Advertising student selected as one of 41 "Most Promising Minority Students" nationwide
For 15 years, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) has given minority students a place to shine. Sara Mahmood, an honors marketing and global supply chain management major with a minor in communication studies, is one of 41college seniors nationwide that the AAF has selected as its Most Promising Minority Students (MPMS) in advertising.
Mahmood is only the fourth Wayne State University student to receive this honor. The AAF convened Feb. 4-6 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City to honor the recipients. Students were selected based on the quality of their recommendations, academic merit, professional experience, ethical practice and community engagement.
“It’s definitely an honor to receive induction into the Most Promising Minority Students class of 2013,” Mahmood said.
While in New York for the MPMS program, she also was awarded the Pepsi Campus to Corporate Award, a national designation given to the four highest student achievers, on campus and professionally, in the advertising, marketing and communications industries.
The MPMS event connected the inductees with those leading the path in the advertising field and offered recruitment and networking opportunities for the students. The awards program brought together some of the highest ranked industry leaders and more than 50 of the most prestigious agencies in advertising. Participating companies included General Mills, Leo Burnett, Interpublic, Omnicon, Publicis, McCann World Group, CNN and the New York Times. The program included a variety of industry immersion opportunities through networking events, professional panels and tours.
“I explored new perspectives, met key decision makers in advertising and expanded my professional network,” Mahmood said. “It’s rewarding to connect with industry leaders who share a similar passion for learning and development in advertising and marketing communications.”
Apart from industry immersion events, the class of 2013 was invited to an exclusive career fair featuring the “best places to work” in advertising and marketing communications.
The program offers continuing support to the inductees.
“Through the MPMS programming, I hope to heighten my knowledge of the industry through meeting and learning from influential professionals,” Mahmood said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the advertising community in New York City. It’s inspiring to experience the creative office spaces where so many innovative ideas are conceived and cultivated.”
Mahmood is interested in the advertising and digital media landscape and is developing a strong foundation in communication-based technology. She wants to learn more about consumer insights, emerging media, metrics, measurement techniques and analytics.
Being selected as an MPMS has benefits besides the initial honor.
“The recruiters acknowl
edge that such distinctions differentiate career seekers in advertising,” said Richard Beltramini, professor of marketing and Mahmood’s mentor. “A number of them have referred to active participation in the American Advertising Federation activities like National Student Advertising Competition, Alpha Delta Sigma National Advertising Honorary Society and others as a ‘seal of approval’ on resumes.”
Mahmood plans to eventually pursue an M.B.A. or even a Ph.D. Her current focus is on completing her undergraduate education and gaining more technical industry experience.
“I am a firm believer in continuous learning and development, so even when I am not sitting within a classroom I remain intellectually curious about emerging trends,” Mahmood said.
Mahmood works at Universal McCann Detroit as a portfolio management associate, a part-time position she has held since April 2011. She has been on the dean’s list for eight consecutive semesters. She is also the winner of 30 academic and leadership awards.
Mahmood says that attending the School of Business Administration has challenged her academically, socially and professionally. She is currently enrolled in her second advertising class with Beltramini.
“I have the highest regard for his teaching principles,” Mahmood said. “His courses allow students to gain real world experience by working in teams to consult for and present solutions to a client.”
Beltramini has taught all four of Wayne State University’s MPMS inductees.
“This significant honor is not the kind of thing that happens every year,” said Beltramini, who has taught at the university since 1995.
“I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to work with a number of promising advertising students over the years. I believe learning is a shared responsibility; instructors must provide learning opportunities which push students to excel and students must push their instructors to stay current in this constantly changing industry,” he said.
Beltramini has framed photos of the four MPMS winners in his office which he looks at for inspiration before each class. He says it’s the students who earn the honors.
“Ms. Mahmood has pushed herself to deserve this award. She’s taken on several internship and volunteer activities and is now one of the leaders of our student advertising organization,” he said. “This is an industry for ‘hand raisers.’ When opportunities present themselves, you cannot just sit in class without actively participating in learning opportunities. It’s gratifying to watch her professional development from the basics to higher level strategic planning.”
The AAF’s Most Promising Minority Students list was published in the Feb. 4 issue of Advertising Age.
Mahmood said that in addition to media coverage, having an AAF Most Promising Minority Student will be a great opportunity to heighten national awareness about the WSU marketing major.
“I want fellow students, especially local AAF chapter members, to follow my lead and seize the many opportunities available to them through Dr. Beltramini and the advertising community,” she said.
