“Kia’s Driving Creativity” Contest Will Inspire and Celebrate Design Leaders of Tomorrow

NEW YORK – JUNE 20, 2018 – Advertising Age, the leading source of news, intelligence and conversation for the global marketing and media community, announced today that it is partnering with Kia Motors America to spotlight design talent from accredited art schools across the country with the “Kia’s Driving Creativity” contest.

The contest is a challenge to design school students to produce a print ad that depicts an artistic representation of the award-winning Kia Stinger fastback sedan alongside a documentary-style video that explains the students’ vision behind the creative. The winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a $10,000 scholarship and a $5,000 grant which will be awarded to the winner’s school.

“At Kia, we are fueled by youth and design influences every aspect of the vehicles we produce. Styled and engineered by legends in the automotive industry, the Stinger brims with power, passion and performance and proves that Kia is different by design,” said Saad Chehab, vice president, marketing communications, Kia Motors America. “We are thrilled to share our passion for design and cultivate the innovators and stars of tomorrow.”

The contest will be announced by Ad Age on June 20, 2018, in France at the Ad Age Cannes Lawn Party. Entries will be accepted on the contest hub at www.kiasdrivingcreativity.com through September 30, 2018. Up to six finalists will be chosen by a panel comprised of Ad Age editorial board members and Kia Motors America brand executives and featured on AdAge.com. The grand prize winner will be chosen by the Ad Age online audience from October 15 – December 3, 2018. The winner will be announced on December 10, 2018.

“Our business celebrates youthful challengers, and we are proud to partner with Kia to help showcase the talents of the next generation of creative disruptors who can change the way we find meaning in marketing,” said Josh Golden, president and publisher, Ad Age.

About Kia Motors America
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands and 50 Best Global Green Brands by Interbrand. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly built in West Point, Georgia.*
For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts

About Ad Age
Ad Age is a daily must-read for an influential audience of decision makers and disruptors across the marketing and media landscape. Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy, and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. From vital print editions to must-attend events and innovative platform offerings, its industry-leading offerings include the coveted A-List & Creativity Awards, the Ad Age Next Conference, and proprietary data such as the Leading National Advertisers Report from the Ad Age Datacenter.

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Media Inquiries
Bonnie Rothman
aapr@adage.com
(914) 500-5150

FIRST RELEASE IS TRACK FROM RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER BRYNN ELLIOTT
“TIME OF OUR LIVES” OUT TODAY IN CELEBRATION OF ELLIOTT’S GRADUATION FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY
INSPIRING POP SINGLE FOLLOWS BREAKTHROUGH SINGLE, “MIGHT NOT LIKE ME”
“TIME OF OUR LIVES” EP ARRIVES LATER THIS YEAR

Atlantic Records and independent music publishing and artist development company Big Yellow Dog Music have joined forces in an exclusive label partnership. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Big Yellow Dog was founded by Co-owner/CEO Carla Wallace and Co-owner Kerry O’Neil. Over the past two decades, the company’s roster has been recognized with numerous accolades, including four GRAMMY® Awards; 34 #1 songs; four Song of the Year awards from ACM, BMI, and ASCAP; five ASCAP/BMI Pop awards; and many more.  This marks Big Yellow Dog’s first label venture.

The first release from the Big Yellow Dog/Atlantic partnership is the new track from rising singer/songwriter Brynn Elliott. “Time Of Our Lives” arrives today – the same day Elliott graduates from Harvard University, where she has spent the past four years studying philosophy while simultaneously earning attention for her uniquely provocative pop songcraft. Elliott’s debut EP, slated for release later this year, will also include her breakthrough single, “Might Not Like Me,” which has already drawn more than one million streams and counting.

Co-written with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue), the “TIME OF OUR LIVES” EP features a series of distinctive pop songs fueled in large part by Elliott’s studies at Harvard. Each of the five songs on the EP was inspired by a different philosopher or set of ideas, with “Time of Our Lives” drawing on Heidegger and existentialism and “Might Not Like Me” absorbing feminist critiques of Descartes into a buoyant and empowering pop anthem.  In addition to studying philosophy as song inspiration, the Atlanta-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist spent most of her weekends and summers on the road, playing over 200 shows both on her own and as special guest to such artists as Brandi Carlile, Grace Potter, and Alanis Morissette.

