How can students empower themselves to succeed, choose life paths that inspire them, and make decisions that truly lead to happiness? Especially in a challenging economy, how can we rise above the negative projections to create abundance?

The 2011 Pierce College Film Festival “Student Empowerment” will feature philosophical, motivating documentaries and narrative films that answer these life-defining questions. The week-long Festival is open to the entire Pierce College community and will feature panel discussions, student art contests, an award ceremony and a wrap party.

Screenings will include Stand and Deliver, Accepted, Tuesdays with Morrie, Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture, Stephen Hawkings: A Brief History of Time, The Secret, and Apple Founder Steve Jobs’ Graduation Speech at Stanford University. Film synopsis and schedule will be posted at www.piercecollege.edu/filmfestival and at the Great Hall.

The Festival runs May 16 to May 19 and is open and free to the Pierce community of students, faculty, staff and administrators. It is co-sponsored by the Pierce Cinema Club and the Pierce Diversity Committee, which is made up of representatives campus-wide, including area deans, faculty, classified staff, the Academic Senate, supervisors and student representatives.

The winning art and photographs will be displayed before the festival begins at a prominent campus location. Student prizes ranging from $75 to $200 will be awarded to the first, second and third place student contestants in each entry. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the last day of the festival.

For more details and the Student Contest Entry Form, go to www.piercecollege.edu/filmfestival and click on Student Entry Form. Deadline for submissions is May 12, 2011. Student contest winners will be announced following the screening and panel discussion of the inspiring 2005 commencement speech by Apple founder Steve Jobs. Everyone is invited to a wrap party following the award presentation on May 19 in the Great Hall.