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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Woodbury’s Annual Scholarship Gala Goes Green

More than 650 people attended Woodbury University’s annual scholarship benefit gala at the Beverly Hilton this weekend, with the theme & #260;Viva Verde! What’s Green, What’s New, What’s Green with You? The event is a vital source of scholarship dollars for Woodbury, where 86 percent of the students require financial aid and where over 70 percent are the first in their family to attend college. The black tie affair featured a silent auction and a fashion show presented by the Department of Fashion Design, where 18 senior students showcased their lines of “green” couture using sustainable or recycled materials. From feathered skirts and pink mini dresses inspired by Japanese Kimonos, to a white silk straight jacket dress with wrapped sleeves, the students let their imaginations soar, finding inspiration in everything from the Amazon Rainforest to the movie Silence of the Lambs. Five students, whose work was judged by fashion industry professionals, received achievement awards at the event. Colleen Ann Patterson won a Technical Award for her line “Eco-Organism” inspired by the human body; Efi Green won the Creative Award for a line inspired by 1920’s silhouettes called “Alley Cat”; Debbie Vilchez won an Eco-Friendliness Award for her line “Eclectic Elements”; Jade Yee-Gorn won the Concept and Presentation Award for a line inspired by Silence of the Lambs; and Carla Moran won the Best of Couture Award with a line titled “Yellow Bird”. With meteorologist and reporter Josh Rubenstein of CBS 2 and KCAL 9 as the master of ceremonies, the event also honored two individuals and one corporation for being socially responsible in their fields, in line with the evening’s “green” theme. Architect Thom Mayne received the Leadership in Architecture Award for his work developing energy efficient buildings. Through his Los Angeles based architecture firm Morphosis, Mayne has completed projects such as the San Francisco Federal Building, which was designed to be a ‘green’ building consuming less than half the power of a standard office tower. It is the first naturally ventilated office building on the west coast since the advent of air conditioning. The building also features elevators which stop on every third floor to promote employee interaction and health. Ray Anderson was presented with the Leadership in Design Award for leading his company to pursue its “Mission Zero” promise to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment by 2020. His company, Interface, the world’s largest producer of commercial floor coverings, plans to do this through the redesign of processes and products, new technologies and reducing or eliminating waste and harmful emissions. The company Johnson Controls, which provides innovative automotive interiors, offers products and services that optimize energy use for buildings, and also provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid-electric vehicles, received the Leadership in Business Award. Andrea Alegria

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