“I’ve been friendly with Carla and Kerry for a while and have always been impressed by their taste, sincerity, and successful early bets on creative talent who have gone on to incredible long-term careers,” said Atlantic President of A&R Pete Ganbarg. “The more we spoke about it, the more it seemed like a no-brainer to partner up.  And the fact that literally one day after our deal closed, Carla heard Brynn’s music for the first time is such incredible synchronicity that we couldn’t have made it up if we tried.  Brynn is a world-class talent who is just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s to come. All of us at Atlantic are thrilled to be working with both Brynn and Big Yellow Dog.”

“We couldn’t be happier to join with such a legendary label, and most importantly, to be able to work with Atlantic’s powerful team of highly innovative music lovers.” adds Co-owner/CEO of Big Yellow Dog Music, Carla Wallace.  “I’m delighted to be collaborating with Pete after all these years of friendship, and thank you to Craig, Julie, and Espo for believing in this exciting partnership. I couldn’t imagine starting this deal any other way than coming out of the gate with such an inspiring artist as Brynn Elliott. “

For more, please visit BRYNNELLIOTT.COM
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | ATLANTICRECORDS.COM

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From left to right: Nina Webb (SVP, Marketing for Atlantic Records), Julie Greenwald (Chairman & COO, Atlantic Records), Pete Ganbarg (President of A&R, Atlantic Records), Carla Wallace (Co-Owner & COO, Big Yellow Dog), Brynn Elliott, Bruce Flohr (Red Light Management), Nathan Chapman (Producer), Katie Hoaldridge (Red Light Management)

ABOUT ATLANTIC RECORDS
Atlantic Records celebrates its 70^th anniversary in 2018. Founded in New York City, the label literally grew from a one-room operation into one of the world’s most preeminent music companies. Atlantic has released a string of recordings that have had a profound impact on the course of modern music, its rich history including such musical icons as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, and Led Zeppelin. The Atlantic Records Group roster today includes many of the world’s most popular recording artists, among them Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Cardi B, Coldplay, David Guetta, Death Cab for Cutie, Lil Uzi Vert, Janelle Monae, Jason Mraz, Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, Charlie Puth, Skrillex, Sia, Sturgill Simpson, Twenty One Pilots, Rob Thomas, The War on Drugs, Wiz Khalifa and many more.

MORE ABOUT BIG YELLOW DOG MUSIC
The Big Yellow Dog catalog includes songs performed by Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum (including 2011’s GRAMMY® Song of the Year, “Need You Now”), Demi Lovato, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Charlie Puth, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Lane, Jason Derulo, Florida Georgia Line, DJ Khaled, Dierks Bentley, Cole Swindell, Fifth Harmony, Martina McBride, Michael Buble, Kacey Musgraves, and more. Big Yellow Dog’s film, television and brand division had over 400 placements in both 2016 and 2017, including soundtracks and campaigns for Big Little Lies, Apple, JC Penny, How To Get Away With Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, PetSmart, 13 Reasons Why, Weight Watchers, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Toyota, and many more.  For additional information, please visit www.bigyellowdogmusic.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Ballen
Publicity | Atlantic Records
212.707.2025
Kim.Ballen@atlanticrecords.com

BOSTON (May 21, 2018) – Cengage, an education and technology company, and VitalSource^®, the leading Inclusive Access provider for higher education institutions nationwide, announced today that they are expanding their existing collaboration to support the distribution, fulfillment and marketing of Cengage Unlimited.

Cengage and VitalSource work together to provide affordable and accessible learning materials for students nationwide. In 2017, more than a million students in the U.S. used VitalSource to access Cengage content. Beginning in August 2018, Cengage Unlimited will be available through the VitalSource E-commerce solutions and onsite campus stores, as well as through Cengage.com and numerous other channel partners.

Cengage Unlimited is the first-of-its-kind subscription service for digital higher education materials that gives students complete on-demand access to all Cengage digital resources for $119.99 per semester or $179.99 a year. The expanded collaboration with VitalSource will make Cengage Unlimited available to hundreds of thousands of U.S. students through www.vitalsource.com, partner campus stores, and VitalSource’s Inclusive Access model, which provides students immediate access to all required course materials on the first day of class at affordable prices.

