For immediate release — April 17, 2001
(DALLAS) — The best of the best were recognized by the Dallas County Community College District when 14 students — two from each of DCCCD’s seven campuses — received awards as this year’s outstanding students in visual arts and music during a special program. Both awards — the Cecil Wallace Fordham Memorial Award in Visual Arts and the Alice Jones Berding Memorial Award in Music — are funded by two endowments administered by the DCCCD Foundation.
The event, which includes an art exhibit and a music concert that showcase students’ talents, was held in late March at El Centro College. Each outstanding student received a cash award of $400, made possible by gifts from the Berding and Fordham families. The general public was invited to attend both the concert and the visual arts exhibit.
The Cecil Wallace Fordham Award in Visual Arts, made possible with a gift from Fordham’s daughter, Eleanor Fordham Jones, and her family, was created to remember Mr. Fordham’s love of visual beauty. The following students, who must be enrolled in the field of visual arts at one of DCCCD’s campuses, received that award: Clayton Hurt, Brookhaven College; Julie Wright, Cedar Valley College; Thomas Jensen, El Centro College; Donna Ball, North Lake College; Joanna Brownell, Richland College; Audifas Arellano, Mountain View College; and Emmanuel Paclibon, Eastfield College.
The Alice Jones Berding Award in Music, made possible with a gift from Berding’s late brother, George Rather Jones, honors Ms. Berding’s years of teaching in the Dallas schools as a piano instructor and as a private teacher as well. Awardees must be enrolled in music, and preference is given to students who are studying piano. The recipients were: David Michael Perez, Brookhaven College; David Rodriguez, Cedar Valley College; Julie Chin, Eastfield College; Sharon Deitz, El Centro College; Vanessa Jackson, Mountain View College; Elizabeth C. Price, North Lake College; and Brittani Beitman, Richland College.
“The year 2001 marks the 24th anniversary of the Alice Jones Berding Memorial Award in Music and the 22nd anniversary of the Cecil Wallace Fordham Memorial Award in Visual Arts,” said Betheny Reid, executive director of the DCCCD Foundation. “We honor their lives and their dedication to music and the visual arts by helping 14 outstanding students pursue their dreams. Donors ensure the future of our students.”
Fordham, born in Ohio, was a mechanical engineer who worked in the automotive industry for 40 years for both General Motors and the Ford Motor Company. In his spare time, he enjoyed building furniture and appreciated the creations of others. He also was involved in a number of major engineering projects during his career, including the construction of the Alaskan Highway in early World War II. Fordham earned the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and also served on active duty as a sergeant during that war. When he died in 1962, he left one daughter, Eleanor Fordham Jones, and seven grandchildren.
Mrs. Jones and her husband, George Rather Jones, awarded the first Alice Jones Berding Memorial Award in Music in 1977, in honor of Mr. Jones’ sister. Mr. Jones died several years ago, but Mrs. Jones, her children and her grandchildren continue to attend the awards ceremony each year. The first Cecil Wallace Fordham Memorial Awards in Visual Arts was given in 1979.
“Mrs. Jones has a great heart,” added Reid. “She is a wonderful example of a person who gives back to the community, and she is one of the first of our long-time donors who gave to the Rising Star scholarship program. Donors like Mrs. Jones inspire others to give.” Her son, Robert Jones, is a member of the DCCCD Foundation’s board of directors.
Alice Berding Jones Awards in Music Recipients
- David Michael Perez, Brookhaven College — Carrollton resident and Austin native; music education studies at DCCCD; pursuing a degree in music education; plans include working in an opera company and conducting; will sing (baritone) "Ah! Pescator" by Ponchielli and "I Carry Your Heart" by Duke.
- David Rodriguez, Cedar Valley College — Dallas resident and Duncanville native; music/vocal performance studies at DCCCD; pursuing a career in music education; will perform "Thus Saith the Lord" by Handel, "Lord God of Abraham (from Elijah)" by Mendelssohn and "Fair House of Joy" by Roger Quiter.
- Julie Chin, Eastfield College — Duncanville resident; piano major at DCCCD; will present two short pieces together — "Prelude No. 3 Opus 11" and "Prelude No. 14 Opus 11" by Scriabin and "Mazurka Opus 68 No. 1 (posthumous)" by Chopin.
- Sharon Deitz, El Centro College — resident and native of Dallas; voice and piano studies at DCCCD; will sing "Quando m’en vo (from "La Boheme")" by Puccini, "Vocalise Opus 34, No. 14" by Rachmaninoff and "Men" by Mopper.
- Vanessa Jackson, Mountain View College — Dallas resident; music studies at DCCCD; pursuing a career in music therapy; will sing (mezzo-soprano) "Die Lotosblume" by Schumann, "Stride la vampa! (from Il Trovatore)" by Verdi and "Honor! Honor!" arranged by Hall Johnson.
- Elizabeth C. Price, North Lake College — Irving resident and New York native; jazz ensemble/music studies at DCCCD; pursuing music degree in teaching or performance; will perform on baritone saxophone "Rigadon" by Rameau and "Lullaby of Birdland" by George Shearing.
- Brittani Beitman, Richland College — resident and native of Dallas; vocal performance studies at DCCCD; pursuing career as a concert soloist, music therapist and private voice instructor; will sing "Come Ready and See Me" by Richard Hundley, "Chefarosenza Euridice" by Christoph von Gluck and "En sourdine" by Gabriel Faure.
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Cecil Wallace Fordham Awards in Visual Arts Recipients
- Clayton Hurt, Brookhaven College — Dallas resident and native; studies at DCCCD include photography, printmaking and painting; will pursue a BFA and an MFA in art; pieces include "Yellow Sun" (oils), "The 90’s “Pop”" (mixed media) and "Blues Man" (wood).
- Julie Wright, Cedar Valley College — resident of Powell, Texas, and Dallas native; current studies include painting and printmaking at DCCCD; plans to study visual arts in graduate school; oil pieces include "Human Eyes: Husband, Son, Myope", plus "Human Eyes: Mother, Friend, Presbyope" and "Human Eyes: Wife, Sister, Amblyope".
- Thomas Jensen, El Centro College — resident of Dallas and native of Norway; current studies in business at DCCCD and enrolled in drawing classes; pursuing bachelor’s degree in business; pieces include "Greasers" (acrylic on canvas), "Angel" (acrylic on cardboard) and "Untitled" (acrylic on canvas).
- Emmanuel Paclibon – Mesquite resident and Dallas native; studying drawing at DCCCD; will pursue a degree in fine arts, advertising and design; pieces include "Emmanuel Anatomy" (graphite/pencil), "Self Portrait" (oil pastels) and "Untitled" (gouache).
- Donna Ball, North Lake College – Irving resident and Texas native; pursing associate’s degree in art at DCCCD and then a BFA degree; plans include teaching art; pieces are "Leaves" (acrylic), "Feathers" (black-and-white photography) and "Seashell and Leaf" (acrylic).
- Joanna Brownell, Richland College – Garland resident and native; drawing and painting courses at DCCCD; pursuing a career in art education; pieces include "Untitled" (acrylic), "The Lady" (acrylic) and "Black Vases" (charcoal).
- Audifas Arellano, Mountain View College – Dallas resident; art major at DCCCD; pursing a career in architecture and fine arts; pieces (all pastels) are "Hands and Candles", "End of Time" and "Figure Studies".
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For more info:
Contact: Ann Hatch, DCCCD Media Relations at 214-860-2478