computer Applications Certifications
Apple Final Cut Pro Certified Trainer (2009) – FCP 7
Apple Final Cut Pro Certified Trainer (2008) – FCP 6
Apple Final Cut Pro Certified Pro (Level 1 and 2) (2008)
Apple Soundtrack Pro Certified Pro (2008)
Apple Motion Certified Expert (2006)
Adobe Premiere Certified Expert – Premiere 6.0 (2002)