The Best Success and Business Practices as Step by Step Actions

Carlsbad, CA, April 23, 2015-Brad McMurrey’s The Success Ladder will enable young professionals to stand out from the crowd with decades of extra experience at their fingertips. The book is a comprehensive 30 year collection of motivational, self-improvement, and work-related “how to” knowledge from hundreds of sources organized as more than 500 specific actions.

Readers are shown explicitly how to get motivated, assess and improve their characteristics, capabilities, and behavior, then set and achieve their goals. At work they’ll know step by step how to perform: Time Management, Weekly Planning, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Leadership, Public Speaking, Marketing, Project Planning and Execution, Negotiation, and many more work activities.

The Success Ladder is the perfect complement to a student’s classroom education and provides a detailed blueprint for personal and career success. “I’ve done the research to compile the best ideas and advice on these subjects so readers don’t have to,” said Brad. “They can save countless hours and avoid serious mistakes.”

“An outline for top rung success…definitely a book that would have benefited me and propelled my career upward…a real asset to anyone, especially those fresh out of college,” said R.T. Sedgwick, PhD., a retired research scientist and principal investigator.

Brad McMurrey is retired after years of managing the development of multi-million dollar computer systems. He has also written The Love Ladder, a collection of the great relationship ideas to find and grow love. The print books are $9.99 at Amazon; eBooks are $4.99. Read more with order links to Amazon and the iBookstore at http://www.loveandsuccessladders.com/

Contact: bradmcvv@gmail.com
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CONTACT:
Brad McMurrey, B.S., M.A., C. Phil.
7890 Paseo Almendro
Carlsbad CA 92009
bradmcvv@gmail.com
Phone: 760-942-6468
http://www.loveandsuccessladders.com/

Bethesda, Maryland, April 24, 2015 – Recent meningococcal meningitis outbreaks on U.S. college campuses illustrate the importance of vaccination against this devastating and potentially deadly infection. In recognition of World Meningitis Day, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) urges all students, their parents, and healthcare professionals, both on campuses and in the surrounding communities, to learn more about the disease and how to prevent it.

“College campuses are a focus of meningococcal disease prevention efforts because outbreaks are more likely to occur in these crowded living and learning environments,” says Carol J. Baker, MD, NFID past-president and professor of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. “But even for those not on college campuses, the risk of getting meningococcal meningitis increases during adolescence and young adult years.”

Although rare, the disease can progress rapidly, killing an otherwise healthy individual in less than 48 hours. It also leaves up to 20 percent of survivors with permanent and serious complications such as hearing loss, brain damage, and amputation. The disease is spread through air droplets and direct contact with an infected person, such as kissing, sharing beverages, etc.

Four of the five major strains of meningococcal bacteria: A, C, W and Y, have been included in the meningococcal vaccines giving in the U.S. for more than a decade, as part of the adolescent vaccination schedule. Routine vaccination against these strains is currently recommended for adolescents age 11- 12 years old, with a booster dose at age 16 years.

Two new vaccines to protect against a fifth strain, serogroup B, were recently approved (October 2014 and January 2015) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recent cases on U.S. college campuses were all caused by serogroup B, which is now the most common cause of meningococcal disease in U.S. adolescents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends the use of the newly-approved serogroup B vaccines only for those at increased risk of infection, including college students on campuses experiencing outbreaks caused by the serogroup B bacteria.

Need for Ongoing Education and Awareness
Even though meningococcal disease incidence is currently at an all-time low, its severity is alarming. Approximately one in 10 who get it, will die. And, according to a recent NFID report, meningococcal disease is characterized by its volatile and irregular epidemiology. No one can predict when, or to what extent, incidence will increase in the future.

In its report, NFID advised students, parents, healthcare professionals and administrators to be aware of the latest information about this infectious disease, with a focus on prevention.

