text:
LFCC Communication and Style Guide
Purpose of the Guide
This guide is a tool to help the College's faculty and staff to present a unified, consistent professional message and image to the community. The guidelines have been established for College employees to use when communicating with written materials.
The goal at the College is to serve the community and to ensure that its stakeholders will have a positive experience and be able to clearly understand the information they receive from the College.
Each College faculty and staff member has the unique responsibility of creating, maintaining and promoting a positive image of the College to the community through consistent and professional written communication.
Stylistic Guidelines
These guidelines are adopted from The Associated Press Stylebook, the reference book the Office of College Advancement uses when writing pieces of communication for public dissemination and, more importantly, materials distributed to the media. A number of the following entries are excerpted from The Associated Press Stylebook.
Please note that the following guidelines do not apply to correspondence and instructional materials such as course syllabi and handouts.
Academic degrees
In general usage, spell out the degrees in lowercase letters. For associate degree, do not use an apostrophe, but for bachelor's degree and master's degree, use an apostrophe. For a doctorate, use "doctorate in (name of field)."
When referencing the type of degree, it should be as follows: associate of applied science degree or associate of arts and sciences degree. It should not be associate in applied science degree.
- He completed an associate of arts and sciences degree in liberal arts with a communications specialization.
- She graduated with an associate degree in nursing.
- Brenda Miller received a career studies certificate in interior design.
Academic divisions and offices
Capitalize division and office names. Always put the word "office of" before Cabinet-level offices. All other offices should be referenced with the word "office" following the name. When referencing divisions, use "division of" before the name.
- Office of College Advancement
- Office of Financial and Administrative Services
- Office of Human Resource Management
- Office of Learning
- Office of the President
- Office of Student Success
- Office of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education
- Division of Humanities, Mathematics and Social Sciences
- Division of Business, Technology, Science and Health Professions
- Admissions and Records Office
- Business Office
- Career Services Office
- Counseling and Advising Office
- Financial Aid Office
- High School Outreach Office
- Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Office
- Instructional Technology Office
- Student Life Office
- Student Activities Office
- Student Success Office
- Technology Services Office
- The Office of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education coordinated the event.
- The staff in the Admissions and Records Office will be available for questions after the tour.
- The Financial Aid and Business Offices will process the new employee forms.
Other units that do not use the word "office" in their name are as follows:
- Buildings and Grounds
- Learning Resources Center
- Shipping and Receiving Department
- Student Success Cyber Center - Also referred to as the "Cyber Center" on second reference, this area in the Student Success lobby of the Middletown Campus is used by students during registration periods to apply for admission and financial aid and register for classes.
- Student Learning Services - Formerly the Learning Assistance Center, the renamed "Student Learning Services" better defines the service, which houses the Tutor Connection, TRIO Student Support Services and the Learning Labs.
- Testing Center
Academic organizations
Capitalize the following academic organizations on first reference and use abbreviations on second reference. Lowercase when speaking about the organization in general.
- The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) is made up of 23 colleges. The VCCS headquarters is located in Richmond, Va. The system serves thousands of students each year.
- The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) reviewed the proposal at yesterday's meeting. The state council will announce its decision next month.
Academic programs
Capitalize program names. On second reference, lowercase the word "program."
- Lisa Gatz is enrolled in the Associate Degree in Nursing Program. She joined the program last year.
- The Business Administration Program at the College is expanding.
- LFCC's Emergency Medical Technology Program recently hired a new faculty member.
When using an acronym, spell out the word on first reference with the acronym in parentheses. On second reference, you may use the acronym.
- Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) will hold its employee luncheon in May. This event honors LFCC employees for their hard work throughout the year.
The following list documents common acronyms that LFCC uses.
- Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST)
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
- Computer-aided drafting (CAD)
- Emergency medical services (EMS)
- Emergency medical technician (EMT)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- General educational development (GED)
- Grade point average (GPA)
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
- Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC)
- Registered dental hygienist (RDH)
- Registered nurse (RN)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
- State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV)
- Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
Please see the SAT entry for special guidelines on how to use this acronym.
Acting/interim positions
All acting/interim employees should be referenced as such in all College communications, including the Web site, news releases, e-mail signatures, business cards, etc.
The following information will assist in determining which term to use. According to the dictionary, the definition for acting means "temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another," and interim means "serving or taking place during a period between two events."
Further definitions follow and are based on a policy from another academic institution.
- An acting employee serves while another employee is on leave or until an individual is selected to serve in the position. The former position of the acting employee is held open for his/her return. The salary of an acting employee is the person's regular salary, with the potential of being increased somewhat to take into account the increased duties of the acting position.
- An interim employee serves while another employee is on leave or until an individual is selected to serve in the position. However, the former position of the interim employee is not held open. The salary of an interim employee is in the salary range for whatever position they are filling in during the interim.
Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address. Spell them out and capitalize when part of a formal street name without a number. All similar words (alley, drive, road, terrace, etc.) always are spelled out. Capitalize them when part of a formal name without a number; lowercase when used alone.
- The Middletown Campus is located on Skirmisher Lane.
- The Fauquier Campus' address is 6480 College St.
When including the College's ZIP code in return addresses, it is necessary to use the nine-digit ZIP code number.
Lord Fairfax Community College
Fauquier Campus
6480 College St.
Warrenton, VA 20187-8820
Lord Fairfax Community College
Middletown Campus
173 Skirmisher Lane
Middletown, VA 22645-1745
Lord Fairfax Community College
Luray-Page County Center
334 North Hawksbill St.
Luray, VA 22835-1130
Adjunct instructor
Lowercase in all uses.
- The president's administration voted on the proposal.
The word "advisor" should always be spelled with an "o" and not an "e."
Correct: I have a meeting scheduled with my advisor next week.
Incorrect: My adviser suggested that I enroll in another science course.
Affect, effect
Each is a verb and a noun. In practice, however, "affect" is almost always a verb and "effect" most often a noun.
- He was using drugs that affected the nervous system.
- The effect of drugs on the nervous system caused him to become agitated.
- Her complaint had no effect on the dean.
Always use figures. If ages are expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitute for a noun, use hyphens.
- A 60-year-old man registered for classes today.
- Beth Brooks is 30 years old.
- The race is for 18-year-olds.
Already, all ready
Alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus
- Alumna - singular, female
- Alumnae - plural, women only
- Alumni - plural, men only or men and women
- Alumnus - singular, male
- Alum - singular, male or female; appropriate in informal contexts
Ampersand (&)
Never use the ampersand in place of "and" unless it is part of a company's formal name.
- Johnson & Johnson was the subcontractor for the project.
- A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. is handling the sale of this new stock issue.
Anybody, any body, anyone, any one
Building and room names
Capitalize the proper names of buildings. Also, please note that when referencing the William H. McCoy Special Events Center, it is necessary to use the full name and include the following statement, "located inside the Alson H. Smith Jr. Technology Center." Also, please include the campus name after the building, to identify which location the event will be held at.
The following list details the correct name of buildings and rooms on LFCC's two campuses. This list should be used in all external communication. Also, please note the correct references to the two main entrances at the Middletown Campus. They are the Welcome Center entrance and the Paul Wolk Library entrance.
If it is necessary to include a common name after the formal name, please include the common name in parentheses. An example follows: Fredy and Klara Kummli Student Center (student lounge).
