Grand Valley student selected for national advertising award

Grand Valley State University student Angela Antonio, from Trenton, Michigan, has been named one of 50 Most Promising Minority Student finalists by the American Advertising Federation. She is the only student from Michigan to receive the recognition this year. This is the fourth consecutive year that a Grand Valley student has been selected for the award.

AAF’s Most Promising Minority Students Program is the premier advertising industry award program to recognize and recruit outstanding minority college graduates in advertising, marketing, media and communications. The program honors the students and enhances their knowledge and understanding of the advertising industry by offering networking, interviewing and industry immersion opportunities with industry professionals.

Antonio, a School of Communications senior majoring in advertising, will attend the Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon in New York City in February, as part of a three-day, expense-paid trip provided by AAF.

“It is such an honor to be selected for this AAF program,” said Antonio. “As a finalist, I have a once in a lifetime opportunity to network and interview with some of the top advertising agencies, media companies and advertisers in the world.”

As an undergraduate, Antonio was active with Grand Valley’s chapter of PRSSA, Ad Club, and held a leadership position with NSAC. She held internships with Grand Valley’s Men’s Lacrosse team, as advertising and marketing director for Grand Valley students’ literary magazine, Fishladder, and with Heart of West Michigan United Way. She was also a four-year recipient of the Bert Price Diversity Scholarship.

The Most Promising Minority Students Program and its finalists will be featured in Advertising Age, USA TODAY, and the official Most Promising Minority Student program book. Additionally, each finalist’s résumé will be included in the 2011 Most Promising résumé database that will be available to human resources and media professionals across the nation.