• Rapid diagnosis is critical. Healthcare professionals and students need to recognize the symptoms. Meningococcal disease is often misdiagnosed as flu or other common viral illnesses. Symptoms may include some combination of high fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion and a purplish rash. If any of these symptoms are present and are unusually sudden, progressive, or severe, call a physician immediately.
• Be proactive and prepared. Colleges and universities should have plans in place and be prepared to manage cases or outbreaks, including prevention programs and educational resources that are readily available.
• Get vaccinated. Vaccination is the best way to protect against meningococcal disease. For more information and educational resources, visit the NFID website focused on adolescents: adolescentvaccination.org.

About NFID
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1973 and dedicated to educating the public and healthcare professionals about the causes, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases across the lifespan. For more information, visit www.nfid.org.

Media Contact
Ellyn Terry
301-656-0003 ext 13
eterry@nfid.org

SILICON VALLEY, April 20, 2015: BlueLight, a tech company whose app provides safety tools and better emergency calling on campus, is commemorating Sexual Assault Awareness Month by adding ten new campuses nationwide to its network—each directly requested by students who attend the school.

The new campuses include six universities—Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Indiana Wesleyan University, Indiana University South Bend, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and University of Kentucky—and four colleges—Norco College, College of the Canyons, Concordia College, and Gustavus Adolphus College.

A mobile replacement for landline blue light towers, the BlueLight app connects students on campus directly to an emergency dispatcher at the school’s Public Safety or Police Department, along with the caller’s location and contact information (off campus, calls route to local law enforcement). The app also shares students’ location with friends and family and sends notifications when a user has safely arrived at a destination.

“Powering on these ten campuses covers over 137,000 students,” says Lauren Wilbanks, BlueLight’s Director of Communications, of the mass launch. “We see these ten campuses as a down payment on a promise to bring every school requested by a student into the BlueLight network. When you apply that math to the 450 schools where we’ve been requested so far, you start to see the impact we can make.”

Connor Regan, a student who requested Northwestern, is excited to see his request come to fruition. “I think BlueLight is an incredible technology that has the potential to make our campus and our community much safer,” he says. “From the late night walk home from a party to solo treks home after a night in University Library, students are constantly walking around campus and around Evanston alone when it’s not totally safe to do so. BlueLight lets you have safety right in the palm of your hand—plus you can share your route with a friend or roommate so they can make sure you get home safely.”

This move follows on the heels of a recent launch at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where a member of Public Safety staff led the charge. Another launch takes place this week at Kent State University: an effort spearheaded by Anhelica Rodriguez, the risk management chair of a Kent State sorority.

“I’m looking for ways to give [my sorority sisters] peace of mind,” says Rodriguez of her initiative, “to help them feel safer and take things into their own hands.”

The choice to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month has roots in BlueLight’s origin story. The company is the culmination of years of research around personal safety technology by Preet Anand, founder and CEO of BlueLight.

“I heard the statistic that one in five women would be victims of sexual assault before they graduated and I was blown away,” says Anand. “I applied that ratio to the important women in my life and it wasn’t okay—not then, not now. While sexual violence is a complicated problem and we can’t fix all pieces of it, any dent in the problem is still really impactful.”

BlueLight directs emergency calls according to location: on campus, the call reaches campus security; off campus, local 911. On My Way, a trip sharing feature, sends location updates to user-selected contacts. Designed for both students and the general public, BlueLight currently serves nearly 100 college campuses, corporate campuses and ski resorts.

New campuses can be added to the network in a matter of days with no integration required. Students, faculty or staff interested in bringing BlueLight technology to their campuses, large or small, can request that theirs be added to the network at support@getbluelight.com. Download the app by searching ‘bluelight safety’ on the App Store or Google Play.

BlueLight is located in San Mateo, CA. Founded in 2013, the company is focused on improving personal safety and providing enhanced emergency calling through mobile solutions. Learn more at https://getbluelight.com.