Middletown Campus
- Alson H. Smith Jr. Technology Center
- Corron Community Development Center ("the Corron" is acceptable on second reference)
- Facilities and Operations Center
- Fredy and Klara Kummli Student Center
- Paul Wolk Library
- Science and Health Professions Building
- Virginia Savings Bank FSB Board Room
- William H. McCoy Special Events Center
- William Moore Dietel Bookstore
Fauquier Campus
- Bob G. Sowder Library
- Paul and Sheila Wolk Hall
- the Rose Loeb Student Center
- the Barn
- The event will be held in the Barn on the Fauquier Campus.
- The Fairfax Follies will be held in the William H. McCoy Special Events Center located inside the Alson H. Smith Jr. Technology Center on the Middletown Campus.
- The new Science and Health Professions Building will be an important addition to the Middletown Campus.
- The job expo will be held in the Corron Community Development Center located on the Middletown Campus.
Please note: When referencing the Fauquier and Middletown Campuses' bookstores in the same sentence, refer to the entity as the LFCC Bookstores.
In similar format, when referencing both campuses' libraries in the same sentence, refer to the entity as the LFCC Libraries.
Please note: When referencing the lounge on the Middletown Campus, it should be called the employee lounge and not the faculty lounge.
Bulleted lists
Capitalize the first word of bulleted lists. Following are a variety of examples:
Communication Skills
- Students will write and speak in organized, clear and grammatically correct English.
- Students will listen and read analytically, understanding and interpreting written and oral English.
The Office of Student Success facilitates personal growth and development and educational success through services such as:
- Career development
- Counseling and academic advising
- Financial aid (federal and state)
- Scholarships
- Services for students with disabilities
Increase resources to support the College's mission by:
- Establishing an alumni association and a faculty endowment program
- Implementing a fully integrated fundraising plan that includes annual, capital, corporate, grant writing, in-kind, planned giving and political action programs
Capitalize references to a specific body of advisers heading executive departments for a president. The capital letter distinguishes the word from the common noun meaning cupboard, which is lowercase.
- The Cabinet met to discuss tuition increases for fall 2005 at LFCC.
- Cynthia Bambara, vice president of student success, is a member of the Cabinet.
Campuses and College locations
When referencing the College's campuses always capitalize the word "campus" when it is used with the name of the campus; otherwise, the word should be lowercased. In addition, if both campuses are mentioned in the same sentence, list them in alphabetical order. Also, it is important to use the proper name of the College's campuses and locations. Correct usage is Fauquier Campus, Middletown Campus and Luray-Page County Center. Do not abbreviate the campuses or the Luray-Page County Center. If needed, on second reference for the Luray-Page County Center, use the word "Center," not "outreach center" or "LPCC." Furthermore, when using both campuses and the Luray-Page County Center in the same sentence, please reference them as the "three LFCC locations."
- A group of high school seniors will be visiting the Middletown Campus tomorrow. Please make them feel welcome when you see them on campus.
- The president is on the Fauquier Campus today.
- Parking lot improvements will be made to the Fauquier and Middletown Campuses later this year.
- The Luray-Page County Center is scheduled to open in fall 2005. The Center will serve the community through increased course offerings.
- Class schedules are available at the three LFCC locations: Fauquier Campus, Luray-Page County Center and Middletown Campus.
Please note that the datelines for news releases should be as follows: MIDDLETOWN, Va. - for the Middletown Campus and WARRENTON, Va. - for the Fauquier Campus. The datelines reference the city locations for each campus.
Campuswide, collegewide
These terms are one word. Also citywide, countywide, statewide, nationwide, universitywide and worldwide. But: World Wide Web.
The initiative will be implemented collegewide.
Posters about the recycling project have been distributed campuswide.
Capitalize as a formal title if used before the person's name. Lowercase in all other cases. Avoid gender specific nouns such as chairman or chairwoman
- College Board Chair Lee Smith addressed the group.
- Mark Smith is chair of the committee.
Classes, courses
Lowercase when referring to courses and classes. Uppercase if referring to the specific name of a class or if the class uses a proper noun or numeral.
- I took a fine arts class and a business class.
- I took Psychology 200 and Spanish 100.
This is one word.
Clean up, cleanup
Use "cleanup" — one word — as a noun or adjective, but "clean up" as a verb.
College Board
Capitalize the term College Board in all references.
- The College Board meeting is scheduled for June 9.
- The Lord Fairfax Community College Board will make the final decision.
- The LFCC Board voted on that matter last week.
- There are 10 College Board members on the committee.
Please note: It is incorrect and redundant to write "LFCC College Board," because the last "C" in "LFCC" already stands for "College." Therefore, "LFCC Board" is the correct usage.
College name
The name of the College is "Lord Fairfax Community College." To avoid repetition, when the College's name is used repeatedly in text, after the first full reference, "LFCC" or "the College" may be used. "LF" or "Lord Fairfax" should not be used. Capitalize the word "college" in all references made to Lord Fairfax Community College and lowercase elsewhere.
- The College will be closed July 4, 2005.
- Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) is working in conjunction with another college to explore the option of distance education. LFCC is excited about this new venture.
Please note: LFCC is a place, not a person. Avoid using words such as "we" and "us" when referring to the College. Use "it," "its," etc. For example, "Call LFCC at 800-906-LFCC or visit its Web site at http://www.lfcc.edu."
Comma (,)
The following guidelines treat some of the most frequent questions about the use of commas. For detailed guidance, consult the punctuation section in the AP Stylebook. Use commas to separate elements in a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series
- The flag is red, white and blue.
- He would nominate Tom, Dick or Harry.
When referencing the College's graduation ceremonies, always capitalize the word "commencement."
- Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) will hold its 2007 Commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 11, 2007, and Saturday, May 12, 2007.
Do not abbreviate. Capitalize when part of a formal name.
- The College Advancement Policy Committee met today.
Composition titles
Apply these guidelines to article titles, book titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, song titles, television program titles and the titles of lectures, speeches and works of art.
- Capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters.
- William C. Dean, superintendent of Frederick County Public Schools, will address graduates in his speech "Your Inheritance, Your Options."
- Dave Smith is reading "The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising" for his marketing class.
- Capitalize an article — a, an, the — or words of fewer than four letters only if it is the first or last word in the title.
- Have you read "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren?
- Put quotations marks around the names of the aforementioned types of works. Exceptions include the Bible; books that are primarily catalogs of reference material, such as almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks; and journals.
- The LFCC Catalog is published every two years.
- The printed LFCC Summer 2006 Semester Schedule of Classes was available in April.
- The Virginia Community College Policy Manual is sitting on my desk.
Computer-aided drafting
Include a hyphen when referencing computer-aided drafting (CAD). On second reference it is appropriate to use the abbreviation CAD.
Course work
When referencing "course work" for a class, use two words. Do not join them into one word.
- He will complete his course work next year.
Curriculum, Curricula and Curricular
The word "curriculum" is a singular noun, "curricula" is a plural noun and "curricular" is an adjective. Examples of each word and the proper usage are as follows:
- Students enrolled in the information systems technology curriculum are prepared for numerous computer-related jobs upon graduation.
- He is enrolled in both the emergency medical technician and nursing curricula.
- The deans are meeting to discuss enrollment strategies for three curricular programs.
A long dash (—) is used to draw attention to an abrupt break or pause in a sentence. The keying of two hyphens in Microsoft Word will create a correct long dash when the next word in the sentence is keyed. Two hyphens alone are not an acceptable substitute in word processing. There should be spaces before and after the long dash.
- The College reserves the right to change — with or without notice — the information, requirements and procedures announced in this publication.
A comma follows the day of the month and the year in sentence form.
- Graduation exercises were held on May 13, 2005, at Lord Fairfax Community College's Middletown Campus.
Expressions of month and year (with no day) within a sentence may be written without commas.
- The schedule will be available in June 2000 for the following academic year.
