By John Paul Napleton
October 17, 2016
Austin – 40 years ago, the American Association of Advertising Agencies created a program that introduced 10 interns of diverse backgrounds to the advertising industry . The program, Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP), supplied the industry with top-notch multicultural talent. Today, MAIP has evolved into a professional development program that has impacted more than 120 students each year.
Since 2010, 65 UT students have participated in MAIP. These students have had the experience to intern at prestigious advertising agencies throughout the nation, including McCann, Ogilvy, DigitasLBi, and many others. Over the years, UT has been known to place highest in the number of students participating in the fellowship.
“As an industry we really have some work to do,” says 2014 MAIP and 2015 Texas AdGrad alumna Candace Queen. “Agencies adopt diversity initiatives, but many still don’t fully implement them. It’s important for our industry to transition from an attitude of tolerance to one of acceptance and place a focus not just on recruitment but retention.”
During the 22-week program, students participate in 12 weeks of virtual online training and a 10-week agency internship in a specific discipline, ranging from account management, strategy, media, art direction, to public relations. In addition to a full-time paid internship, MAIP fellows participate in a series of agency sponsored professional development workshops and seminars, which provide a deeper dive into the various advertising and media disciplines.
Most importantly, MAIP impacts the advertising industry by bringing in some of the most talented and driven multicultural students in the U.S. into an industry that continues to lack diversity. Sourcing from over 3,800 colleges and universities, MAIP has impacted over 2,600 diverse students and has continuously been an advocate for positive change in the industry. In 2015 alone, 96% of that year’s fellow class was hired within nine months of completion of the program.
“It is something you can’t pass up,” says 2015 MAIP and 2016 Texas Advertising alumna Natalia Naranjo. “[MAIP offers a] community you’ll find very vivid. Alumni are strong and active, and they want you to succeed.”
Applications for MAIP are released at the beginning of each fall semester .
For more detailed info about MAIP and the 4 A’s initiative, visit http://maip.aaaa.org/.