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Media Contact
Preet Anand
BlueLight
(858) 353-1276
support@getbluelight.com

- Program Introduces Two New Scholarships to Foster Greater Diversity in RIA Industry

- Scholarship and Grant Applications Accepted Now through June 1, 2015

Jersey City, N.J., April 14, 2015 – There just aren’t enough investment advisors to keep up with the growing demand for financial advice. That’s bad news for investors seeking professional guidance, but it’s good news for young people looking for a career with long-term growth potential. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of personal financial advisor jobs will grow three times as fast as for all other professions, making it one of the fastest-growing career fields through 2022.

“RIAs as a group are aging: roughly half are 55 years or older, and many of them will be looking to retire over the next decade,” said Tom Nally, president, TD Ameritrade Institutional. “Add that with the fact that fewer than 8 percent of advisors are under 35, and it’s clear our industry needs more young professionals to join us and help families better manage their finances.”

Through its NextGen Initiative, TD Ameritrade Institutional is working to bring younger talent and greater diversity to the registered investment advisor (RIA) industry. Including its annual scholarships, grants and a long-term sponsorship agreement with Texas A&M University, TD Ameritrade Institutional plans to invest $2 million toward helping attract next generation talent and raising awareness of the RIA industry on campuses across the country.

Scholarship program expands to include a focus on diversity

Now in its third year, the TD Ameritrade Institutional NextGen Financial Planning Scholarship & Grant Program for 2015 has been expanded to offer a total of 12 scholarships of $5,000 each to undergraduate students pursuing financial planning degrees.

Two new scholarships will recognize deserving scholars from demographic groups that are under-represented in the profession, including blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska and Hawaiian natives, other Pacific islanders, Asians and women. Though students from all backgrounds have always been encouraged to apply, the new scholarships are designed to ensure the NextGen program’s winners represent a broader spectrum of talent.

Serving an increasingly diverse client base

The financial advisory industry is mostly white and male. Women comprise just 12 percent of all financial advisors and 10 percent of RIAs, according to Cerulli Associates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that women represent 36 percent of personal financial advisors, compared with 47 percent of all employed Americans 16 and older. Similarly, black or African-Americans represent just 8 percent of all financial services employees, versus 11 percent across all industries, according to the BLS.

Yet the makeup of the U.S. population is changing. Census data show non-white minorities combined are expected to represent the majority of Americans by 2040, up from a third today. Likewise, millennials are projected to overtake Boomers as the largest generation segment in the U.S. this year.

“Our country is growing increasingly diverse and we, as an industry, should take measures to better reflect the communities we serve,” said Kate Healy, managing director of marketing at TD Ameritrade Institutional. “With these new scholarships, we want to reach more students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in the financial planning profession.”

Grants encourage universities to offer degrees in financial planning

TD Ameritrade Institutional will again provide two grants to universities and colleges – $50,000 for an established program and $25,000 for an emerging program – with the goal of increasing the number of graduates with bachelor’s degrees in financial planning emerging from U.S. schools. In addition to expanding their offerings, past winners have introduced innovative programs and approaches to help ensure their graduates are well prepared for the workplace.

Scholarship and university grant applications accepted Now through June 1.

Scholarship applicants:
• Should be a current college freshman, sophomore or junior with a satisfactory academic standing
• Must be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Planning at an accredited 4-year college or university
• Members of under-represented demographic groups may choose to apply instead for one of the two NextGen Diversity Scholarships.

Grant applicants should be accredited colleges or universities in the United States that either:

• Offer a Bachelor’s degree program in Financial Planning, or
• Plan to offer a Bachelor’s degree program in Financial Planning in the next academic year

To learn more about the program, and to submit an application, visit the TD Ameritrade Institutional NextGen Scholarship & Grant website at http://www.tdainstitutional.com/lp/nextgen-scholarship.page.

