Gabrielle Beamon ’19, Ozelle Bower ’19, Anissa Cooper ’19 and Janay Tyson ’19 are among the 60 undergraduate students nationwide to receive highly selective scholarships provided by The LAGRANT Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes diversity in the fields of advertising, graphic design, marketing and public relations.
Four Elon University students have been named recipients of prestigious The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) scholarships, which support ethnic minority communications students.
Other universities with multiple undergraduate recipients include Brigham Young University, Howard University, Hampton University, Fashion Institute of Technology, California State University – Fullerton, and the University of Oregon.
Also of note, this is the second consecutive year Beamon has been awarded a TLF scholarship.
The 2018 scholarship recipients each receive $2,000, as well as a trip to New York City or San Francisco where they will participate in career-building activities. This includes a welcome dinner with a keynote speaker, two daylong career development workshops working side by side with senior executives, and a scholarship and donor recognition reception. Students will network and gain valuable exposure to the advertising, marketing and public relations world.
In recognition of its 20th anniversary, TLF will host bicoastal events with receptions and workshops in both New York City and San Francisco. Beamon, Cooper and Tyson will attend the May 21 reception in New York City, while Bower, a native of Oakland, will participate in the June 4 dinner and workshops in the Bay Area.
Bechtel Corporation and W2O Group are sponsors of the San Francisco event, and Villy Wang, BAYCAT founder, president and CEO, will be the keynote speaker.
“I feel honored and humbled knowing that I have received this scholarship that is offered to so few,” Bower said. “This scholarship will not only help my mom and I pay off my tuition but is also an opportunity to work with and meet public relations professionals.”
Cooper also looks forward to the opportunities that await her in New York, meeting fellow scholarship recipients and networking with current PR professionals.
“The opportunity to participate in career development workshops with major companies in the industry is a privilege,” she said. “I hope to gain a better perspective on the inner workings of these companies in addition to meeting the many talented minority students who will also be recognized.”
As part of the application process, students were required to write an essay outlining their career goals and career path. They were also asked to explain why they believe it’s important to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations.
In her essay, Cooper noted that as of 2015 82.4 percent of PR specialists were white, while less than 18 percent were minorities. Yet, 36.5 percent of the population will be minorities by 2020 per U.S. Census Bureau projections.
“In an increasingly multicultural world, strategic communications has failed to keep up with evolving demographics,” she wrote.
Cooper explained that a more diverse workforce could help businesses avoid potential PR scandals. As an example, she referenced a January 2018 controversy involving Swedish fashion retailer H&M and the use of potentially insensitive content in a sweatshirt advertisement.
“PR desperately needs more ethnic minorities within the field because our individual experiences and messages are important to understand,” Cooper wrote. “Strategic communications aims to spread messages that reach large audiences, and the fact that minorities are underrepresented diminishes the potential of the field.”
Visiting Associate Professor John Doorley, who mentored the student applicants, commended Elon’s four scholarship recipients and their thorough submissions.
“This program is about increasing the number of minorities in the communications profession. It is a major initiative, and one that’s very important,” he said. “I’m thrilled for these excellent students, who will help with this initiative. These networking functions, workshops and receptions are a great opportunity for them, and I expect the students to make the most of them. Any one of our students could walk away with job offers.”
About The LAGRANT Foundation
Since its inception in 1998, The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) has provided $2.13 million and 411 scholarships to continue its mission to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. With the generous support of its major donors and supporters, TLF provides scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentorships and internships/entry-level positions to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.