Do not use 1st, 2nd, etc., with dates:
- Correct: The student picnic is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2005.
- Incorrect: The student picnic is scheduled for the 11th of October.
When referencing periods of years, use an "s" without an apostrophe.
- He worked for LFCC from 1980 to 1986. He worked for the College in the 1980s.
Repeat only the final two digits of the second number when writing inclusive years.
- Student enrollment increased during 2001-02 and 2002-03.
Use the word "through" to separate a timeframe. In listings, such as the "Important Dates" section of the class schedule, a hyphen may be used to indicate a timeframe.
- Spring registration is from May 15 through 30, 2006.
Capitalize the names of months in all uses. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate the following months: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. Spell out when using alone or with a year (with no day).
- Registration for the spring 2005 semester will be held in November and December.
- Nov. 5 is the first day for registration for the spring 2005 semester.
- Commencement will take place on May 13, 2005.
- Final grades are due Dec. 14, 2005.
- He joined the College as an adjunct instructor in January 2005.
When months are listed in a tabular format, please use three letters without periods: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec.
Days of the week
Capitalize them. Do not abbreviate, except when needed in a tabular format: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat (three letters, without periods, to facilitate tabular composition).
Dean's and president's list
Lowercase in all uses.
- Bethany Lee, a Winchester resident, is on the dean's list. Her brother, Edwin, is on the president's list.
Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc., to indicate depth, height, length and width. Hyphenate adjectival forms before nouns.
- He is 5 feet 6 inches tall.
- The 5-foot-6-inch man signed up for the basketball team along with his 7-footer friend.
- The car is 17 feet long, 6 feet wide and 5 feet high.
- The rug is 9 feet by 12 feet. Or, the 9-by-12 foot rug.
- The storm left 5 inches of snow.
Directions and regions
In general, lowercase "north," "south," "northeast," "southwest," "eastern" and "western" when they indicate compass direction. Capitalize these words when they designate regions.
- We are traveling north for the weekend.
- A handful of LFCC students commute from Northern Virginia to attend classes at the College.
When discussing what regions the College serves, the Fauquier Campus serves the Piedmont region, the Middletown Campus serves the Northern Shenandoah Valley region and the Luray-Page County Center serves the Shenandoah Valley region.
Dollar amounts
Use a dollar sign followed by a numeral. Omit the decimal and zeros in expressing whole dollar amounts, even if they appear with mixed dollar amounts. Amounts of money less than $1 are expressed in figures combined with the word cents unless they are used in conjunction with related amounts of $1 of more.
- Tuition and fees at the College cost $78.80 for one credit hour.
- The total cost of the trip is $250 per person. Lodging totals $220.50, and food totals $29.50.
- The cost of constructing the new building is $5.3 million.
- The cost of a postage stamp increased from 35 cents to 37 cents.
The "e" in e-mail is not capitalized unless it's the first word of a sentence.
- My e-mail didn't go through.
- E-mail is a great tool.
Educational Foundation
Capitalize and use the following complete phrase on first reference: "LFCC Educational Foundation Inc." On second reference use "Foundation." "Inc." should never precede the word "Board."
Correct usages follow:
- The LFCC Educational Foundation Board met today.
- The Lord Fairfax Community College Educational Foundation Inc. established a new scholarship today.
- The LFCC Educational Foundation Inc. raised $1 million last year.
- The LFCC Educational Foundation Board members are meeting with key individuals to request support for the Foundation's scholarship program.
Incorrect usages follow:
- The LFCC Educational Foundation Inc. Board met today.
- The Lord Fairfax Community College Educational Foundation established a new scholarship today.
An ellipsis indicates the omission of one or more words from quoted material. Use three dots (...) preceded and followed by a space to indicate material that is missing between words. If the words that precede an ellipsis are a complete sentence, whether in the original work or the revised version, place a period at the end of the sentence followed by a space and an ellipsis.
- I had planned to attend the event. ... However, another appointment has been scheduled that I must handle immediately.
- She drove ... to get to my house.
Entitled, titled
"Entitled" means one has the right to do or to have something: She is entitled to the inheritance. Use "titled" to introduce the name of a publication, musical composition, seminar, etc.
Every day, everyday
- Every day (two words) is an adverb. Example: She goes to work every day.
- Everyday (one word) is an adjective. Example: He wears everyday shoes.
Full-time equivalent
On first reference, spell out the whole phrase. On second reference, the abbreviation FTE may be used. Full-time equivalent can refer to students as well as faculty.
- For fall 2000, LFCC had a total of 5,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students. This number increased to 5,110 FTEs in spring 2001.
- The survey will determine the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty at the College.
A full-time equivalent student is a term used to identify the "typical" student for budget purposes. It's defined as one student taking 15 student credit hours a semester. For example, LFCC had 40,934 student credit hours in fall 2003, which resulted in 2,729 FTEs (40,934/15=2,728.93 rounded up).
There are also annualized FTEs, but this phrase isn't used as much as just FTEs. The formula for annualized FTEs is as follows: summer FTEs + fall FTEs + spring FTEs/2. Or, if you add the three semesters of student credit hours and divide the total by 30 credit hours, you will also get annualized FTEs.
Fundraising, fundraiser
One word in all cases.
- Fundraising is difficult.
- They planned a fundraising campaign.
- A fundraiser was hired.
General Educational Development (GED)
On first reference spell out general educational development (GED) test. Then on second reference use the abbreviation.
- Simon passed the general educational development (GED) test in June. Now that he has received a GED credential, Simon will enroll in some college courses.
Good, well
"Good" is an adjective that means something is as it should be or is better than average.
- The soup smells good.
- The music sounds good.
When used as an adjective, "well" means suitable, proper or healthy. When used as an adverb, "well" means in a satisfactory manner or skillfully.
- A machine that runs well.
- He did well on his entrance exam.
Grade point average
Spell out on first reference and then use GPA after that.
- He earned a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in biology his first year and a 4.0 GPA in biology his second year.
Use letter grade with no quotation marks.
- She received an A in the course.
- There is a W on his transcript.
- She earned three Bs and two Cs.
Hyphenated terms
It is preferred to hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun. When the compound appears after the noun, the hyphen is not used. Compounds with the word self are always hyphenated.
Please note: The term "high quality" should be hyphenated when used as a modifier, such as high-quality instruction, high-quality faculty, high-quality facilities, etc.
- Two-year college, four-year college
- Mid-semester
- Part-time students, full-time students, I work full time
- In-class essay, the students wrote the essay in class
- Per-credit-hour basis
- One-year appointment, multi-year appointment
- Long-range goals, short-range goals
Words that are formed with prefixes, such as pre-, post-, semi-, non-, un-, are spelled as one word unless they precede a capitalized second element.
- Noncredit courses, postsecondary education, semiprofessional workers, preprofessional education, un-American
Words that are formed with prefixes such as co- and pro- retain the hyphen.
- Co-requisite, co-author, co-chairman, pro-labor, pro-business
IMing is short for "instant messaging," a term to describe a form of online chatting. Used as a noun, "IM," stands for instant message.
- IMing during class is unacceptable.
- I sent you an IM at 9 a.m.
Internet and intranet
Always capitalize the word "Internet." When referencing a specific Web site in a written document, include the Internet address. Lowercase the word "intranet" in all references. The address for the LFCC intranet is http://intranet.lfcc.edu.
- According to the Virginia Community College System's Web site (http://www.vccs.edu), the enrollment gap between male and female students is widening.
- The LFCC intranet contains a wealth of information.
Junior, senior
Abbreviate as "Jr." and "Sr." only with full names of persons. Do not precede by a comma.
