associate professor, Department of Communication, 308-325-1111 or brownr@unk.edu
Christopher Araujo, a University of Nebraska at Kearney advertising major from Lexington, has been selected as one of the most promising minority students in advertising in the nation by the American Advertising Federation (AAF).
Next week, he will travel to New York City, all expenses paid, for a three-day program that includes seminars, meetings with recruiters, and industry immersion at a New York City advertising agency.
The highlight of the trip will be the Building Bridges for Our Future Awards luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the New York Athletic Club where, in a special ceremony with industry leaders, the AAF will present awards to Araujo and the other finalists, with one being named the most promising.
Further, each of the finalists will be featured in USA Today during the week and in the Feb. 6 issue of Advertising Age magazine.
Araujo was nominated for the award by Dr. Ruth Brown, UNK associate professor in the Department of Communication. Dr. Brown advises the AAF-affiliated student Advertising & Public Relations (Ad-PR) Club at UNK.
Finalists and honor roll students were selected by the AAF based on their grades, demonstrated interest in the industry, leadership, character indicators, essay on a minority pioneer in the industry and the adviser’s nomination letter.
In her nomination letter, Dr. Brown said, “Chris is that rare young man who is a serious student, constantly striving to learn more, and a talented creative, constantly improving an already excellent product–not because he has to, but because he wants to.”
Araujo is the only Nebraskan among the finalists. Among the other finalists are students from the University of California – Berkeley, The George Washington University, Michigan State University, The Pennsylvania State University and Syracuse University.
This is the third time in the eight-year history of the UNK Ad-PR Club that one of its members has been chosen as a finalist in the AAF’s Most Promising Minority Student Program.