In addition to distribution, VitalSource will power many of Cengage Unlimited’s 20,000 plus eTextbooks. The VitalSource platform gives Cengage Unlimited students both online and offline access to textbooks and course materials on all major operating systems and mobile devices, with the best accessibility and student ratings in the industry.

“At Cengage, we’re disrupting the traditional textbook publishing model with a focus on providing affordable access to high-quality digital learning materials for students,” said Todd Markson, Chief Strategy Officer at Cengage. “In working more closely with VitalSource, we will be able to reach even more students with our comprehensive subscription service. The collaboration with VitalSource continues the brisk momentum behind Cengage Unlimited.”

Students and faculty at more than 7,000 institutions will have the opportunity to access Cengage Unlimited.

“Ensuring students, stores and instructors have access to the best educational materials and experiences at more affordable, competitive price points has been the VitalSource mission for over twenty years, “said Pep Carerra, president of VitalSource. “This collaboration is the next generation of innovation in educational materials, reaching students where they are, and helping to provide options the way modern consumers expect and deserve. We couldn’t be more excited to distribute Cengage Unlimited and support it with our eTextbook platform, bringing both worlds seamlessly together for hundreds of thousands of students.”

For more information on Cengage Unlimited visit www.Cengage.com/unlimited. To learn more about VitalSource, visit get.vitalsource.com.

About VitalSource | get.vitalsource.com

VitalSource Technologies LLC, part of Ingram Content Group, is improving the learning experience by making it easier to create and deliver effective and affordable content. The preferred choice among educational institutions and companies for digital learning materials, VitalSource® helps over 1,000 educational content providers create and deliver seamless interactive learning experiences through its exclusive Bookshelf® platform to millions of learners at 7,000 institutions. Bookshelf users opened more than 20 million digital textbooks last year and read more than 3.4 billion pages. Follow VitalSource on Twitter at @VitalSource.

About Cengage
Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. As the largest US-based provider of teaching and learning materials for higher education, we offer valuable options at affordable price points. Our industry-leading initiatives include Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service.  We embrace innovation to create learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. Headquartered in Boston, Cengage also serves K-12, library and workforce training markets around the world. Visit us at www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

Media Contacts:
Lindsay Stanley
Cengage
203-965-8634
lindsay.stanley@cengage.com

Erin Shannon
VitalSource
617-314-3789
erin.shannon@vitalsource.com

Success Guaranteed; Crowd Wisdom and Machine Learning Personalize Prep Course to Increase Student Scores by 7 Points

BOSTON, MA – May 15, 2018 – Leveraging the power of data and artificial intelligence, online test prep company, examPAL, today announced the launch of its ground-breaking course to prepare students to take the GRE.  Using crowd wisdom and machine learning, examPAL’s algorithm identifies what has been statistically proven to be the best way to solve each question on standardized tests, and develops a personalized prep course for each student. The latest in its pioneering test prep courses, examPAL’s GRE prep platform draws on each student’s unique way of thinking and learning to identify the best way for each student to master the GRE.

“Through the power of AI, each student prepares for the GRE in an entirely personalized way,” explained CEO and co-founder Oren Jackman.  “examPAL improves a student’s cognitive flexibility, finding the fastest tool to solve each question. examPAL guarantees success.  A student using the GRE prep platform can increase his/her GRE score by at least 7 points.”

Rather than being cemented in traditional and outdated test prep approaches, examPAL provides a new way, harnessing data on both the test and the test-taker.  The result is a personalized test-prep path that identifies the fastest approach to each question.  This personalized and interactive experience is unlike anything available on the market today.

“examPAL has been recognized for its break-through learning technology,” CEO Jackman continued.  “By studying the way each user thinks, and studying all solution approaches used by dozens of thousands of students from 156 countries, examPAL provides each student with proven, tailor-made prep sessions, based on his or her personal way of thinking.  The result is higher scores, faster.”

Start A Free Trial

ExamPAL.com is as affordable as it gets – there is no charge for students to start preparing for the GRE.