- John P. Straightmore Jr. will address the students at the Horticulture Club meeting.
- Mark E. Douglas Sr. is a new member of the Middletown Campus' Phi Theta Kappa chapter.
Capitalize when preceded by the names of a state. Retain capitalization when the state name is dropped but the reference is specifically to that state's legislature. The same rules apply when making reference to the general assembly. If using the word "assembly" only, it should be lowercase.
- A group of LFCC administrators, faculty and students visited the Virginia General Assembly.
Like, as
Use "like" as a preposition to compare nouns and pronouns. Like requires an object: He blocks like a pro.
The conjunction "as" is the correct word to introduce clauses: Jim blocks the linebacker as he should.
Like, such as
"Like" means similar to but not including. While "like" is used in everyday speech to list examples, "such as" is preferred: Vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and cucumbers are part of a healthy diet.
Magazine names
Capitalize the name but do not place it in quotes or italicize it. Lowercase "magazine" unless it is part of the publication's formal title.
- The LFCC library subscribes to Harper's Magazine and Time magazine.
Mission statement and strategic plan
When using the phrases "mission statement" and "strategic plan," both phrases should be lowercased.
- LFCC adopted a new mission statement in 2007.
- LFCC's strategic plan was revised at last month's College Board meeting.
When using the plural form of the word "money," add an "ies" to form the word "monies." Do not just add an "s:"
- The monies will be invested in a savings account.
LFCC maintains a link to the VCCS Student Information System (SIS) on its Web site. This portal is termed "MY LFCC" in all instances. The previous name was LFCC SMART Web.
- LFCC students may visit MY LFCC on the College's Web site to register for classes.
Names of people
For print ads, profiles and publications of a more personal nature, the individual's first name may be used on second reference.
In addition, following is the formal usage of a specific employee name:
- Cynthia Bambara
Newspaper names
Capitalize "the" in a newspaper's name if that is the way the publication prefers to be known. Do not put the names in quotation marks or italicize them.
- An article about an LFCC graduate was printed in the Northern Virginia Daily last month.
Do not use a hyphen when using the word "noncredit." When referencing the courses offered through the Office of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education, use the term "professional development" instead of "noncredit."
- Valerie Thomson's employer requested that she update her computer skills. So, she enrolled in a professional development course offered through the Office of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education at LFCC.
Do not use a hyphen when using the word "nonprofit."
- Diane Jones volunteers at a nonprofit organization.
Spell out zero through nine; use numerals for 10 and greater. Numbers should be spelled out in the beginning of a sentence. Use a comma with numerals of 1,000 and above to separate every three digits. Use numerals when referring to academic credit and page numbers.
- He had four books on his desk.
- She planted 12 bulbs in her garden.
- Fifteen students signed up for the race.
- Over 5,000 students attended LFCC last fall.
- The student earned 2.5 hours of credit.
- See page 4 and then print pages 2-10.
When using ordinal numbers, spell out first through ninth when they indicate sequence in time or location. Starting with 10th use figures. The only exception is when the numbers are used for geographic, military and political designations.
- He was the first student to register for classes.
- She was the 20th student to finish the test.
OK, OK'd, OK'ing, OKs
On campus, on-campus
Page numbers
Use figures and capitalize "page" when used with a figure. When a letter is appended to the figure, capitalize it, but do not use a hyphen.
- The information you are requesting is on Page 3.
- The table is located on Page 10A.
One word. Do not use the percent sign (%) unless in tabular material.
- She collected 60 percent of the votes to win the election.
- The College experienced a 10-percent increase in students.
Never abbreviate. Lowercase before a name. Do not continue in second reference unless part of a quotation.
- Elizabeth Wilson will meet with professor Phyllis Armstrong to discuss her grade for the fall semester. Armstrong teaches English at the College.
Quotation marks
Racial origins
Room Numbers
The word "room" should be capitalized when used with a figure.
- The meeting will be held in Room 132 on the Middletown Campus.
- My chemistry class meets in Room 249 in the Science and Health Professions Building every Monday at 10 a.m.
The names of seasons are not capitalized.
- LFCC's fall classes begin on Aug. 25.
- Your application for admission for the fall 2005 semester is being processed.
State names
Spell out state names when they stand alone. Use the following state abbreviations when they follow a city, county, town, village or military base. Please note that the following eight states are never abbreviated: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah.
Use the two-letter Postal Service abbreviations only with full addresses, including ZIP code.
State, federal
Lowercase the word "state" when used as follows: the state of Maryland, the states of West Virginia and Virginia. Although Virginia is legally a commonwealth, this distinction is only necessary in formal uses, and the word "commonwealth" should be lowercase. Example: The commonwealth of Virginia filed a lawsuit.
Capitalize the word "federal" as part of corporate or governmental bodies that use the word as part of their formal names. Example: Federal Communications Commission
Lowercase the words "federal" and "state" when used as adjectives: our state universities, federal loans, state grants.
When referring to the College's relationship to the state, the term "state assisted" should be used as opposed to "state supported."
Student clubs and organizations
The following entries are the official names of the student clubs and organizations at the College.
- Ambassadors - Fauquier and Middletown Campuses
- Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship - Fauquier Campus
- Fine and Performing Arts Club - Middletown Campus
- Forensics - Middletown Campus
- Freshman Class - Middletown Campus
- FUEL Ministry Club - Middletown Campus
- Future Farmers of America - Middletown Campus
- Student Alliance for Diversity Awareness/Acceptance - Middletown Campus
- History Club - Middletown Campus
- Phi Beta Lambda - Middletown Campus
- Phi Theta Kappa - Fauquier and Middletown Campuses
- Project International Education - Middletown Campus
- Rotoract Club - Middletown Campus
- Scientific Society - Middletown Campus
- Sophomore Class - Middletown Campus
- Student American Dental Hygienists' Association - Middletown Campus
- Student Government Association (SGA) - Fauquier and Middletown Campuses
Telephone and fax numbers
Telephone and fax numbers are expressed in figures. When the area code is included, separate the area code from the telephone and fax number with a hyphen; do not use parentheses. Do not use a slash or period as a separator.
Extension numbers, preceded by the abbreviation "ext.," follow telephone numbers. If an extension number concludes a sentence, use a single comma to separate it from the telephone number. However, if an extension number appears in the middle of a sentence, use commas before and after.
When using toll-free numbers, do not use a "1" before the number. When using LFCC's toll-free number, please list it as follows: 800-906-LFCC.
- You may reach our representative at 868-5940.
- Please fax the report to me at 540-868-3837.
- Call the College's toll-free number, 800-906-LFCC.
- You may reach me at 540-868-2483, ext. 227.
- We were requested to call 213-347-0551, ext. 375, within an hour.
Time of day
Use a colon to separate hour from minutes. The colon and minutes are not necessary for even-hour times. Use numbers unless in the case of formal invitations, when spelling out the time is appropriate.
- The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. (not 11:00 or 11:00 a.m.)
- The event will end at 3:30 p.m.
- The class runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (In text, use the word "to" to separate time ranges. In listings, use a hyphen, i.e., 5:30-8:30 p.m.)
Please note that the words "noon" and "midnight" should be used in all instances, instead of 12 a.m., 12 p.m., 12 noon or 12 midnight.
- We are meeting for lunch at noon.
- The contest deadline is Aug. 7, 2005, at midnight.
Lowercase with periods, a.m. and p.m. Incorrect usage is AM, PM, A.M. or P.M. Avoid redundancies such as "8 p.m. tonight." If your seminar is from 10 in the morning to 6 in the evening, write "10 a.m. to 6 p.m." rather than 10-6. Most people won't show up at 10 p.m., but it always helps to be clear.
