LOS ANGELES (April 8, 2021) – In celebration of its 23rd Anniversary, The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) will award a total of $175,000 in scholarships to 60 ethnically diverse college & university students across the nation, an increase from TLF’s traditional 50 scholarship awards totaling $150,000.
The decision to increase the number of scholarship awards for a second consecutive year was made in an effort to ease the financial challenges students have encountered as a result of the COVID-19 health pandemic. Twenty graduate students will each receive a scholarship in the amount of $3,750 and 40 undergraduate students will each receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,500.
The LAGRANT Foundation is proud to recognize the following graduate and undergraduate students:
Graduate Students:
1. Jesus Aleman – Marketing | University of Texas at Austin
2. Samantha Balcaceres – Public Relations & Advertising | University of Southern California
3. Jasmine Bolton – Marketing & Technology | Columbia University
4. Jordan Bonaparte – Communication Studies | State University of New York at Albany
5. Jonathan Chavez – Public Relations & Advertising | University of Southern California
6. Lauren Colson – Marketing Research | Michigan State University
7. Gabrielle Dawkins – Global Strategic Communication | Florida International University
8. Marleny DeLeon – Marketing | Vanderbilt University
9. Daniel Gong – Marketing | University of California, Los Angeles
10. Sabrina Khan – Branding + Integrated Communications | The City College of New York
11. Daniel Lederman – Marketing | Florida International University
12. Mary Long – Journalism & Mass Communications | Arizona State University
13. Ruvimbo Mangoma – Marketing | Columbia University
14. Jesus Meza – Marketing | University of California, Los Angeles
15. Marco Ramirez – Communication | Saint Louis University
16. Chantess Robinson – Political Communication | American University
17. Isabella Santana – Branding + Integrated Communications | The City College of New York
18. Jia Li Shi – Marketing & Brand Management | University of Rochester
19. Natalie Torres – Marketing | Loyola University Chicago
20. Niya Wilson Williams – Marketing | University of Southern California
Undergraduate Students:
21. Sarah Albuquerque – Digital & Interactive Marketing | Western Connecticut State University
22. Belinda Andrade – Public Relations & Advertising | DePaul University
23. Jeyson Beltrand – Marketing | Eastern Connecticut State University
24. Sidney Berry – Public Relations | Florida A&M University
25. Aliya Bram – Communication | San Diego State University
26. Brendon Brown – Communication | University of Hartford
27. Tejasvini Calambakkam – Advertising | University of South Florida
28. Alise Crittendon – Advertising | University of Georgia
29. Lesli Cuamani – Marketing | Baruch College
30. Leeah Derenoncourt – Public Relations | Emerson College
31. Emmanuel Flores – Public Relations & Advertising | DePaul University
32. Holly Giese – Marketing & Psychology | University of Cincinnati
33. Zachary Gradishar – Public Relations & Strategic Communication | American University
34. Jennifer Gray – Technology Leadership Innovation Management | University of Houston
35. Susan Guo – Global Business | Fordham University
36. Joshua Harris – Digital Media Production | Drake University
37. Britney Huston – Digital Media Production | State University of New York at New Paltz
38. Darrell Kelly – Marketing | University of Houston
39. Zane Landin – Communication | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
40. Malik Larkin – Graphic Design | Maryland Institute College of Art
41. DeAndre Malcolm – Public Relations | The Pennsylvania State University
42. Isabella Valdez Martinez – Business Administration | University of California, Riverside
43. Jiawei Miao – Global Business | Fordham University
44. Naiima Miller – Marketing | Howard University
45. Navaeh Miller – Strategic Communication | The Ohio State University
46. Donnie Minor Jr. – Communications | Central Michigan University
47. Sally Nguyen – Advertising | University of Oregon
48. Faith Nishimura – Marketing | Loyola Marymount University
49. Eduardo Olivares – Advertising | University of Oregon
50. Sophia Peng – Business Administration | University of Washington
51. Nathan Peppers – Marketing & Entrepreneurship | University of Cincinnati
52. Nicholas Polk – Mass Communications | Sam Houston State University
53. Andrew Rhee – Advertising | Brigham Young University
54. Daija Rion – Strategic Communications | Elon University
55. Melanie Rojas – Marketing | University of Maryland
56. Lakin Stevens – Advertising | Appalachian State University
57. Melissa Torres-Duran – Advertising & Spanish | University of Oregon
58. Clarke Weddington – Public Relations | University of Miami
59. Taylor Williams – Public Relations & Advertising | DePaul University
60. Ariana Wilson – Strategic Communications & Marketing | Elon University
Among this year’s scholarship recipients is undergraduate student Aliya Bram, who is the third TLF scholarship recipient in her family. Her siblings, Steven and Vanessa Bram, previously received the scholarship as undergraduate students in 2008 & 2009 and 2018, respectively. Additionally, undergraduate recipients Eduardo Olivares and Malik Larkin are receiving the scholarship for the third year in a row.
As the advertising, marketing, and public relations industries continues to evolve, so have the majors TLF is now starting to see more frequently with its recipients. This year’s recipients include those who are currently majoring in digital media production and digital & interactive marketing.
In lieu of an in-person program, this year’s scholarship recipients will participate in a multi-day virtual program which will include a virtual kick-off with Nike Vice President, Enterprise Communications and TLF Board Member KeJuan Wilkins, and virtual career development and professional workshops with Procter & Gamble and Marina Maher Communications.
The LAGRANT Foundation is grateful for the unwavering support of its board members and supporters, whose generous contributions made it possible for TLF to increase the number of scholarship awards for a second year in a row. TLF would especially like to recognize this year’s Host Committee Chair Damon Jones, chief communications officer at P&G and Host Committee Co-Chair Marina Maher, CEO at Marina Maher Communications.
About The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF)
Since its inception in 1998, The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) has provided nearly $3 million and 703 scholarships to continue its mission to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. With the generous support of its major donors and supporters, TLF provides scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentorships and internships/entry-level positions to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.