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About TD Ameritrade Institutional
TD Ameritrade Institutional is a leading provider of comprehensive brokerage and custody services to more than 4,500 fee-based, independent registered investment advisors and their clients. Our advanced technology platform, coupled with personal support from our dedicated service teams, allows investment advisors to run their practices more efficiently and effectively while optimizing time with clients. TD Ameritrade Institutional is a division of TD Ameritrade, Inc., a brokerage subsidiary of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation.

About TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation
Millions of investors and independent registered investment advisors turn to TD Ameritrade’s (NYSE: AMTD) technology, people and education resources to help make investing and trading easier. Online or over the phone. In a branch or with an independent RIA. First-timer or sophisticated trader. Our clients want to take control, and we help them decide how – bringing Wall Street to Main Street for 40 years. An official sponsor of the 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, as well as an official sponsor of the National Football League for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, TD Ameritrade has time and again been recognized as a leader in investment services. Visit TD Ameritrade’s newsroom or amtd.com for more information.

Media Contact
Joseph Giannone
TD Ameritrade Institutional
(201) 369-8705
joseph.giannone@tdameritrade.com

Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA /SIPC

Source: TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation

With the end of the semester swiftly approaching, students everywhere are scrambling to get in last minute extra credit and finalize plans for the upcoming break. Fortunately, there are tools and resources available to help students make the most of this important time. Below we have compiled several of the most overlooked strategies to help get an end-of-semester boost.

1. Digital Learning Tools: utilizing digital resources is one of the easiest and most effective ways for students to step up classroom performance. Platforms, such as Cengage Learning’s MindTap, are specifically designed to customize to each student’s unique learning style helping improve time management, raise grades and increase student success. Digital learning tools use a combination of reading, multimedia, activities and assessments, to engage users and maximize understanding and retention. Students who have integrated digital tools into their learning have reported significant improvement in their grades and higher levels of engagement in their course work.

2. e-Portfolios: with the market for internships and jobs becoming more competitive, it is critical for students to differentiate themselves among other candidates and show potential employers tangible examples of the skills and knowledge they possess. To help students put their best foot forward, offerings like Pathbrite, a portfolio learning platform, can help students package their accomplishments in a seamless and organized way in order to best highlight their soft skills and practical experiences. Presenting potential employers with a comprehensive demonstration of skills and accomplishments will give students the competitive edge to secure the top positions in their fields. As a bonus, any students using Cengage Learning digital solutions have free access to Pathbrite’s complete online portfolio platform.

3. Top-Notch Study Materials: whether it is flashcards, study guides or pop quizzes, study materials are a key part to successful studying. Unfortunately, for many students note taking and developing study materials can be a major challenge. Luckily, online marketplaces like Flashnotes.com make it possible for students to access high quality, course-specific study materials written by their peers. This allows students to maximize engagement and understanding- with 94% of students reporting improved grades! Even better, Flashnotes works with faculty and institutions to be sure content is accurate and fits school guidelines.

4. Peer Tutors: Peer-to-peer learning is one of the most helpful ways to boost engagement and retention in the classroom. Oftentimes, another student can explain a challenging concept or idea in a different way from a professor that makes it easier to understand or retain. With most schools offering free peer tutoring resources, students have access to support and advice from students who have already mastered the material. Utilizing tutoring resources, even just once or twice, can have significant results. Even better, studying with another student can result in better study habits or sharing of best practices to increase success.

5. Career Center: more than ever, students are enrolling in college with the goal of securing a job after they graduate. With that in mind, getting practical, hands-on experience is crucial for landing a top job after graduation. Yet securing an internship can often feel like a daunting task especially with students today already juggling a myriad of other responsibilities. To help prepare and guide students through the process, many colleges have career centers to provide students with the resources and support to find internships that align with their skills and interests. Moreover these centers have knowledgeable staff who can help students practice interview skills, polish their resume and provide helpful advice about what to expect.