Titles of people
- Vice President Margaret Bartow
- Vice President Linnie Carter
Capitalize formal titles after a name or names when used in formal programs or invitations:
- Margaret Bartow, Vice President of Learning
- Linnie Carter, Vice President of College Advancement
Lowercase formal titles after a name or names:
- Cynthia Bambara, vice president of student success
- Curtis Morgan, associate professor of history
Lowercase titles standing alone and the title "professor" (see the professor entry for more information):
- The president, the president of LFCC
- The dean, dean of learning
- The professor, professor Joe Whitehorne
The formal titles of the dean and vice president positions at LFCC are as follows:
- Campus administrator for Fauquier
- Dean of learning for humanities, mathematics and social sciences
- Dean of learning for business, technology, science and health professions
- Vice president of college advancement
- Vice president of financial and administrative services
- Vice president of learning
- Associate vice president of learning
- Vice president of student success
- Assistant vice president of workforce solutions and continuing education
Abbreviate most civil, religious, medical and military titles. On second reference, simply use the individual's last name with the title:
- Rev. Paul Phillips
- Dr. Tom Timmons
- Maj. Gen. Frank Collins
- U.S. Sen. Earl Stephens, Delegate Lillian Waters, state Sen. John Wallburg
Courtesy titles such as Mr., Ms. and Mrs. should only be used in letters, memos or formal programs. The only exception to this rule when writing for publications or news releases is when it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name.
The courtesy title Dr. may be used on first reference before the names of individuals who hold other types of doctoral degrees. However, because the public frequently identifies Dr. only with physicians, care should be taken to assure that the individual's specialty is stated in first or second reference.
When addressing a couple that are both doctors, the address section of the letter should be as follows: Dr. Justin Jackson and Dr. Serena Jackson. The correct salutation would be Dear Drs. Jackson.
When referencing two titles for one individual, make sure each title is followed by the correct department or organization.
- Linnie Carter, vice president of college advancement at Lord Fairfax Community College and executive director of the Lord Fairfax Community College Educational Foundation Inc., spoke at the all-campus meeting about College publications and fundraising.
Courtesy titles should also be used when addressing legislative representatives. Adhere to the following guidelines. For a complete list of Virginia protocol and etiquette when addressing government entities, visit http://hodcap.state.va.us/publications/Protocol.pdf.
State Senator
- Address - The Honorable John/Jane Frank
- Salutation - Dear Senator Frank
- Conversation - Senator Frank
Member of the House of Delegates
- Address - The Honorable John/Jane Gregory
- Salutation - Dear Mr./Mrs./Miss Gregory
- Conversation - Mr./Mrs./Miss Gregory
For more information and varying guidelines for use of titles in letter form, please see the "faxes, letters and memos" section under the "Communication Guidelines" heading.
According to the International Trademark Association, "a trademark is any word (Poison), name (Giorgio Armani), symbol or device (the Pillsbury Doughboy), slogan (Got Milk?), package design (Coca-Cola bottle) or combination of these that serves to identify and distinguishes a specific product from others in the market place or in trade. Even a sound (NBC chimes), color combination, smell or hologram can be a trademark under some circumstances."
To distinguish trademarks from surrounding text, the trademark should appear in capital letters, thus setting it apart from the generic name of the product. Also, according to the International Trademark Association, "never use a trademark as a noun. Use the trademark only as a brand name in combination with the common or generic name for a specific product. Always use a trademark as an adjective modifying a noun." In addition, a trademark should not be used as a verb.
Correct: The Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is on my computer.
Incorrect: Microsoft PowerPoint's slides can be set to view automatically.
Correct: I will make a photocopy of your paperwork on the Xerox copier.
Incorrect: I will Xerox your paperwork.
Following are additional resources regarding the use of trademarks, including a searchable trademark database and guidelines for using Microsoft trademarks:
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (click on the "Trademarks" link in the left-hand margin and then the "Search TM database (TESS)" link)
When referencing tuition, only list the base rate, excluding the applicable fees. An appropriate way to reference tuition is as follows:
- Tuition for Virginia residents is $81.65 per credit hour, not including applicable fees.
In addition, an appropriate way to reference the comparison of tuition rates between LFCC and four-year institutions in Virginia is as follows:
- LFCC tuition and fees are approximately one-third the cost of attending a four-year college or university in Virginia.
If documentation is needed, please use the following statement, "Statistical comparisons are based upon the latest tuition and fees report published by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)."
United States
Use the abbreviated form for the United States as an adjective, but the full name when used as a noun.
- The U.S. policy is under scrutiny.
- The United States is joining the cause.
When using the word "veterans" in reference to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Administration, veterans benefits, veterans affairs officer or similar verbiage, the word does not contain an apostrophe; it is simply plural.
- Veterans who have served in the military may be eligible for educational assistance through the Veterans Administration.
- The veterans affairs officer should be contacted to assist with usage of veterans benefits.
Web, Web site, Web page and webmaster
Web is capitalized. Web site and Web page are both capitalized and two words. Webmaster is one word and lowercase, unless used as an official title before a person's name. For Web addresses, http:// needs to precede the address.
World Wide Web
Social Media Guidelines
Following are a few guidelines to keep in mind when creating and using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate with LFCC internal and external stakeholders. These guidelines apply to official sites (College units, clubs, etc.)
- Employee postings should be consistent with the College's core values and adhere to the standards of professional conduct.
- Notify the LFCC Webmaster of new College-related pages and extend administrator rights to the Webmaster. Send e-mail to cgrym…@lfcc.edu and webma…@lfcc.edu.
- Do not correct inaccurate information publicly on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Instead, send the person who posted the inaccurate information a private e-mail message and ask him or her to correct the information.
- Use the full name of the College when naming Facebook pages. Instead of using "LFCC Forensic Team," for example, use "Lord Fairfax Community College Forensics Team."
- Use the appropriate format of the LFCC logo.
- Be sure to secure the appropriate signed photograph release forms before using images in social media.
- Add the appropriate disclaimers about possible uses of photographs in printed materials such as special event invitations. Please see the disclaimer used in the Commencement program.
Faxes, letters and memos
Faxes, letters and memoranda are essential tools in written communication, both internal and external. It is extremely important for the College to have a unified image with these written pieces.
For consistency, a universal fax cover sheet and memo have been created for College use. They are located on the intranet. For letters, official College stationery and envelopes should be used. Letterhead may be ordered from the Shipping and Receiving Department.
When addressing letters and memoranda, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Letters of a formal nature should list the individual's courtesy title (Dr., Mr., Ms. or Mrs.), job title (capitalize in the address and signature area) and proper name. It is preferred not to list degree abbreviations, such as B.A., M.A., Ph.D., etc.
- In the use of internal memoranda, it is customary to list the addressee(s) without courtesy and job titles. When external memoranda are written, the courtesy and job titles of the addressee(s) should be used.
Required accreditation statement
The College catalog and any other communication pieces that document the College's accreditation status should contain the following statement.
"Lord Fairfax Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Lord Fairfax Community College."
Required nondiscrimination statements
Certain College publications are to contain statements as directed by law or policy. College publications shall bear a nondiscrimination statement. It is important to note that the term "nondiscrimination" should be used instead of the phrase "affirmative action." The two statements that follow have been adopted for specific uses.
Abbreviated statement to appear in all publications:
- Lord Fairfax Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability in its programs or activities.
Full statement to appear in the class schedule, catalog and annual report and on the Web site:
- Lord Fairfax Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability in its programs or activities. For more information, please contact Karen Foreman, human resource manager, at email@example.com or 540-868-7109.