About examPAL

examPAL resulted from the combined talents of more than 50 people from multiple industries, including educators, trainers, data scientists, and interactive programmers.  Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the test prep industry, examPAL uses artificial intelligence and crowd wisdom to create a unique learning path for each student, identifying the best way for him/her to solve standardized test problems quickly.  In a very short time, examPAL has received multiple industry awards and recognitions, including being and SXSWEdu and Microsoft Innovate.AI finalist (chosen among 8 other AI companies out of 117) and winning the Google sponsored DLD Innovation bronze award. examPAL offers online test prep courses for both the GMAT and GRE, and has served more than 35,000 students in 156 countries.  examPAL students awarded it 5 stars and 9.5/10 on Trustpilot.

About the GRE

The GRE – Graduate Record Exam – was developed in 1949 and administered by Educational Testing Service to provide graduate and business schools with common measures for comparing applicants’ qualifications and preparedness for graduate-level academic work.  More than 580,000 people take the standardized GRE annually.

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Contact:
Josef Blumenfeld
EdTech180
JosefBlumenfeld@gmail.com

Budgeting is incredibly challenging, especially as a college student. From worrying about the ever-increasing cost of housing, to meal plans and tuition – it’s a lot. Not to mention school supplies and books! You are not alone in the pain of preparing for a new semester, so here are five tips on how to save money this fall.

Cut Coffee Consumption

College is rough and it’s hard not to bite, literally, into the temptations of all the convenient campus fast foods and coffee shops. Whether you spend $5 a day on Starbucks, or $2 on a vending machine snack, it can add up. In fact, ABC News discussed a study that found the average American spends about $1,100 a year on coffee alone. By investing in a coffee maker this fall (some pots are as cheap as $25, that’s less than a week’s worth of coffee shop drinks), or packing snacks, you can minimize the amount of money you spend on campus food, and thus maximize savings.

Walk, Bike or take Public Transportation

Uber and Lyft are incredibly convenient options for getting around, especially when you are running late for class across campus. However, the costs can add up if it becomes a habit. Check out the public transportation in your area, where students often receive a discount, or your institution’s bus services, which are often free! Or, even better, consider leaving yourself a few extra minutes to bike or walk across campus. Not only is this cost-effective but it’s a great way to get fresh air and stay in shape.

Shop Around for Course Materials

Books are one of the most expensive parts of college but they don’t have to be! Your university will often carry copies of textbooks at the library for you to check out when you need it. If your friends have previously taken the course, ask to borrow their book if they purchased it.

In addition, check out Cengage Unlimited, a new subscription where students pay a one-time fee of $119.99 per term ($179.99 per year) to get access to all the digital learning platforms, online homework & study tools, as well as ebooks that Cengage offers. For students who need to purchase multiple books, this is a great tool because you can get all your materials in one place, and access all the other study tools Cengage offers for about the cost of just one book! And, if you want print, you can receive a free print rental at no cost – just pay $7.99 for shipping. Figure out how much you can save today by using the Cengage Unlimited Calculator.

Score Student Savings

Don’t overlook college student discounts – they’re an easy way to save money throughout your time as a student. Many stores, like Banana Republic, Topshop and ASOS, all offer discounts if you have a valid student ID. Amazon Prime also offers a 6-month free trial for students and the New York Times offers access to all publications for $1! Apple, Dell, Spotify and Microsoft give significant student discounts, as well. Find out if your university offers Microsoft products for free as many colleges do.

Plan Courses According to Expenses

The classes you take and the professor teaching it can make a huge difference in the course materials you’ll need. Some professors might require a subscription to a news service, while others may require three different textbooks. This could be the difference between spending $20 and $200.

To better prepare, check out websites like Rate My Professors, where students often mention whether the materials are required or just recommended. If, for instance, you know that one professor requires an expensive book or a digital program, plan to take that class when you don’t have many other expenses. Scheduling classes with this in mind can help you plan accordingly and minimize the amount you spend.

-Kat Humphries

Kat Humphries is a freshman majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of Akron. She works as a Student Ambassador for Cengage and is a Student Assistant for the Engineering Department at her University. In her free time, she is an assistant debate coach for high school students and a writer for Her Campus Akron.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, is currently accepting applications for its 2018-2020 Council of Students. The Council, comprised of student vice presidents from chapters across the nation, serves as the student engagement committee for the Society.

