Wunderman Thompson Announces Five Recipients of Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship

After reviewing hundreds of submissions from around the world, Wunderman Thompson has officially announced the five unique women who will be this year’s recipients of the Helen Lansdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship.

Helen Lansdowne Resor was the industry’s and J. Walter Thompson’s first female copywriter. She was renowned as one of the greatest copywriters of her generation, but also as an advocate for the advancement of women in the creative domain. The scholarship, established by JWT in partnership with the 4A’s Foundation in 2014, is an international opportunity that recognises talented female creative advertising students globally.

-    Mariana Legaspi Jimenez (Art Direction, ITESO), LATAM

-    Leda Bartolucci (Communication Design, The Glasgow School of Art), Europe

-    Sherine Y Salla (Graphic Design, German University of Cairo), MENA

-    Manasa Krishnan (Graphic Design, National Institute of Design), South Asia

-    Tarika Jain (Masters of Integrated Innovation in Products and Services, Carnegie Mellon University), North America

Each recipient will receive a scholarship of $10,000 to be put toward her education. Additionally, she will be offered a paid summer internship with a Wunderman Thompson office in her respective region, a Wunderman Thompson mentor, and a “first look” placement consideration upon graduation.

The scholarship is open to eligible female students registered at an undergraduate, graduate and/or portfolio school.

Maree Prendergast, global chief talent officer, Wunderman Thompson, said: “We are incredibly thrilled to continue our efforts in supporting young female creatives and equipping them with the means and the opportunity to be successful in the advertising industry. This scholarship ensures women and their voices, in this generation and the next, are represented in leadership and work across the discipline at large.”

“It’s an honor being chosen for this incredible opportunity that perfectly combines two topics I’m very passionate about; creativity and women’s empowerment. I hope that one day I’ll be able to use my skills as a graphic designer to create messages that positively impact the world,” said Sherine Y Salla.

"I feel incredibly encouraged in winning this scholarship. I see myself as a channel for this incredible chance to reach more and more women in the creative field, and I am humbled to be representing them thanks to this scholarship. This opportunity will lead me to test myself in ways I wouldn't have thought possible, and I am sure it is going to affect my practice forever," said Leda Bartolucci.

"It is indeed a great honor to be associated with a community that strives to empower women in the creative domain. I feel greatly inspired and enthused to enrich my skills by integrating the power of visuals with the global reach of advertising,” said Manasa Krishnan.

“I am honored to have received the HLR Scholarship and become a part of Wunderman Thompson, a leading creative global community. As a product designer, I would like to explore the integration of digital and physical user interfaces with sustainable artificial intelligence to narrate truly engaging stories,” said Tarika Jain.

"Words cannot describe how thankful I am for winning the HLR Scholarship. This is a huge honor and it has been amazing. When I received the call, I was beyond happy, not only because I could continue my education but because I can now focus on giving my very best in every opportunity I am given — whether it is at work or at school. Representing creative women in design is a huge honor that I will take advantage of by continuing to create and express myself through art and design, and make my peers, family, friends, country, and myself proud,” said Mariana Legaspi Jimenez. 

Since 2014, 25 young women from diverse academic backgrounds and across six regions have been named recipients of the HLR Scholarship. This is the fifth year that the agency is awarding HLR Scholarships.