AAF Announces 2015 Most Promising Multicultural Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AnnMarie Manzulli [email protected]
808‐386‐9652 AAF Announces 2015 Most Promising Multicultural Students HPU’s ADPR major, Jairus Kiyonaga, is one of the 50 top‐tier students selected HONOLULU, HI‐ October 31, 2014‐ A panel of advertising industry professionals gathered at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) headquarters in Washington, DC on Tuesday, October 28 to select the 2015 class of Most Promising Multicultural Students (MPMS). Jairus Kiyonaga, an advertising and public relations (ADPR) major at HPU was one of only 50 students chosen nationally. The MPMS Program is part of AAF’s initiative to promote diversity and inclusion within the industry. Each year, students from AAF’s 200 college chapters apply for the program, and a group of advertising professionals convene to select a new class of Most Promising students. Kiyonaga will participate in a four‐day industry immersion program that includes professional development workshops, agency visits and a recruiter’s expo. The program will be held in New York City, February 1‐4, 2015. “All of two years ago, I decided to claim Advertising & Public Relations as my major. I knew nothing about the field, I just knew I loved the creativity it offered,” Kiyonaga said. “I still can’t believe I’m receiving this award. It’s a completely humbling experience and I couldn’t be more thankful. I guess a little passion and dedication can go very far.” Most Promising students represent the top of their class and have passionately demonstrated their future success in this industry through internships, leadership activities, community service, innovation and creativity. The AAF's MPMS Program acknowledges those multicultural students who are deemed exceptional by their college professors and advisers. AnnMarie Manzulli, faculty adviser of the Akamai Advertising club and lecturer in the Department of Communication nominated Kiyonaga. “Jairus was the obvious choice for MPMS,” Manzulli claimed. “His creative and strategic abilities have grown into strong, marketable leadership skills that are primed to expand exponentially with national industry experience.” This year’s MPMS judging panel included representation from Carmichael Lynch, The CDM Group, Deutsch, Leo Burnett, Mary Kay, McCann Worldwide, Omnicom Group and Team Ignition Pancultural Marketing. "We selected from a pool of some of the most talented and diverse students I've come across," said Christena J. Pyle, Diversity & Inclusion Supervisor with Omnicom Group and 2015 MPMS Judge. "When you start here, with this caliber of talent, what you end up with is a class of students that could very well change our industry. 2015 is not even ready!” ### About the American Advertising Federation The American Advertising Federation (AAF), the nation’s oldest national advertising trade association, and the only association representing all facets of the advertising industry, is headquartered in Washington, DC, and acts as the "Unifying Voice for Advertising." The AAF’s membership is comprised of nearly 100 blue chip corporate members comprising the nation’s leading advertisers, advertising agencies, and media companies; a national network of nearly 200 local clubs representing 40,000 advertising professionals; and more than 200 AAF college chapters with over 5,000 student members. The AAF operates a host of programs and initiatives including the Advertising Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, the Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism, and summer Ad Camps for high school students. For more information on the full range of AAF programming, visit www.aaf.org.

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