College publications should also include LFCC's 800 number, specific office telephone numbers and the College's Web site address. The TTY 711 - a text telephone service offered through Virginia Relay, enabling telephone conversations between standard voice telephone users and people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind or speech-impaired - should be included as needed.
The Americans with Disabilities Act statement should be placed in the front section of the course schedules and other pertinent College documents, as deemed necessary. It is as follows: "If you have any physical or medical condition that requires special assistance in order to take advantage of the services at Lord Fairfax Community College, please contact the vice president of student success at 540-868-7000."When referring to disabilities, please use the terms "disability services" or "students with disabilities" instead of the phrase "special needs."
Logo Usage
The logo distinguishes Lord Fairfax Community College from competing institutions, including their programs and services. All College publications, literature and promotional items should include the logo, and special attention should be given to safeguarding LFCC's brand identity.
All logo usage should be requested from Aaron Riddle, print and Web communication manager. For detailed information about logo usage, please reference the Visual Identity Standards guidelines.
E-mail Confidentiality Notice
LFCC employees who use e-mail should include the following disclaimer adopted and approved by VCCS Governance:
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information or otherwise be protected by law. Any access, use, disclosure or distribution of this e-mail message by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is unauthorized and prohibited. If you are not an intended recipient (or an agent acting on an intended recipient's behalf), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and immediately destroy all copies of the original message. Virus scanning is recommended on all e-mail attachments.
Linking to the full notice is also acceptable:
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: http://www.lfcc.edu/about-the-college/news/lfcc-communication-and-style-guide/index.html#stylecat_5 (VCCS Electronic Communications Standard, approved 6/17/09).
No other language should be used without an official review by VCCS System Office Legal Services Office and Information Technology Services.


text:
When it comes to PR, business owners and entrepreneurs generally think of the obvious. An owner of a hair salon will think of stories that have to do with hair care. On optician will think of stories that have to do with eyewear, a florist will think of stories that have to do with flowers. That all makes sense, right? Yep. And that's a start, but if you really want to get your story covered in magazines, newspapers and TV segments, you need to be a bit more creative than that. For example, if you do own a hair salon, come up with the top ten best celebrity hairstyles and explain why, or maybe give the worst celebrity hairstyles. You don't have to be the hairstylist who worked on the celebrities, but you can be the one to comment and position yourself as a hairstyling expert. If you're an optician, develop a story on why glasses are really jewelry for the face and then come up with a list of celebrities that illustrate why glasses are a beauty item. If you're a florist, come up with a pitch based on flower arrangements used at celebrity events, political events, or any event that is featured in the news. Comment on why the floral arrangements worked or didn't work and what you would suggest in the future.
The best way to launch a successful media campaign is to give the press options. You have a story that you want to tell through the media. Chances are you have one or two main angles or story ideas that you want covered. Those are where your focus lies, they are you primary objectives. But don't stop there. Broaden your approach. For good or bad (and I think I know which one it is) we live in a celebrity-based culture. The media loves celebrity-oriented stories, so brainstorm a bit and see how you can tie your story into a pitch that offers a celebrity angle. This might be the furthest thing from your mind and that type of story might very well bore you to tears, but don't let your personal bias, keep you from presenting a story angle that the media will pick up. Have fun with it. Think out of the box.
This celebrity-oriented approach can often be the way to prime the pump and get your media relations campaign off the ground. From there you can broaden into a more comprehensive campaign.
Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012
James. "Celebrity News". Photo. Celebrity Cheeze. 02 Feb 2012. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://celebritycheeze.com/the-history-of-celebrities/>
Categories: Entertainment, Lifestyle PR

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With Commencement now upon us, most seniors are thinking in earnest about the job market, graduate school, and their next steps into the real world. One option often overlooked is the array of post-graduate, pre-professional programs that can serve as a stepping stone from your college experience to a potential field of interest.
These "bridge" programs are typically aimed at graduating seniors and recent college grads and provide a mix of classroom work and hands-on experience in a specific industry. Many are offered over the summer but some are in-semester as well. They are lower cost than a full degree program - many provide certificates - and therefore lower risk to the student exploring a field of potential interest. Most are taught by practitioners in the field and include some type of career fair or other career preparation component, both of which provide an important leg up in today's competitive job market.
Here's a look at and links to five such programs in different fields:
The Tuck Business Bridge Program is provides "fast-track to mastery of business basics" offered by Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. It is a four-week, total-immersion program for rising juniors, seniors, and recent graduates of arts and sciences colleges, regardless of major, thinking of entering the world of business.
American University's Washington Semester Graduate Gateway Program
American University's Washington (DC) Semester Graduate Gateway Program is a hands-on experience that includes two graduate level courses and an internship. The program is "the perfect opportunity for you to ease your way into the advanced degree process and test out a potential career path."
Columbia Publishing Course
The Columbia Publishing Course (CPC) calls itself "the shortest graduate school in the country." For over 60 years the course - the first such program in the country and housed in the country's publishing capital, New York City -- has been training young men and women for careers in the field. CPC graduates can be found at major magazines and publishing houses across the nation. For those considering a career in book, magazine, or digital media publishing, the CPC's immersive summer program provides exposure to current issues in publishing, access to top publishing professionals, hands-on publishing experience, and an entrée into the publishing world.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory - Summer Research Program
Since 1975, MIT's Lincoln Laboratory has offered undergraduate and graduate students "this unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a leading-edge research environment." Students will be supervised by Laboratory technical staff on a day-to-day basis. The program runs from early June through mid-August.
Boston Start-up School
On the newer end of the spectrum, the independent Boston Startup School (no university affiliation) "allows young professionals to learn the skills needed to have an immediate and positive impact on the startup they join." Students work on real startup challenges and will have an opportunity to meet local startup companies looking for talent to help them grow. The program is an immersive, six-week long full-time experience that educates participants on startup culture, team dynamics, and one of four in-demand skill sets.
There are many more such programs in a range of different fields, all worthy of exploration. The Simmons Library's Career Guide to "Post Graduate Pre-Professional Programs" provides links to and information about the above programs and many others in Art & Literature, Business & Finance, Communications & Media, Education, Government, Law & Nonprofits, Environment, and more. Check them all out here
For more information and assistance, contact the Beatley Library's career resources librarian and/or the Career Education Center.
Photos/Logo: Courtesy of programs


text:
The 2012 MLB Playoff Beers
You know which team you're rooting for. This is what you're drinking, for them. Plus: the winning brew.
By Evan S. Benn
Washington Nationals
Starr Hill Dark Starr Stout
Virginia's Starr Hill brews have been longtime favorites in D.C. The robust, roasted aromas and smooth, bitter-chocolate flavors have earned its Dark Starr Stout heaps of praise over the years.


text:
- Running
- Cycling
- Triathlon
- Fitness
- Race Results
- More
About This Activity
Our 20th year and still going! This extra special Milan tradition is the best. Dad, your daughters will carry the magic of this night in their memories for a lifetime. Girls will be dressed up in their very special outfit and Dads will come dressed in their Sunday best. There will be dancing, refreshments, and prizes. Each girl will get a great keepsake of a special picture taken with their date. This is a great event so register early and don't miss out.
Map & Direction
Friday, February 8, 2013
Senior and Community Activity Center 45 Neckel Court Milan, MI, United States of America 48160Get Directions


text:
Great day for a ride. Trails super busy. Found the single track in Patricia Ravine, couple of near seat ejection moments on the trail, but only one bashed finger today.
Not too hot, trails are nice and dry, and the weather's great!
