H/L Foundation Launches Mentorship Programme for Graduating Seniors
Independent creative ad agency H/L proudly announces the addition of a hands-on mentorship component to its Josh Nichol Memorial Scholarship program. Named for late H/L CEO Josh Nichol, the scholarship, currently in its third year, provides assistance and support to select Oakland Unified School District graduating high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in advertising and marketing.
Kicking off the new mentorship program the day before East Oakland’s Fremont High School graduation, H/L invited this year’s thirteen scholarship recipients to their Oakland office, where employee volunteers introduced the students to the many career paths available in advertising. To get a closer look at how advertising works in real life, team members from different departments showcased some of H/L’s greatest advertising campaigns, discussing the concepts that made these ideas happen, performance optimisations, and key insights gleaned from these experiences. Additionally, students had the opportunity to speak with former H/L interns, now full-time H/L employees, to gain insight into potential internship opportunities.
H/L’s newly minted mentorship component combines a personal time commitment from H/Lers with financial assistance from the Josh Nichol Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship program’s new mentorship element ensures that these students will continue to access the resources and mentorship of H/L’s many employees and executives eager to help as each student continues their studies and enters the workforce. Following their collegiate careers, H/L hopes to continue creating momentum for these students by engaging them in the agency’s successful internship program, which offers entry-level opportunities in marketing and advertising.
The addition of the new mentorship program reflects H/L’s commitment to creating initiatives that positively impact the future of the advertising and marketing industry and the community overall. Headquartered in Oakland, H/L’s Josh Nichol Memorial Scholarship program currently serves the Bay Area, with plans to expand to communities near H/L’s other offices in Atlanta, Kansas City, Miami, Phoenix, and St. Louis.
Trey Curtola, chairman of H/L, says of this year’s scholarship program, “The best way to honour an outstanding leader is to create more of them. Our commitment goes beyond providing financial investments in scholarships. Our goal is to constantly expand our scholarship program and utilise our agency's combined expertise to provide ongoing support for our scholars. Each year, we’re looking to make this experience more meaningful in a way that directly benefits these students. By availing ourselves as life coaches and positive adults invested in their professional futures and creative potential, we’re finding new ways to pass the torch with a human element. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve done and continue to do as a company, but most of all, I’m proud of these students.”
Jasmene Miranda, media academy director at Fremont High School, adds, "H/L is offering invaluable opportunities for my students -- this program helps alleviate the financial burden of graduating seniors and their families at the Fremont High School Media Academy. It lets them focus more on their academic pursuits and future career hopes. These programs allow seniors to connect with professionals who can provide guidance, career opportunities, and referrals."
Since 1985, H/L has been fiercely independent and committed to Make Momentum. The company’s strengths include local and national media activations, creative development, insights and analytics, full-scale digital and video production, multicultural marketing, and PR. H/L is headquartered in Oakland, California, with people in 22 states and offices in Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, and St. Louis. What unites H/Lers across the country is a common drive - to pioneer new ways to push clients’ businesses forward and serve its communities.
