BROOKS INSTITUTE GRADUATE TO RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AWARD

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (February 12, 2009) – Brooks Institute Visual Journalism program graduate, Jacob Foko has been selected by the Career College Association to receive a 2009 GREAT Award in recognition of excellence, achievement and talent. The GREAT Award program is designed to recognize recent graduates of the nation’s accredited, private, postsecondary colleges and universities who have excelled academically and demonstrated extraordinary talent in their field. The award recipients are also graduates who had to overcome great odds to achieve his or her educational goals. There were more than 130 nominees nationally, from which four winners were chosen.

“It is a tremendous honor for both Brooks Institute and Foko that he is going to receive this prestigious award. When Foko graduated from the Visual Journalism Program in June of 2008, he was selected as the student speaker for his class. Foko also received the Outstanding Achievement Award, the highest student honor bestowed by Brooks Institute to one of its graduates,” said Dr. Roger C. Andersen, Brooks Institute President.

After years of photographing images detailing the poverty and life struggles that reigned over the existence of people in his home of Cameroon, Africa, Foko began using images to give a voice to the people who could not speak for themselves. His humanitarian efforts awarded him a nomination for a humanitarian photojournalism contest organized by the Global Health Council and brought him to the United States in May 2003. Although he did not win the contest, he knew that photojournalism was his calling.

“I chose to study photography and visual journalism to maintain my quest for the truth. I wanted to show the real face of this world, both the beautiful and the ugly. Though it may be correct that a picture is worth a thousand words, it’s the truth behind them that matters the most,” explained Foko.

He remained in the U.S. and studied English on the east coast. During this time he researched photography schools, and discovered Brooks Institute.

“I came to realize that the school’s rigorous program would ensure that I learned all the software, programs, hardware, digital techniques and skills I needed to be successful. After realizing all this, I grabbed my camera and jumped on a bus going out of DC. Three days, seven busses and eight rolls of film later, I made it to Santa Barbara,” said Foko.

Upon hearing that he was receiving the 2009 GREAT Award in recognition of his efforts, Foko shared, “It felt as if all the work I had put in these past few years had amounted to something and had been recognized. Moments later, I was hit by another realization, there was still far more work to be done. This was not the finish line, it was still only the start of a long journey whose path was still to be determined. I looked up and thanked God for the opportunity. You see to me, that’s what this was to me, an opportunity.”

Foko will receive the GREAT Award at a special awards breakfast to be held in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Members of congress and their staff will be present for the awards ceremony. President Andersen will also be participating in the awards ceremony.

About Global Humanitarian Photojournalists
Global Humanitarian Photojournalists (GHP), a non profit organization, was the brainchild of Jacob Foko. As the founder of the Cameroon Association of Humanitarian Photojournalists based in Cameroon, Africa, it was his deep desire to start a similar organization here in United States and provide humanitarian services globally. He hopes to continue to raise awareness of his project all around the world. For more information on his documentary visit http://www.globalhp.org

About Brooks Institute
Brooks Institute celebrates more than 60 years of educating students in the visual and media arts. With campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, the school offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography. Brooks´ graduates are visible nationally and internationally, working for distinguished organizations including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Los Angeles Times and other national media outlets, including Hallmark Publishing, Cousteau Society, HBO, Kodak and other industry leaders in the visual media arts fields. Brooks is part of the Career Education Corporation network of schools (NASDAQ: CECO). For more information about Brooks Institute and the school’s programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.