Students part of national advertising group's promising scholars

Karen Madera
Karen Madera

Three UNL students are part of the American Advertising Federation's 2012 class of Promising Minority Students.

Amy Struthers, associate professor and advertising/PR sequence head in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, said Karen Madera of McKinney, Texas, was selected as a finalist; and Alex Perez of Fort Worth, Texas, and Luke Tidball of Lincoln were named to the Honor Roll. Madera and Perez are majoring in advertising and public relations; Tidball is studying film and new media.

"This award for me really encompasses a passion for people and diversity," Madera said, "and I am thrilled to be a part of the MPMS program."

Madera is a junior strategist at Maly Marketing, a project leader at the UNL Center for Entrepreneurship, and a campus visits intern for the UNL Admissions office. She is on the Dean's List and has received national and regional Phi Beta Lambda awards for public speaking and international relations. Madera also is a National Hispanic Scholar.

Perez came to Nebraska on a National Hispanic Scholarship. He is on the Dean's List and is a co-founder and creative director of Jacht Club, the college's student advertising agency. Perez was the lead creative on the project called Drinking Water Protection Areas for the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality's Wellhead Protection Network.

Tidball held a summer internship at Ruby Studio, an advertising agency in Sri Lanka in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He has directed, cast, produced and edited video for international accounts. Tidball did graphic and Web design and was a part-time volunteer for Save Lanka Kids, a nonprofit, charitable, nongovernmental Christian organization in 2008.

This is the third year that UNL students have been selected for the MPMS program. Madera earns a three-day all expenses paid trip to New York. Perez and Tidball are also invited to attend the convention in New York.

UNL advertising professor Adam Wagler will join Madera in New York City Feb. 1-3, to receive the nominator award.

AAF's Most Promising Minority Student Program is the premier advertising industry award program to recognize and recruit outstanding minority college graduates in advertising, marketing, media and communications. Students are selected for the award based on academic standing, work experience, extracurricular activities, leadership and community service. They must be seniors and of African, Asian, Latino, Native American or Pacific Islander descent.

- Marilyn Hahn, College of Journalism and Mass Communications