West end of Canada Cup course. For reference, my bike is an XL with 29 wheels.
Results 1 to 25 of 89
Thread: Edmonton - Autumn 2012
Hot Deals See All Hot Deals >>
Interbike Featured Booths
Check out the hottest mountain bike products from these brands!
See All Interbike Coverage - Click Here »
Latest Mountain Bike Articles
MTBR on Facebook


text:
We had the same issues with our DD. she was 10 weeks early and was off of all breathing apparatus about 3.5 weeks after she was born, but getting her to feed took forever. She couldn't even try until 35 weeks gestational age and it took her until nearly 39 weeks to get it. Se came home about a week and 2 days before her EDD, which is common for preemies, many come home close to their due dates. She ended up in the NICU for nine weeks even.
Dont worry, your baby girl will get it, once they fully get the suck swallow breathe reflex down, it just clicks! Good luck, I hope you can get off the NICU roller coaster soon!


text:
Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
Barry Baynard, has served as a Greencastle, Indiana, city councilman since 1995 and serves on the city's planning commission. Before becoming a councilman, he was vice president for the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Cement Division Local D39 for Lone Star Industries where he has been employed for more than 22 years as a certified industrial electronics technician.
Mr. Baynard completed his undergraduate studies at IUPUI, receiving certification in industrial electronics and electricity.
Mr. Baynard is a member of the Indiana Democratic African-American Caucus, and has served as mentor for Greencastle's summer enrichment program of disadvantage/at risk youth. Mr. Baynard served as president for the Greencastle Branch of the NAACP for five years.
Mr. Baynard was appointed by Governor Frank O'Bannon to serve as Indiana Civil Rights Commissioner on July 1, 1997.
Alpha Blackburn is a national award winning designer, a distinguished civic leader and a former television talk show host. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission and President and CEO of Blackburn Architects. Ms. Blackburn's honors and accomplishments include being the recipient of the 1992 Prodigy of Indianapolis Award for outstanding commitment to nonprofit organizations and charitable causes, and the recipient of the 1983 Harvey's Bristol Cream Tribute to the Black Designer. She was chosen as One of Five Indiana "Renaissance Women" by the Julian Center for Contributions to the Arts of Indiana; she was the subject of Hoosier Profile by Greg Todd of WRTV, Channel 6, and of "Women at the Top" by Debbie Knox of WISH-TV, Channel 8; and, she has designed performing uniforms for both the Indiana Pacers and the Indianapolis Colts. She is the 1997 recipient of the Master Scholars Humanitarian Award and serves as Chairman of the Board of Healthnet Foundation.
Ms. Blackburn is a graduate of Howard University and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She is President of Alpha, Inc.-Designer Products.
David C. Carter has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Yale University, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Chicago, a degree in French from the Sorbonne (Paris), and has taught English. Although he grew up in the Northeast, he has lived in south-central Indiana since 1966. Since 1975, Mr. Carter has used a wheelchair for mobility because of a spinal cord injury, and is active in several Bloomington-area organizations concerned with people with disabilities and accessibility issues.
Mr. Carter owned and operated a book store in Spencer for 12 years, and continues to do freelance bookselling. He has served as a Commissioner for the Indiana Civil Rights Commission since 1991.
Commissioner Tehiji Crenshaw serves as the Housing Development Coordinator and Director of Housing Programs with the Community Action Program of Evansville & Vanderburgh County, Inc. (CAPE). She received a Bachelors of Education (1995) from the University of Evansville. She currently holds certifications as a Family Development Specialist, Certified Loss Mitigation/Foreclosure Prevention Counselor, HUD Housing Counselor, Pre and Post Purchase Education Counselor, HOME Program Specialist, Certified Green Professional, Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist, Housing Development Finance Professional and Licensed Lead Based Paint Inspector, Risk Assessor and Clearance Examiner.
For over eight years, Ms. Crenshaw has assisted over 5,000 families with affordable, multifamily rental housing and single family homeownership opportunities, foreclosure prevention, energy efficiency and home rehabilitation needs within twelve counties in the state of Indiana. Ms. Crenshaw also facilitates group counseling sessions as well as individual counseling to families who need assistance in resolving existing credit and budget issues. She conducts Energy Education sessions to potential first time homebuyers and the general public.
John is from the Northwestern Indiana Region. He is a graduate of Purdue University Calumet, B. S. in Construction Technology. He has worked in engineering and construction for over 25 years since graduation. His experience includes design and management of public works, commercial projects, and private land development. He has also served as City Engineer and member of the Board of Public Works for the City of East Chicago. John has been self-employed for the last 11 years and is the President of an engineering consulting firm which has evolved into Garcia Consulting. The company is currently a consultant to several Northwest Indiana communities and Midwestern private development clients. The company currently has a staff of fifteen employees.
John was reappointed Commissioner by then Governor Frank O'Bannon in 2001 and has served since July 1, 1997.
Commissioner Charles Gidney serves as Program Chair for the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the Richmond Campus of Ivy Tech Community College. He is a 2009 recipient of the college's President's Award for Excellence in Instruction and collaborated on the 2008 African American Male Summit, the first event of its kind to address the achievement gap and droup-out rates of African American Males in Richmond Community Schools.
A native of Chicago, he received his formal education in the Chicago Public Schools and graduated from Westinghouse Vocational High School. From there he went on to attend Grambling State University. After graduating from Grambling, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications, he returned to Chicago. There he worked in the Chicago Public Schools while working part time at WGN-TV.
He later joined the teaching staff of South Central Community Services, one of Chicago's alternative schools. It was there that he taught classes and coordinated the school's vocational education program. After receiving his Masters of Arts degree from Governors State University he began teaching at Olive Harvey College in Chicago. He also worked at WFLD-TV, the Fox affiliate in Chicago and the Fox sister station WXIN-TV/Fox 59 Indianapolis.
His other civic affiliations include being a member of Light of the World Christian Church of Indianapolis, The National Association of Black Journalists and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is also a supporter of Richmond's Townsend Community Center. Commissioner Gidney was appointed by Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. to serve as an Indiana Civil Rights commissioner in July 2006.
Mr. Ramos has spent the last 27 years with the IBM corporation in numerous management and leadership positions in worldwide strategy, sales support and customer relationship management. He is currently on IBM Headquarters staff as leader for World Wide Business Transformation and World Wide Technical Support Customer Satisfaction.
Mr. Ramos completed his undergraduate degree in 1978 from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois and received his MBA in 1998, from the University of Illinois Executive MBA program.
Mr. Ramos is actively involved in the Indianapolis community. He co-found the Indianapolis Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) an organization whose mission is to foster Hispanic leadership through education. He currently serves as President. Besides NSHMBA, Mr. Ramos serves on several boards in the Indianapolis community:
Board of Directors for the Indianapolis Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors for Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation
Ivy Tech College Technology Board
Indiana University / Purdue University Indianapolis Diversity Council
Greater Indianapolis Chamber Diversity Council
Mr. Ramos was appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels to serve as Indiana Civil Rights Commissioner on August 10, 2005.
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Front Row (listed from left to right) Alpha Blackburn, David Carter, Back Row (listed from left to right) Steven Ramos, Barry Baynard, Charles Gidney, Tehiji Crenshaw and John Garcia.


text:
Back in black
Turning up on my doorstep the other day was a package from a rather unknown company called ZOWIE who are based out of Taiwan and market gaming peripherals, of which they sent me the mouse/mat/bag combo to review.
The set contains an extremely large mousemat along with a re-branded and re-sprayed Microsoft IntelliMouse with USB to PS/2 adapter.
