Successful Entrepreneurs and Philanthropists Team Up to Open New Innovative College in Los Angeles

Fremont College Prepares Students for 21st Century Economy and Immediate Employment

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With one in seven Los Angeles residents living in poverty and the county facing an unemployment rate of 13 percent, several successful Los Angeles entrepreneurs and prominent philanthropists announced today they have combined their resources to combat this trend by opening Fremont College's second campus in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles.  Designed for students who desire to complete their associate and bachelor degrees with the skills demanded by 21st-century employers, Fremont College officially opens with programs teaching business acumen, legal studies and technology (BLT), along with design and wellness.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101104/FCLOGO)

"Businesses in the United States spend $120 billion each year training their employees, but 'training' needs to begin long before people join the workforce," said Dr. Sabrina Kay, chancellor of Fremont College and graduate of the Work-Based Learning Leadership Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  "While there may be little immediate gratification fighting the bureaucracy of the current K-12 school system, our higher education system has a lot more agility and potential to make an immediate impact in our economy."

Fremont College offers seven programs at levels from diploma to bachelor degree using the Professional Action Learning^® teaching methodology, a proven instructional model which blends in-class interaction with online training and creates a collaborative learning environment for all learners.  With a foundation in "BLT," a Fremont graduate can become an Internet marketer, fashion designer, web developer, entrepreneur, legal professional, store manager, spa manager, sports therapist or education leader.

"We hear a lot of talk about preparing students for the 21st-century economy, but Fremont College takes action and actually implements a teaching program that does just that," said Ambassador Frank Baxter, chairman of Fremont College's Board.  "We applaud Fremont College for its efforts in improving students' lives and the future effect this will have on the local economy."  

In addition to Dr. Kay and Ambassador Baxter, the college has the active collaboration and partnership of several notable advisory board members and trustees such as Panda Restaurant Group founder Andrew Cherng, Capital Guardian Trust Company President Andy Barth, William E. Simon & Sons co-founder Bill Simon, LA Sports & Entertainment Commission President Kathryn Schloessman, University of Southern California Sports and Entertainment Business Chair and best-selling author Dr. Mark Young, former District Attorney Gil Garcetti, Chivas USA CEO Shawn Hunter and ClubCorp CEO Eric Affeldt, among others.  

About Fremont College

Tracing back to its roots to the founding of Platt College in 1879, Fremont College has served Southern California students since 1986, and operates two campuses in Cerritos and Los Angeles. With a mission of closing the gap between the traditional classroom and the 21st-century workforce, Fremont College offers accredited degree programs in Design, Business, Legal Studies, and Wellness (Sports and Massage Therapy). Fremont's Paralegal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association. Fremont's interactive and collaborative learning model, Professional Action Learning^®, trains students through diverse instructional methods, teamwork, and collaboration. Due to its effective learning model, students complete the program faster – 15 months for Associate level degrees and 30 months for Bachelor degrees. The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). For more information, visit www.fremont.edu or call 1-800-FREMONT.

About Dr. Sabrina Kay

After a successful career as an entrepreneur in various fields including fashion, banking, education and finance, Dr. Kay went back to school and earned three graduate degrees (MBA at USC, Masters of Education at University of Pennsylvania, and her doctorate at the Wharton School), studying brain competencies and human motivation for learning and developed an effective and collaborative learning model, Professional Action Learning^®. Dr. Kay became chancellor of Fremont College in 2007 and in just three years, its graduate placement rate increased to more than 90 percent, from 41 percent in 2006.* As an immigrant to the United States, who has dedicated her professional life to empowering others, Dr. Kay has invested her personal funds and taken on this project as her life legacy, working tirelessly to transform Fremont College into a premier education center. She will be honored with the Humanitarian Award on November 9 at the Beverly Hilton by International Medical Corps, after receiving the Education Award in February from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for her work with After-School All Stars.

* Placement rate is defined as the percentage of graduates available for placement who obtained a position in their field of study within six months of graduation.  

SOURCE Fremont College