Being knowledgeable and taking advantage of different resources and tools that are available is one of the best ways for students to boost their grades, improve classroom performance or land the job or internship out of school. Leveraging one – or all!- of these tips can help students to make the most of the time left in the semester and get the last minute boost they need.

McLEAN, Va. (April 6, 2015) – Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) announced today the launch of a pilot program aimed at providing colleges and universities with gold-standard recommendations and evidence-based resources needed to effectively manage food allergy, a potentially life-threatening disease.

The FARE College Food Allergy Program was introduced last year with the goal of providing students with food allergies a safer college experience by helping colleges and universities develop comprehensive, uniform food allergy management policies. The new “Pilot Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Higher Education” were developed by FARE together with experts in the areas of health, housing, dining services, disability services and emergency medical services.

Out of an outstanding group of applicants, FARE chose 12 schools nationwide to participate in the pilot program:

• College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, Mass.)
• George Mason University (Fairfax, Va.)
• King’s College (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
• North Carolina State University
• Texas A&M University
• University of Arizona
• University of Chicago
• University of Michigan
• University of Northern Colorado
• University of Southern California
• Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, Ind.)
• Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)

“We are very excited to be working with these outstanding institutions of higher learning that have recognized the critical importance of ensuring the safety of their students with food allergies,” said James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., CEO of FARE. “The new guidelines cover food allergy management in all aspects of campus life, and this pilot program enables colleges and universities to test them in a campus environment.”

These schools will work to implement FARE’s pilot guidelines, which offer guidance for identifying students with food allergies and serving their needs via housing, dining, health, disability and emergency services. In addition to receiving assistance and support from FARE with implementing the guidelines, the participating schools will receive free food allergy training for dining and resident life staff. FARE will also work to support the creation of student support groups on campuses.

Beginning in 2016, FARE will launch a database that will give all colleges and universities the opportunity to list the components of FARE’s program and guidelines they have implemented. This will assist parents and students as they make important decisions about where to attend school.

FARE invites schools wishing to access free resources, including the Pilot Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Higher Education, to visit www.foodallergy.org/collegeprogram.

FARE is proud to be partnering with food allergy experts, college and university representatives, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, MenuTrinfo and foodservice industry representatives from Premier REACH, Sodexo and Compass Group on this program.

ABOUT FARE
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children in the U.S. – or roughly two in every classroom. FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. Our work is organized around three core tenets: LIFE – support the ability of individuals with food allergies to live safe, productive lives with the respect of others through our education and advocacy initiatives; HEALTH – enhance the healthcare access of individuals with food allergies to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment; and HOPE – encourage and fund research in both industry and academia that promises new therapies to improve the allergic condition. For more information, please visit www.foodallergy.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Nancy Gregory
703-563-3066
ngregory@foodallergy.org

“This book is the ultimate campus wingwoman! It guides you through the tricky situations of classes, parties and hook-ups so you’ll never have to feel like a newbie!”—Ann Shoket, millennial expert and former editor-in-chief of Seventeen

“The Her Campus team writes a girlfriendy, honest, and fact-filled how-to covering everything from roommate relations to social media management. Colleges should be handing this out at orientation—it’s the ultimate handbook to college life in 2015.”—Chandra Turner, Founder and President of Ed2010

“This book is a must-have for any graduating senior who has more questions than answers, but would not dare ask Mom and Dad. Leave it on her pillow, stuff it in her duffel, but make sure she packed it off to college, and refers back to it again and again.”—Lucy Danziger, former editor-in-chief of SELF 

BOSTON, MA—April 2, 2015— Harvard-grad entrepreneurs and co-founders of Her Campus Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, Windsor Hanger Western, and Annie Wang lend their collegiette expertise to the book world with this fresh and savvy take on a college girl’s survival guide: The Her Campus Guide to College Life: How to Manage Relationships, Stay Safe and Healthy, Handle Stress, and Have the Best Years of Your Life.