Some extra Teflon feet are provided as spares and finally a soft bag to keep the mouse in.
The mouse mat is rubber backed and fabric topped to aid tracking, but there are no details on the site about how accurate this material is.
The backing of the mat has a special screen print effect with the ZOWIE logo on it.


text: Getty Images [ 2014 MLB All-Star Game: Mike Trout Leads AL Over NL, 5-3 By Joe Student July 16, 2014 Angels outfielder Mike Trout drove in two runs with two extra-base hits, and the American League beat the National League, 5-3, in the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. Read More|Comment Category: Albany Area Sports, Current Events, Rhythmic, Rock, Sports Tags: all-star game, derek jeter, Mike Trout, mlb, mvp Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


text:
It's going to be a rough couple of episodes for Rick Castle.
First Look: Castle finds his father... but loses his daughter?
Castle Scoop: Who's playing Rick's father?
In our exclusive first look at the episode, Castle and Beckett meet Agent Harris for the first time — before Castle even knows Alexis is mixed up in this mess. Do you think he'll be able to take Harris' advice to heart once he learns the truth?Watch the sneak peek below. Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC.
Sign in to your TVGuide.com account
Or connect with:
See more »
Download the TV Guide app for iPhone, iPad and Android!


text:
Well this is what fans want to hear.
According to TSN's Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Florida Panthers want to make a decision regarding the No. 1 overall pick before they hit the Wells Fargo Center draft floor.
The Panthers intend on making their decision on whether or not to trade the pick before they get to the Draft floor…so, likely before 5pm.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 27, 2014
Dreger also mentions that there are a number of teams interested in the first pick, especially a few teams that do not have top 10 status.
Florida is considering a number of trade options for the 1st pick, including teams outside the top 10 offering current NHL players… — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 27, 2014
This is interesting, especially after it was made known that Dale Tallon, Florida's general manager, had received a few offers prior to today. The Flyers were already mentioned to be one of the league's "most aggressive teams" trying to trade up in the draft.
Dale Tallon is telling gm's he has 1 really good offer for 1st pick overall. Not sure he's going to take it. Other so-so offers as well.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 26, 2014
And earlier this week, Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Ron Hextall gave the city some insight on his plans for the draft.
Hextall didn't rule out trading up in the draft, either. It was alluded to that the Flyers had been interested in trading up in the draft and possibly for the No. 1 pick. Another name that has been thrown around has been Vincent Lecavalier, who has a big contract. With the recent trade of Scott Hartnell, anything can happen. Don't be surprised if you see any of this happen. (from the article)
So it looks like 5 p.m. will be the time that the decision is made, making it a deadline before a deadline. Could a big move be on the way in Philadelphia?
Be sure to check back with throughout the weekend as we are also privileged to announce that Buzz on Broad and the Orange Update will be live, covering the 2014 NHL Draft! For all of your news and updates, maybe even some trades and trade rumors, follow us on twitter @BuzzOnBroad and @TheOrangeUpdate. You can also follow @robgiannone , @DavidCattai , and @DannyRic25 for more draft talk.
You can follow @TheOrangeUpdate and @BuzzOnBroad on Twitter for all your latest offseason Flyers coverage.


text:
Bruce Arthur: Monster trade raises hope, expectations for Blue Jays
In Toronto, you wait. Whether you cheer for the hockey team, the basketball team, the baseball team, the CFL team, the soccer team, whoever, you wait for brighter days, for something better, for the good times. There are no good times here. There is just Godot, and he never comes.
Well, the Toronto Blue Jays are done waiting, pending the approval of Major League Baseball. The 12-player deal — at last count — they made with the fraudulent chop shop they call the Miami Marlins was a heist, talent-wise; the Jays added two front-of-the-rotation starters in Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, a star shortstop in Jose Reyes, and potentially useful pieces in catcher John Buck and speed merchant Emilio Bonifacio. They rid themselves of Yunel Escobar, who humiliated the franchise this season, and sent some youth and prospects and baubles south, though not their brightest ones.
Yes, that blockbuster trade looks awfully good on the Toronto Blue Jays. Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle lassoed in one glorious flip of the general manager's lariat? Suddenly, the Blue Jays are World Series contenders and Alex Anthopoulos is a genius again, or so goes the generally euphoric reaction.
But sober second thought brings to mind an ancient adage: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Unquestionably, Anthopoulos engineered a huge roster upgrade in his seven-for-five swap with the Miami Marlins. Reyes, one of baseball's most exciting players, is a switch-hitting leadoff man with splendid speed. At his best, Johnson has shown the stuff of a true ace. Buehrle has churned out 12 straight seasons of 200-plus innings.
With their talent and leadership, they should make the Jays a vastly improved team and the clubhouse a happier place than it was last season. But as well as a hefty price tag, each comes with significant questions.
Reyes and Johnson bring health concerns. The soft-tossing Buehrle brings a spotty record against the American League East. He will be 34 next season, raising another question: How long can he continue his remarkable consistency?
Officially, the deal is not done. This is one of the biggest trades in baseball history, and with 12 players summoned for physicals from various locales across North America, and a pile of paperwork involved, the official announcement probably will not come before Friday.
Certainly, Blue Jays fans have cause for optimism. In one stroke, Anthopoulos appears to have answered his need for two strong starting pitchers. He also added an all-star shortstop who is a proven offensive threat at the top of the order.
As well, the trade brings to the Jays a versatile speedster in Emilio Bonifacio, a switch-hitter who could wind up with a lot of playing time at second base or left field — assuming he can stay healthy, which he did not this year.
Even so, Bonifacio stole 30 bases in 64 games, giving him 70 steals in two years. Reyes stole 79 in the same period.
Reyes spent nine years with the New York Mets, becoming a fan favourite for his captivating all-around game and upbeat personality. He won a batting title and led the National League in triples for the fourth time in 2011 before signing a six-year, US$106-million contract with Miami.
But leg injuries have badgered Reyes throughout his career. Several hamstring strains have shelved him for long periods and he underwent surgery for a hamstring tear after playing only 36 games in 2009. Already, some have questioned how his legs will respond to playing on the Rogers Centre's artificial turf. He will turn 30 next season, an age when some speedsters start to slow down.
On the other hand, he played 160 games for Miami this year and made 716 plate appearances, his most since 2008.
Johnson, 28, has a career 3.15 ERA and can throw in the high 90s. But the 6-foot-7 right-hander needed Tommy John surgery in 2007, lost a month to back problems in 2010 and missed almost all of 2011 with shoulder inflammation.
In 31 starts this year Johnson had a 3.81 ERA, the highest for any full season in his career.
It is not uncommon for a pitcher coming back from shoulder problems to struggle the following season — Johnson's ERA was 4.83 at the end of May — but he showed signs of full recovery in September, when he logged a 2.91 ERA in five starts.
Buehrle spent his first 12 seasons pitching for the White Sox in the AL Central. Against the AL East, he often struggled. Over the past six seasons, he has a 5.26 ERA in 144 innings against the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays.
These are the principals in the high-stakes deal Anthopoulos swung Tuesday. If they avoid the disabled list and perform as they have when healthy in the past, they could lead a dynamic Toronto team to the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
Enduring injuries or declining performance would make that far less likely. But Anthopoulos is convinced the rewards outweigh the risks. Or perhaps he has not finished with this deal, as Johnson's agent suspects.
Speaking on The Fan 590's Jeff Blair Show on Wednesday, Matt Sosnick said other clubs had shown a willingness to overpay for Johnson and he would not be surprised if Anthopoulos flipped his client — or one of the other former Marlins — to another team.