Established in 2007, the Council is tasked with enhancing communication with Phi Kappa Phi’s student vice presidents, planning and hosting a student leadership conference, and interacting with student vice presidents in the Society’s five divisions, among other tasks.

The Council of Students will be comprised of no fewer than five members, representative of the student membership as a whole. These students will gain valuable leadership skills and will communicate regularly with staff at the national office and the two student representatives who serve on the Board of Directors.

“Being part of the Council made me feel an important part of my chapter. I made sure to help others feel important and essential as well,” said Ana Lu Ramirez, a 2016-2018 Council of Students member. “I mobilized my chapter and we accomplished events and chapter growth. We hosted a book drive and a member drive. It was a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend it to all the students.”

The Council will meet for the first time at the 2018 Convention in Minneapolis from August 1-4 with all expenses covered by Phi Kappa Phi. The Council will also be expected to attend and take a leadership role in the Student Leadership Summit held in July 2019. The opportunity to serve on the Council requires a commitment to serve through the 2020 biennium, when the Society selects its next Council of Students. The selected Council members must maintain student status at their institution for at least one full year of the two-year term served on the Council.

“The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has given me numerous opportunities to expand my horizons outside the academic setting and get engaged in the community services,” said Amreen Mughal, a 2016-2018 Council of Students member. “Council of Students is a platform for me to connect with hundreds of other chapters to learn and effectively share new ideas to fulfill the motto of the Society, ‘Let the love of learning rule humanity.’”

Current Phi Kappa Phi student vice presidents interested in applying should visit www.phikappaphi.org/council to download the application and access full eligibility requirements. The deadline to apply is May 25, 2018.

About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

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CONTACT
Hannah Breaux
Communications Director
hbreaux@phikappaphi.org
225.923.7777

App Combines Best of Credit and Debit, Automatically Paying Off Credit Card Purchases and Helping Millennial’s Build Their Credit History

BETHESDA, M.D. (April 30, 2018) – As millions of college students prepare to graduate, Washington DC-based startup Debx has launched a new personal finance app that helps them build their credit history without racking up debt, by combining the perks of credit cards with the peace of mind and simplicity of a debit card.

Many recent college graduates are just now learning how vital good credit history is, whether they want to get a car loan or secure an apartment. But it turns out many are avoid using or even applying for credit cards, afraid of the debt and high interest rates that accompany them.

In fact, according to a recent survey, 33% of millennials are afraid of credit card debt more than anything else, compared to only 20% responding that their greatest fear was death1. With credit card debt rising to over $1.02 trillion by 20172, and the average American consumer carrying $5,290 in credit card balances, millennials have good reasons for being wary.

But avoiding credit cards entirely has its own downsides: recent grads often have a hard time building good credit without them, and they miss out on the many other benefits credit cards offer, such as rewards points, cashback, and consumer protections from fraud and theft.

“When college students graduate, they are often unsure how to build their credit or manage their personal finances, and are maybe even a little intimidated,” says Ben Psillas, Founder of Debx. “They leave school with tons of student loans, and they want to avoid getting deeper in debt. But, they need to start building their credit history, and credit cards are one of the best ways to establish that.”

Debx’s aim is to help college grads avoid the pitfalls of credit cards, staying out of debt while still taking advantage of the many perks they offer.

By linking users’ credit cards and checking accounts, Debx pays off credit card balances automatically, or at the push of a button, allowing user’s credit cards to effectively function as a debit card, and avoid amassing large balances. Customizable rules such as Auto-Pay automatically pays off purchases below a certain amount, while Shutoff Balance automatically stops auto-payments when the balance in a user’s checking account dips below a set limit. As a result, users can use their credit card as they would for everyday purchases, earning credit card reward points, miles and cash back, but without the risk of overspending – and the infamous high interest rates and late fees such overspending invites.

The app also reinforces good spending habits by tracking credit card spending and balances, sending users notifications and reminders, and giving them updates on what rewards they have earned and how much using their credit card saves them. Users can see all their credit cards in one place, keeping an eye on their balances, spending and payments and knowing exactly where their money is going.

“College grads should feel confident when using credit,” says Psillas, “and by letting them stay on top of their balances, avoid debt and reap all the rewards that credit cards have to offer – while practically on auto-pilot – Debx will help them build that confidence and feel good about how they spend their money.”

