I was the first student to qualify for graduation (mid-year) from Shasta College in the inaugural class of eighteen graduates and I was also a member of the first Knights basketball team. My dad managed the Record Searchlight, and my sister went to Fresno State for a degree in journalism, where I went after graduating from Shasta College.
As soon as I graduated from Fresno, I was drafted and sent to to Fort Ord, California, where I spent my two years of military service at the post newspaper.
Once I left the Army, I attended graduate school at USC, studying Radio and Television. After two years, I got my first job in radio in San Francisco. From there, I transitioned to public relations in the defense industry in Los Angeles, and later I worked for Standard Oil in San Francisco.
I became active in politics, and when Ronald Reagan was elected governor I joined his staff in Sacramento. I was involved in projects relating to public relations for the people of California, essentially encouraging citizens to participate in self-government. That experience provided me with the confidence to start my own public relations and advertising business after I left state service. Governor Reagan later appointed me to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.
My advice to students is to try courses you haven’t considered before and, generally, be open to meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures. Building productive relationships should broaden your perspectives, creating exciting new opportunities for you!