CSULB class raises money for B.L.A.S.T. through wine tasting

By Sean Orfila
Online Forty-niner
Staff Writer

In a tiny classroom, students were packed wall-to-wall talking loudly and working. The lack of sleepy faces illustrated what would typically be a mundane class lecture in a crowded room. Instead, the room buzzed with voices and energy. Occasionally, the teacher would shout to the groups of four or five students and write information on the board.

"People should take more classes like this," said Evelyn Duartes, a public relations senior who is enrolled in the class. "This is real stuff."

On Thursday, Duartes and her colleagues were discussing an event they organized and hosted the night before. In the 10 weeks leading up to the event, the class had been planning, organizing and preparing to host a full-fledged fundraiser for a non-profit organization. The result after Thursday's event was substantial — $8,000 for B.L.A.S.T, a program for at-risk youth in Long Beach, said Carrie Anderson who teaches the class.

The event the class chose to organize was a wine-tasting night at the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) in Long Beach. After the decision, the class was split into three groups, logistics, sponsorship and publicity, said Lauren Falkner, a public relations senior in the class. Students on the sponsorship team worked with local businesses to find auction donors and sponsors for the event while the publicity team organized press kits and engaged the media.

Vin de Pays, a local wine shop, was the key sponsor for the evening. Owner Thomas Keim agreed to provide 120 samples of wines from around the world.

"The hardest thing to do was sell the tickets," said Deja Blevins, a junior communications major. Tickets were $45 a piece. However, turnout for the event was still strong. Over 200 people attended the party to sample wines and listen to music. Bo Mirhosseni, who was directing the entertainment, played bossa nova and classical Spanish flamenco for the group of donors at the museum.

Anderson said she enjoys teaching her Communications 337class because of its unusual nature. Students are faced with the challenges of working with local businesses and coordinating a fundraiser. It's not a typical college class.

"You're working in a real environment," Anderson said. "I've been extremely impressed with the work [of the students]."

Anderson received her master's degree from CSU Northridge in Communications Studies and completed her bachelor's degree at Loyola Marymount University. She's currently teaching communications studies part-time at LMU and CSULB. Anderson said she is teaching the class again next semester at CSULB.

As for the rest of this year's class, Anderson said students will put together portfolios of their work and give presentations. "It's been a lot of work, but it's been fun," she said.