Debx is available free for iOS in the iTunes Store. Enrollment takes less than 90 seconds, and Debx links with most major credit card lenders, including American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Discover, Wells Fargo and many more. To learn more, visit www.debx.co

About Debx: 
Debx is a free personal finance app for college graduates and millennials that keeps consumers out of debt by automatically paying off their everyday credit card purchases. By linking users’ existing credit cards and checking account, Debx allows them to use their credit card like a debit card, helping them earn more rewards, build credit, and enjoy the security of a credit card, while avoiding interest charges and fees. For more information, visit debx.co or follow Debx on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Ben Psillas
Founder
ben@debx.co
202-297-3596

1. Credible.com, February 13, 2018, Survey: Millennials Fear Credit Card Debt More Than Threat of War and Dying
2. MarketWatch, August 8, 2017, “American’s Now Have the Highest Credit Card Debt in U.S. History”. Federal Reserve

Top-rated stress and anxiety management mobile app Pacifica offers students full access to mental health tools to help combat end-of-semester stress.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 — Pacifica, the #1 mental health mobile app, announced today that it is giving free Premium access to students, faculty, and staff, in order to help them manage the stress and anxiety related to final exams.

“We understand how stressful the end of the semester can be for students,” said Dale Beermann, CEO and Co-Founder of Pacifica Labs. “With so many different priorities competing for your attention, it’s important to take a break and destress. Pacifica can help you find a few minutes in your schedule to reset and find time to relax.”

Pacifica’s mobile app is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness concepts, designed to help students learn new techniques for managing stress and anxiety. The app’s tools include mood and health habit tracking tools, relaxing guided audio meditations, and more.

“Usually when you feel like you don’t have the time to relax is when you need to relax the most,” said Christine Moberg, Ph.D., Head of Psychology at Pacifica Labs. “Pacifica’s tools are easy and convenient to use to help manage stress in just a few minutes a day.”

According to the National College Health Association’s Spring 2017 National College Health Assessment Survey, 44.8% of students reported their overall stress level over the past 12 months as being above average. High stress levels can have an effect on academic performance.

“Students often get stressed out about exams, which can negatively impact their ability to focus on studying, or affect sleep habits,” Moberg said. “Doing some deep breathing before a test, or listening to a sleep meditation before bed to calm your mind are easy ways to improve mental wellness.”

Now through June 15, students, faculty, and staff can download Pacifica in the App Store or Google Play and sign up with a .edu email address. Once they’ve validated their email, they will get free Premium access through June 15 (normally $8.99/month). Existing users with validated .edu email addresses will be also given Premium access through June 15.

“Part of our mission at Pacifica is to make mental health care more accessible for everyone,” Beermann said. “Using technology to put CBT tools in the hands of students during the end of semester crunch is one way that we can do that.”

About Pacifica Labs
Founded in 2014, Pacifica Labs is a mental health technology innovator based in San Francisco. Pacifica’s mobile and web application empowers people to manage their stress, anxiety and depression using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques. In addition to its iOS and Android consumer apps, Pacifica Labs also offers Pacifica for Clinicians, a dashboard tool designed to help mental health care providers leverage the app with their patients and improve treatment effectiveness, and Pacifica for Edu, a comprehensive platform to bring mental health tools to the entire student population on college campuses. https://www.thinkpacifica.com/

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Media Contacts
Ashley Toy
Head of Marketing
Pacifica Labs
ashley@thinkpacifica.com

1,000 students to receive free access to the first-of-its-kind, all-access subscription for course materials

KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 20, 2018 — Cengage, an education and technology company, today announced it is providing 1,000 college students with a free semester of Cengage Unlimited, the new subscription service for college course materials. The announcement was made by Cengage CEO Michael Hansen at PTK Catalyst 2018, the Society’s annual convention, in Kansas City.

Cengage Unlimited is a first-of-its-kind subscription service that gives students access to all the company’s digital higher education materials — more than 22,000 products across 70 disciplines and 675 courses— for $119.99/semester, no matter how many Cengage materials they use.

The subscriptions will be made available through a partnership with the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Foundation. PTK is the international honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges.

