FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AAF’s Most Promising Multicultural Students Named for 2023

Advertising leaders select 50 of the nation’s highest achieving diverse seniors to participate in one of the industry’s premier DE&I programs. 

WASHINGTON, DC, JANUARY 10, 2023—The American Advertising Federation (AAF) hosted leading industry professionals to select the 2023 class of Most Promising Multicultural Students. Approaching its 26th year, the Most Promising program is one of the organization’s premier initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the advertising industry.
 
Students will participate in a four-day industry immersion program in New York that will include professional development and personal branding workshops, the Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Ceremony and Luncheon, and Recruiter’s Expo. The Most Promising program gives advertising, media, communications, and tech companies the opportunity to tap into high-achieving talent of 50 diverse college students from across the country.
 
“The 2023 Most Promising inductees continue to raise the bar,” said Ayanna Jackson, the AAF’s EVP, Mosaic Center. “They are eager to enter our industry with a boldness and eagerness to affect change.  We must develop spaces and opportunities that will allow them to create an industry that’s never been.”
 
Each year, students of racial or ethnic diversity from the AAF’s 140+ college chapters apply to the program. This year’s judging panel included representatives from Ally Financial, Nissan Motor Corporation, Captura Group, Cummings Creative Group, Hearts & Science, Lake-Sumter State College, Promedica, Publicis Health, RPA, and The Trade Desk.

Leading agencies and companies, including 72andSunny, BBDO, Dentsu, Meta, FCB, IPG, McCann, Omnicom Group, UM Worldwide, The Trade Desk, Wieden+Kennedy and others, have been long-standing Most Promising supporters and consider the program a valuable resource in recruiting diverse, entry-level talent.

“The AAF is very proud to introduce our Most Promising Multicultural Students Class of 2023. This amazing group of students have met all criteria and vetting processes by an outstanding experienced and respected Council of Judges,” said Steve Pacheco, CEO of the AAF. “Now, more than ever, the need to connect young talent to the advertising industry is a top priority for everyone. The fact that the AAF can develop such a diverse group representing the best from across North America is consistent with our mission to develop the Next Generation of Advertising leaders.” 

This year’s incredible class has an average GPA of 3.7 and represents 28 schools and 18 states across the country, including California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, New York and Texas.

2023 Most Promising Multicultural Students Class  

Lesly Abarca-Valladares    
South Dakota State University

Brianna Aguilar
Brigham Young University

Deandre Allen
St. Bonaventure University

Isaiah Braithwaite
Roger Williams University

Ariana Britto
University of Florida

Juan Camargo Quintero
University of Illinois

Pricila Carmona
Olivet Nazarene University

Destiny Carter-Wleh
University of Minnesota

Isabella Castro
Lindenwood University

Emma Chan
Pennsylvania State University

Victoria Chan
Texas A&M University

Chenai Christian
The Pennsylvania State University

Jacqueline Cimino
University of San Francisco

Li de Jong
Ithaca College

Jessi Delfino
The University of Texas

Amari Edwards
University of South Carolina

Megan Fabriquer
University of San Francisco

Erica Fierro
Texas State University

Amari Foster
University of Missouri

Julie Garcia
University of Illinois

Elizabeth Gordon
University of Minnesota

Asia Griffin
University of Illinois

Rafael Guedes Bonacin
Kent State University

June Hernandez
The University of Texas

Carmelli Hess
University of Oregon

Steven Howard Jr.
Ithaca College

Trinity Hunter
The University of Alabama

Fatuma Jama
University of Minnesota

Rohini Khamamkar
Arizona State University

Sharanya Kumar
San Jose State University

Carmen Larios
University of Illinois

Star Lawson
The Pennsylvania State University

Linda Le
University of Houston

Kassandra Leyva
University of Illinois

Marvin Lim
University of Oregon

Bri Lucero
Brigham Young University

Beamlak Lulseged
University of Minnesota

Carlos Luna
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Christopher Mercado
Brigham Young University

Sushree Samikhya Mohanty
University of Memphis

Evanna Momtaj
University of Missouri

Blake Morrow
University of Illinois

Hanya Noussier
Florida State University

Sara Omar
University of Minnesota

Jenna Ramon
Texas State University

Brianna Roach
Arizona State University

Marvin Sosa
University of Illinois

John Starkweather
Brigham Young University

Jyonosuke Tanaka
Newhouse School of Public Communications

Luckett Vanguard
University of Minnesota
 

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