On October 24, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) hosted eight leading advertising industry professionals in Washington, DC, to select the 2019 class of Most Promising Multicultural Students. Among the fifty undergraduate seniors chosen for this honor, Samantha Nuñez and Ruth Carrion of Florida State University’s School of Communication were named.
Ruth Carrion is an Editing, Writing and Media (EWM) major with an expected graduation date of Spring 2019. On receiving this honor she says, “I’m so grateful and excited for this opportunity. A phrase that has become my mantra whenever I begin losing motivation is, ‘If I can, then why not?'”
Samantha Nuñez is a Media Communication Studies major since Spring 2018 and Secretary of the Advertising Club on FSU’s campus. She is thrilled at this appointment and says “I am beyond honored and excited to join a community designed to celebrate my culture and my love for advertising.”
“Their selection for this honor is most deserving.” remarked Communication Professor Barry Solomon who was also very proud of his students’ accomplishments.
AAF’s Most Promising Multicultural Students program connects the advertising industry with the nation’s top multicultural college seniors. This premier event provides opportunities to recruit fresh talent to further prepare the advertising industry’s best young prospects and to help the advertising and media workforce better reflect the diversity of today’s society. The program not only honors the students, but enhances their knowledge and understanding of the advertising industry by offering networking, interviewing and industry immersion opportunities with advertising professionals, marketing and media professionals.
“The Most Promising class of students is selected from multicultural talent that reflects the diversity of demographics, experience and mindset of America. The 2019 class is comprised of exceptional talent across various disciplines who will lend their creativity and voices to inspire a more inclusive workforce,” says Danielle Austen, Managing Partner & CEO at fluent360 and Chair of the AAF’s Mosaic Center.
Students from AAF’s college chapter network were vetted by industry professionals and selected through a rigorous application process that included submissions of essays, letters of recommendation, resumé/portfolio submission and stringent academic requirements. With an average GPA of 3.6, this year’s class represents 31 schools and 16 states across the country, including Florida, Illinois, New York, Oregon, and Texas.