This marks the first book from the experts behind Her Campus, the #1 global community for college women with 5.5+ million monthly users and chapters at 250+ colleges, recognized with accolades from Forbes, BusinessWeek, and Inc. Magazine, among others.

The Her Campus Guide to College Life is bursting with insider tips to help students navigate classes, relationships, and all extracurriculars—including parties and Greek life, and much more. Whether they are a seasoned upperclassman or are starting freshman year in just a few months, readers will learn how to:

• Find out what to do NOW to get ready for college
• Pick the college that’s right for them (April — college decision month)
• Stay safe at college parties and learn rules for safe drinking (April — Sexual Assault Awareness & National Alcohol Awareness Month)
• Bond with their roommate and set ground rules for their new space
• Beat the Freshman 15 without having to give up dessert
• Snag a date with the cutie from their Lit class
• Cope with stress and anxiety—even during finals week!
•  Score jobs and internships that will help transition them into post-collegiette life

This book will also give students the lowdown on campus safety so they can enjoy all that college has to offer while avoiding the unfortunate scary parts that sometimes come with it. Complete with fun checklists and worksheets to help you carry out HC’s essential advice, The Her Campus Guide to College Life shows readers how to make the most out of the college experience—in and outside the classroom.

About the Authors

Her Campus Media (HerCampus.com) is the #1 global community for college women with over 5.5 million monthly users. HerCampus.com features national content on Style, Beauty, Health, Love, Life, Career, LGBTQ+, High School, and Real World, supplemented by local content from 250+ campus chapters nationwide and in seven countries. In addition, Her Campus offers an email newsletter, Her Campus Blogger Network, High School Ambassador Program, Her Conference, College Fashion Week®, Her Campus Shop, and even more products, programming and tools to fulfill its mission of serving college women across every platform.

Her Campus serves as a career launching point for its team of college journalists and future marketing mavens. Since joining the Her Campus Team, members have been offered jobs and internships with Glamour, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, People, The Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, InStyle, Lucky, Esquire, O, The Oprah Magazine, MTV, The Washington Post, Digitas, Ogilvy, and many more.

Founded by three students while they were undergraduates at Harvard—Stephanie Kaplan Lewis ‘10, Windsor Hanger Western ‘10, and Annie Chandler Wang ‘11—Her Campus was a winner in Harvard College’s business plan competition in 2009, was a Gold Winner & Best All-Around Team in MassChallenge in 2011, and was named Top Small Business of the Year by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce in 2013. The Her Campus co-founders have been named to Businessweek’s 25 Under 25 Best Young Entrepreneurs, Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Coolest Young Entrepreneurs, The Boston Globe’s 25 Under 25, Forbes’s All-Star Student Entrepreneurs, Glamour Magazine’s 20 Amazing Young Women, and The Boston Globe’s 25 Most Stylish Bostonians. Her Campus has been named to Forbes’s lists of The 100 Best Websites for Women and The 10 Best Websites for Millennial Women. See more at hercampus.com/book.

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Media Contacts

Bethany Carland-Adams
Adams Media
Phone: (508) 427-6726
Email: bethany.carland-adams@fwmedia.com

Chelsea Evans
Her Campus
Phone: (617) 783-3800
Email: chelseaevans@hercampus.com

NEW YORK – April 1, 2015 – Love coffee but hate the hassle? You’re not alone. Coffee has become an essential food group in dorm life. Early mornings and pulling all-nighters increases the need for that extra boost to get through the day. But, for busy students, stopping to wait in line or brew a pot wastes precious time and energy. And do you really want to add yet another K-cup to the estimated 9 billion which clog landfills each year?

A new product – just launched on Kickstarter – now makes delicious HOT coffee instantly available. HOTSHOT® is always HOT, delicious coffee in a ready-to-drink CAN that you just grab and sip.

