Prairie View A&M University News February 11, 2021 PVAMU makes its mark on creative industry; launches new advertising club to promote diversity The world of professional marketing and advertising has a long history of being racially and culturally homogenous. However, students at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) are stepping up to lead change and promote inclusion in the creative industry. Undergraduate students recently launched the PVAMU Advertising Club, a new chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), to help bring resources to students on campus and introduce them to careers in creative industries. With donations from the AAF Mosaic Center for Multiculturalism, PVAMU is now one of only five historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) with a chapter in the organization. The new chapter is dedicated to increasing diversity within the creative industry, which is currently made up of less than 7 percent of people of color. PVAMU students now proudly have a place in the nation's oldest advertising trade association that represents 40,000 professionals and provides 7,000 advertising students with real-world case studies and recruitment connections to corporate America. "The PVAMU Ad Club is an amazing organization that allows students the opportunity to gain valuable professional development experience and build long-lasting connections through networking. Students get the opportunity to gain real-world experience within the advertising industry," said PVAMU Advertising Club President Daija Green. As one of ten inaugural members of the club, Green says her role as president is to steer the organization in the right direction and build a culture that will last. The PVAMU club is aligned with UM Worldwide, a global advertising agency based out of New York, which helps facilitate workshops and mentor students. Locally, the club works with the Houston chapter of the AAF, and AD2Houston, an industry cooperative that aims to educate, mentor, and give back to the community. Perhaps the most significant benefit to Ad Club students is the opportunity to network with fellow alumni in the industry; the club has an advisory board of former Panthers who now work in the advertising and marketing industries. PVAMU Club Advisor Michael Thomas '13 looks forward to guiding and advising students as they enter their prospective career paths. "I want to be that bridge between academia and the real world," said Thomas, who also serves as a multimedia specialist for his alma mater. "Students will get the opportunity to work on real client work provided by mentors from UM Worldwide and other local agencies," he added. Through the relationships with both the AAF and partner agencies, PVAMU students will be exposed to career paths they may not have considered. "This club benefits the students by helping them develop strong portfolios to get jobs," said Thomas. Thomas says the club will expand quickly. He plans to double the number of student members to 20 during the next year so that more students can take advantage of the relationships between the club and professional organizations. PVAMU is in a unique situation to help its students achieve their career goals while also addressing the larger issue of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. "We are positioned to help solve that problem," Thomas said. The PVAMU Advertising Club is currently looking for PVAMU alumni to help mentor and sponsor the chapter's endeavors. To connect, follow the group on Instagram @aafpvamu<https://www.instagram.com/aafpvamu/>, or contact them at pvamuadclub@gmail.com<mailto:pvamuadclub@gmail.com>. By Angie Frederickson Sandra M. Phoenix HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs - Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/humanities-2019.html for more information. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/ and click on the Donate Now button to invest in this project. Your support is appreciated. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/