Riverside City College celebrated the Applied Digital Media and Printing’s centennial anniversary, featuring renovated facilities and a million-dollar gift from Janet Steiner.
The program has a long history of excellence in graphic communication education, starting in 1921. The program is the only California community college-based program accredited by PrintEd, dedicated to all aspects of commercial printing, with accreditation in five additional key industry areas of commercial printing and graphic design. Many local printing experts have been trained through the program at RCC over the past 100 years.
The highlight of the event was honoring Steiner, a leader in the commercial printing industry in the region. Steiner recently retired after a 36-year career overseeing Thoro Packaging, a company her father and mother founded in 1967 in Corona. Steiner has donated over a million dollars to the Applied Digital Media (ADM) and Printing program. Her largest donation - a Heidelberg SpeedMaster SX 52 press - was recently installed in the Technology A Building. The printing press will be used by students to learn automation, digital workflow, packaging, and printing production.
“I believe we need to exponentially leverage the opportunity in front of us. Having state-of-the-art printing equipment at Riverside City College accompanied by the Thoro Packaging Printing Scholarship, sponsored by Heidelberg USA, gives the College and the District a leg up for the trades,” Steiner said. “Traditional college is not for everyone, but learning skills to ensure you have an equitable future should be. This equipment will bring the trades back to life and act as a stepping-stone in building a strong Inland Empire workforce. It is critical that the leadership of the Riverside Community College District and those running the printing program raise awareness of this technology to maximize the opportunity.”
With the assistance of Lou Caron, president of the Printing Industry Association of Southern California, RCC was identified as the beneficiary of Steiner’s gift. College leaders worked with Steiner for more than 2½ years on the donation.
Heidelberg USA is a worldwide leader in the print media industry. Earlier this year, Heidelberg USA established the Thoro Packaging Printing Scholarship. The scholarship will provide $5,000 per year for the next five years to benefit students pursuing a degree in commercial printing from the College's ADM and Printing program.
“With the introduction of this new scholarship program, we have opened the door to a brighter future for countless students,” Patrick Scullin, faculty director of the ADM and Printing program, said. “The gift of education is one of the most precious and valuable things we can give, and we are filled with thankfulness for the opportunity to provide it. By investing in our student’s education, we are investing in the future of our society, creating a positive impact that will ripple out for generations to come.”
In the end, the good news kept rolling as Steiner announced she worked a deal with Zund America, a second-generation company manufacturing in Alstatten Switzerland. She has secured a Zund S3 M800 Digital Cutting Table for the print lab. Martin Thornton, business segment manager for Zund America, announced that the table is valued at $100,000 and should further allow the ADM and Printing program to educate individuals interested in working in the print industry.
FeRita Carter, Ph.D., interim president of RCC, called the day the start of a new 100-year era. Meanwhile, Marie Thermidor, a community relations specialist who worked closely with Steiner offered thanks from the Riverside Community College Foundation.
“On behalf of the RCCD Foundation, we appreciate and embrace Mrs. Steiner's commitment to improving the lives of our students at RCCD,” she said. “It is donors like Jan, with her love and passion for serving, who make a difference in our community. We thank her for choosing RCC and for being someone we can count on!”
For more on the ADM and Printing program and classes go to RCC.edu/tomorrow.