HOT coffee in a ready-to-drink can is not a new concept — in fact in Japan, it is a $14B industry. Entrepreneur Danny Grossfeld was on a trip to Japan when he reached into what he thought was a cooler to grab a can of iced coffee. Much to his surprise, the can was HOT– and ready to drink. After extensive research (2+years) and many changes to the Japanese product — the serving size was too small, it wasn’t HOT enough and the taste wouldn’t appeal to US consumers — HOTSHOT is ready to deliver the most convenient, delicious coffee to US consumers—one ready-to-drink can at a time.

After investing more than $1 million of his own money in the product development, can design and the HOT fridge technology, Grossfeld is turning to crowdfunding and Kickstarter to take HOTSHOT mainstream. “Successfully funding a project on Kickstarter means you have an established community of customers that are ready to buy your products as soon as they hit the shelves – most products don’t have that at launch.”

Initially available in Espresso, Caramel, Vanilla Frappe and Hot Chocolate, the coffee (made from 100% Arabica beans grown in Sumatra) is served in aluminum cans (made of 70% recycled content) that are warmed to 140 degrees by a custom-designed HOT “fridge.” When opened, the cans emit steam and the fresh-brewed aroma expected from a delicious cup of coffee.

“I created HOTSHOT and the HotBox – a HOT fridge–with college students in mind. I want to bring grab-n-go HOT coffee convenience right to their dorm rooms. All you do is reach in, take one, pop the top and sip delicious HOT coffee,” says Grossfeld.

Early backers of the campaign will be able to get a “starter kit,” consisting of a HotBox that holds nine cans and a case of 12 HOTSHOT cans for $99. For those who have a bigger coffee craving, retail-sized HotBoxes that hold up to 36 cans are also available throughout the campaign.

Additional information about HOTSHOT is available on the Kickstarter page (http://kck.st/1BoLMry), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hotshot/72412905711, Twitter @hotshotdrinks and Instagram (https://instagram.com/hotshotcoffee).

Hi- res images are available.

Contact:
Laura B Peet
PeetCom Inc.
lbptalk@aol.com
(917) 860-6285

March 25, 2015

Social Influencers Frankie J. Grande, Megan Nicole, Chris Collins, Brittani Louise Taylor, Jason Chen, and Charity Vance Challenge YouTubers To “Left Swipe Dat” Lip Sync Competition

Washington, DC – By “Lip Syncing Dat” truth gives teens the opportunity to become a YouTube star. To emphasize the unattractiveness of smoking truth is challenging teens to join in the “Left Swipe Dat” movement by creating their own lip sync video. Riffing off the creativity of popular YouTube icons, truth encourages teens nationwide to put their own imagination to work. The best lip syncs will be included as part of a supercut video released by truth in April.  

“It was so cool to see all of the cameos in the original ‘Left Swipe Dat’ music video. It’s a funny video and also gets the point across that smoking is not good for you and our generation has the power to end smoking” said Megan Nicole. “It was great to work with Chris Collins on the song and put my own spin on ‘Left Swipe Dat’!”

“Left Swipe Dat” calls attention to the negative impact smoking images have on teen behavior. Tobacco use is not only deadly, with half of those who smoke long-term dying prematurely from smoking, it’s also unattractive. Since the video’s release, #leftswipedat has been a number one trending topic across social platforms worldwide. More than 28 million video views have propelled left swiping smoking into popular culture: “Left Swipe That” now appears in the Urban Dictionary.

“’Left Swipe Dat’ has been amazingly successful,” said Cas Marburger, the social media manager for truth. “And now we get to see what other hilarious and talented YouTubers and YouTube stars can do with it. We hope more people put their spin on it by Lip Syncing Dat. It’s like karaoke for a cause, without the pressure of hitting any notes.”

truth is sparking conversations about tobacco through the Finish It campaign launched in August 2014. Finish It empowers this generation to be the one that ends tobacco for good. “Left Swipe Dat,” offers another way for teens to creatively join, support, and make an impact on the tobacco issue – whether that be by left swiping a smoking selfie, erasing smoking photos from the web, or putting an X through their social profile.

