TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Two University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences students were selected for the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Student class of 2017.
Ashley Paulmeno, of Allen, Texas, and Kennedy Studdard, of Mobile, will travel to New York in February as two of the 50 students nationwide in this year’s class.
The four-day trip offers the advantage of professional development workshops, agency visits and a recruiter’s expo. MPMS has developed a reputation with industry-leading companies and agencies as an impressive pool of top-tier talent.
Much of the encouragement that Paulmeno and Studdard received in their pursuit of MPMS came from the guidance and mentorship of Susan Daria, instructor in the department of advertising and public relations.
“I encouraged both Ashley and Kennedy to apply for this prestigious award because I knew that they would be strong candidates and outstanding representatives of our APR program,” Daria said. “They are creative, talented and driven. I cannot wait to watch them impress all of the top agency recruiters during their visit to New York — I will be a very proud instructor.”
The application process for MPMS involves essays, letters of recommendation, resume and specific academic requirements. The final selection of candidates occurred Oct. 25, when industry professionals representing a variety of companies gathered at AAF headquarters to select the 2017 class. This year’s class boasts an average GPA of 3.6, and represents 34 schools across a total of 20 states.
The program began in 1997 as an initiative to connect the advertising industry with the nation’s top talent among multicultural students. Since its inception, the program has had over 850 participants. This year MPMS added 50 students to its ranks.
Contact
Rand Nelson, communication specialist, College of Communication and Information Sciences, 205/348-6416, james.nelson@ua.edu