Eligibility & Criteria

MPMS 2007 Since the inception of the American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Minority Students Program 12 years ago, 438 students have been honored as Most Promising and hundreds more have been part of the Honor Roll.

We are confident that as the years progress, the former Most Promising Minority Students will rise to leadership ranks within our industry, and we look forward to continuing to be a vital component of the initiatives that promote an advertising industry workforce that reflects our diverse society.

Prestige, Interview and Employment Opportunities

The 2010 Most Promising Minority Students will be featured in major publications and their résumés will be disseminated to AAF corporate members and other appropriate industry leaders. To highlight these exceptional students and their accomplishments, as well as encourage future interviews. Recruiters are specifically invited to schedule interviews with students the afternoon of February 3, 2010.

Invaluable Networking Opportunities & Industry Immersion

An important aspect of the AAF's Most Promising Minority Students Program is its invaluable networking opportunities through our Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon and Industry Immersion Program. At the Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon, students dine among leading executives and minority industry pioneers, providing an opportunity for networking and mentorship with corporations and agencies.

The Industry Immersion component of the program allows students to experience the real world and excitement of the ad business firsthand by visiting the nation's top ad agencies, advertisers and media companies. This invaluable experience allows students to network with seasoned professionals and receive advice on a how to obtain and maintain a successful career in the ad industry.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Nominees should demonstrate a strong desire to work in the advertising, marketing and media/communications industries. Most importantly, prospective applicants should possess the talent and the desire to succeed. Students should be responsible, mature and willing to participate in all program sessions, as well as AAF follow-up surveys, which are required to monitor program effectiveness.

Finalists and honor roll members are selected from a pool of eligible candidates based on a range of criteria, including the following: academic standing, demonstrated interest in the ad industry (e.g. work experience, academic pursuits or extracurricular activities and essay development), leadership potential, and in other character indicators such as community and organizational service. The AAF will present eligible candidates to the official selection committee. Students who meet all of the requirements will have a better chance of being selected.

Eligibility Requirements

All nominees must meet the following criteria:

  • Be U.S. citizens or resident aliens.
  • Be of African, Asian, Latino, Native American or Pacific Islander descent.
  • Hold both a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 and a minimum 3.22 GPA in their major, based on a 4.0 grading scale.
  • Be an undergraduate student with senior standing, who will be eligible to graduate in the 2010 calendar year.
  • Be nominated through an AAF-affiliated college chapter, AAF local advertising federation, invited college/university or a senior-level advertising professional who is an AAF corporate member.
  • Be fully committed to attend all facets of the Most Promising Minority Students Program throughout February 2–4, 2010.
  • Submit a completed nomination form and provide all required information and documentation by the stated deadline: October 30, 2009.

Required Information and Documentation

  • Completed nomination form
  • Official transcript
  • One-page resume
  • Typed essay: maximum 250 words (one page, double-spaced)
    Topic:
    How can my skills and experiences enable me to become a successful advertising industry professional, and how will this impact the efforts to create a more inclusive advertising industry?
  • Recommendation letter from college faculty adviser/nominator
  • CD with four photos for publication and promotional purposes (will not be seen by selection committee or used in resume book). Please refer to photo specifications listed on the nomination form.
  • Fifteen-word tagline written by the student that promotes his/her talents (to be used for Awards Luncheon slide show if student is selected).

Program Deadlines/Notification

— Most Promising Minority Students Nominations Deadline:

  • Nominations and all documentation are due to the AAF on October 30, 2009.


— Notification: November 19, 2009
Finalists, honors roll members, their faculty advisers and/or nominating local advertising federations will be notified on or before this date.

2010 Most Promising Minority Students Program Agenda

February 2, 2010
— Program Orientation
— Industry Immersion

February 3, 2010
— Professional Development Seminar
— Recruiters Expo
— Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon
— Industry Immersion

February 4, 2010
— Professional Development Seminar
— Industry Immersion

Submit nominations by mail to:

AAF's Most Promising Minority Students Program AAF
Attn: MPMS Nominations
1101 Vermont Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005-6306
Phone: (800) 999-2231; Fax: (202) 898-0159