To join the Finish It campaign or create an original “Lip Sync Dat” video, visit thetruth.com/take-action/lip-sync-dat/. How? Pick a favorite part of the song, record a lip sync, then post it to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or Vine using #LeftSwipeDat AND #PickMe. Using the hashtag makes the video eligible for inclusion in the “Lip Sync Dat” supercut video that will debut on truth social media in April.

View the original “Left Swipe Dat” in its entirety at: YouTube.com/truthorange or visit thetruth.com to learn more about how teens are using their creativity and social power to end tobacco use for good.

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ABOUT truth
truth® is the most successful and one of the largest national youth smoking prevention campaign. The campaign exposes the tactics of the tobacco industry, the truth about addiction, and the health effects and social consequences of smoking. truth gives teens facts and information about the tobacco industry and its products, allowing them to make their own informed choices about tobacco use. Research-proven as an effective public health intervention, the campaign is credited with keeping hundreds of thousands of teens from starting to smoke. To learn more, visit www.thetruth.com. truth is directed and funded by Legacy, a national public health foundation located in Washington, D.C. Legacy was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. To learn more about Legacy’s life-saving programs, visit www.LegacyForHealth.org.

Media Contacts:

Sarah Shank, Legacy
202-454-5561
sshank@legacyforhealth.org

Mickey Chagnon, Legacy
202-454-5902
mchagnon@legacyforhealth.org

Three U.S. College Students to Receive #CaringScholar Grants of $1,500 Each

Caring.com, a leading senior care resource for family caregivers, today announced a new financial aid scholarship for students attending an accredited U.S. university or college while also caring for an aging or ailing loved one.

According to a 2005 report from the American Journal of Public Health and per 2010 U.S. census data, there are an estimated 5-8 million young adult family caregivers in America (ages 18-24), the majority of whom are caring for an elder female relative such as a grandparent. In multiple research studies with family caregivers over several years, Caring.com has found that providing unpaid care for a relative can be costly, taking a significant financial, emotional, and physical health toll.

“Juggling the responsibilities of caregiving while also pursuing a degree in higher education is really difficult. The time spent on caregiving has the potential to negatively impact academic success, whether by prolonging years of study or lowering their grades,” says Caring.com co-founder and CEO Andy Cohen. “Helping to ease the burden of family caregivers has been Caring.com’s social mission from day one, and this new scholarship for student caregivers is one more way we’re delivering on that promise.”

The new Caring.com Student-Caregiver Scholarship will award each of three (3) university students in the United States a $1,500 #CaringScholar grant for tuition and/or books, based on the applicants’ compelling 1,500-word essay or 2-minute video story submissions. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2015 (11:59 p.m. Pacific Time), and grant recipients will be selected and announced by June 30. Caring.com will share some of the caregiving stories it receives, and is building a new national conversation around the hashtag #CaringScholar.

“We’re excited to receive these students’ grant applications, select the best three to receive the awards, and raise more awareness about family caregivers at America’s colleges and universities,” said Cohen.

For more information about the Caring.com Student-Caregiver Scholarship, please visit https://www.caring.com/scholarship. Accredited universities and colleges are encouraged to share this information on their financial aid websites and/or in their campus offices, and may contact scholarship@caring.com to reach the Caring.com staff managing the grants.

About Caring.com
With three million unique visitors to its website monthly, Caring.com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other elder loved ones. A Bankrate company headquartered in San Mateo, CA, Caring.com provides helpful caregiving content, online support groups, and a comprehensive Senior Care Directory for the United States, with more than 75,000 consumer ratings and reviews and a toll-free senior living referral line at (800) 325-8591. Connect with Caring.com on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube.

For more information, please contact
Denise Graab, Caring.com’s Director of Social Community
pr@caring.com
(650) 762-8190