“The cost of course materials, which can rival tuition at some two-year schools, can have a big impact on whether college students are successful,” said Michael Hansen, CEO, Cengage. “With an affordable subscription to high quality, proven course materials, we’re removing those barriers and increasing access to learning. These awards demonstrate our commitment to giving students a more impactful, quality learning experience.”

Students pursuing associate degrees deal with many financial challenges. More than half face food and housing insecurity and nearly 13% experience some form of homelessness, according to recent reports.

“While PTK members have very similar financial struggles as other college students, they dramatically outperform their peers in completion and transfer outcomes,” said PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “We appreciate Cengage’s investment in their success.”

PTK Members and alumni attending a U.S. college or university can enter online at http://www.ptk.org/cengage. Cengage Unlimited will launch in August 2018 and subscriptions can be used for the 2018/19 academic year. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2018.

For more information about Cengage Unlimited, please visit Cengage.com/unlimited or stop by the Cengage booth at PTK Catalyst, April 19-21.

About Cengage
Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. As the largest US-based provider of teaching and learning materials for higher ed, we offer valuable options at affordable price points. Our industry-leading initiatives include Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service.  We embrace innovation to create learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. Headquartered in Boston, Cengage also serves K-12, library and workforce training markets around the world. Visit us at www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations. Learn more at ptk.org.

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Media Contact
Kristina Massari
Cengage
203-965-8694
kristina.massari@cengage.com

“‘Epic historical military fantasy’ sounds like a whole lot of book—in a good way. When Rin tests into the most elite military school in her country, it’s good and bad: her classmates are horrible, but she discovers an unexpected power. Though it’s not a YA book, The Poppy War’s cover copy reminds me of both Eon and An Ember in the Ashes: magical powers, intense school, and harrowing conflict. Yes, please.” 

Tor.com, “The Books We’re Looking Forward to in 2018”

Georgetown student R.F. Kuang makes her literary debut
with a brilliantly imaginative novel inspired by the history of China’s modern history.
The novel is imbued with treachery and magic, much in the tradition of
Ken Liu’s The Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s The Inheritance Trilogy.

When Georgetown University student R.F. Kuang was inspired by her undergraduate studies in Chinese history to write a fantastical reimagining of China’s insurgent modern history, she never imagined that her finished manuscript, the first in a projected three-part trilogy, would go into heated auction amongst America’s top science fiction publishers.  And when Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins publishers, acquired her work on Kuang’s 20^th birthday, there was certainly ample reason to celebrate.  THE POPPY WAR, which will be released in hardcover format on May 1, 2018 (just a few days before the author’s graduation ceremony), is one of the imprint’s most anticipated releases of the year.  “We’re incredibly excited to publish THE POPPY WAR, and to be working with R.F. Kuang, who is an incredible new talent in the speculative fiction industry,” says Voyager editorial director David Pomerico.  “Set in a world full of magic, but based on Chinese history, the blending of military fantasy and coming-of-age narrative hits all the notes popular in the genre today.  Kuang combines cultural authenticity with personal creativity at a time when both qualities are very much demanded by readers.”

The author, a student of geopolitics, notes in a recent interview with The Hoya newspaper, “(THE POPPY WAR) is about the domestic politics, military strategy and interpersonal dynamics of the most important figures of 20th century China, but everything is transposed to a Song dynasty setting…I’m interested in military history and collective memory. That is, how wars are fought, and how we remember them.”

Kuang continues to work on the second and third book in the series, and plans to finish writing the trilogy this summer, before she moves to the United Kingdom for her graduate program at Cambridge University.

About the Book:
Rin knows that the only way out of her village–and an arranged marriage she doesn’t want–is to test into the elite military academy at Sinegard. When Rin aces the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it is a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who had believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, in realizing she is finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence.

The first thing Rin learns upon arriving at academy is that being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

About the Author:

R. F. Kuang is a graduate of the 2016 Odyssey Writing Workshop. She studies Chinese history at Georgetown University, and has recently been awarded a Marshall Scholarship.  Kuang will continue her studies of the legacy of warfare in China at Cambridge University in the fall.   The Poppy War is her debut novel.

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Media Contact:
Pamela Jaffee
212.207.7495
Pamela.Jaffee@harpercollins.com