Five new partners join ARF diversity initiative

The scheme was established to improve the quality and diversity of the future workforce of the advertising, media and research/analytics industries. C+R Research, Initiative, Kantar, Levi Strauss & Co. and SKIM have pledged a total of more than $140,000 to the scholarship programme. Initiative joins ARF WIDE as the first agency partner.

ARF WIDE has also selected nine new scholars from its partner universities for the programme’s second year. This second cohort of scholars includes two students majoring in Media Studies at University of California, Berkeley; two Marketing students at Ohio State University; two Computer Science and Information Security majors at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York; and three students at University of Wisconsin Madison studying Psychology and Marketing, Supply Chain Management and Operations and Technology Management.

Throughout the programme experience scholars are matched with ARF Young Pro coaches, who serve as a bridge between the undergraduate experience and professional workforce, as well as executive mentors from ARF’s network of industry leadership. Scholars also have access to ARF WIDE partners offering paid summer internship opportunities and the ability to join ARF programming, including conferences, seminars, professional communities and ARF WIDE Learning Labs.

“We are very grateful to our new ARF WIDE partners and the pivotal role they will play in our effort to develop and nurture a new and sustained generation of diverse talent across the industry,” said ARF chief executive and president Scott McDonald.

“I am particularly delighted to welcome our second class of scholars and want to thank our university partners for their support. I am very much looking forward to continuing the momentum of the first year with such a wonderful group of individuals.”

Following ARF WIDE’s inaugural year, one scholar has graduated and 19 students from the participating public universities are continuing in the programme for the second year.