Lenoir-Rhyne Senior Represents Huliq.com at Ford-Microsoft Event in Seattle

When the opportunity came for a student to write about and attend an invitation-only press event in Seattle, WA held by Ford and Microsoft to test drive the 2008 Ford Focus with Sync technology, I jumped at the chance to go.

After a few tense hours, I received the news that I was going to Seattle. The opportunity came thanks to a Lenoir-Rhyne graduate, Armen Hareyan, who now owns Huliq.com, an internationally-based citizen-reporter website and a division of Hareyan Publishing. His passion for Lenoir-Rhyne is evident in his commitment to the students that attend this college.

Keeping with Huliq.com’s mission to report the news on a personal level and inform the public without being bias, my objectives were to attend the press event and write a few articles on Ford, Microsoft, Sync, and my personal experience. And of course, to soak up the experience like a dry, thirsty sponge.

Ford has partnered with Microsoft to create Sync, a voice-activated, hands-free communication and entertainment software system that enables the driver to experience a safer way of using mobile phones and media players using Bluetooth technology and USB connectivity. In order to spread the news in an effective manner, a press event was held for journalists of all varieties to experience the technology first-hand.

I began my journey by crossing three time zones and made my first stop at the Bell Harbor Conference Center for a Sync demonstration and a roundtable discussion with Ford employees who were instrumental in the entirety of Focus’s design. I accidentally wound up sitting between Kim Pittel, Vehicle Line Director, and Paul Mascarenas, Vice President of Product Development in The Americas. Instead of feeling like a small country fish in a big city pond, I was at ease with the group thanks to their easy-going nature and their apparent pride in the quality of their product.

From Bell Harbor, I rode with a fellow reporter to the breath-taking Snoqualmie Falls, in nothing other than the 2008 Ford Focus. I have had my doubts about Fords in the past, but after being one of the first to experience what Focus can do, my opinion has been positively swayed. Focus is a shining example of their dedication to safety, innovation, and the future with all-new exterior design, integration of Sync, LED ambient lighting, and side-air and seat-mounted air bags. The most impressive aspect of this compact car, however, is the price; Focus starts at $14,695.

After testing the car out on city and country-side roads, I returned to the W Hotel (which deserves an article all its own) to prepare for dinner at Cascadia Restaurant that Ford rented out just for the journalists. I met a wide variety of people that evening, ranging from newspaper and magazine owners who started out as staff writers, to marketing and public relations gurus who were kind enough to share their words of wisdom to a NC college student.

The following day, I was fortunate enough to see the Sync program from Microsoft’s point of view at their headquarters in Redmond, WA. I sat attentively as the Vice President of the Entertainment and Devices Unit for Microsoft spoke about the company’s commitment to innovation, quality and consumer preferences and trends. A tactile example of their commitment is evident in the House of the Future, which showcases technology that may be obtainable by consumers in the near future. From radio frequency tags that help coordinate clothing, to interactive mini-projectors that assist in cooking and errands, the house was equipped to stimulate the senses while providing an enhanced version of living.

My experience traveling across country to report on this exciting product for Hareyan Publishing and Lenoir-Rhyne is irreplaceable. The skills gained were not only on a professional level, but on a personal level as well. If L-R offers you an opportunity to get more involved, I suggest you take it and not think twice, because the rewards are numerous, and the possibilities are endless.

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