December 9, 2024
December 10, 2024
Following a successful 2022 pilot program, Mission North officially launched our “Foster the Future” industry initiative in 2023. Originally partnering with three other agencies, we offered fellowships to diverse college students considering a public relations track. We set out to mobilize the industry and drive long-lasting change, and I’m happy to report that the program has grown significantly post-launch. In 2024, we’ve more than doubled our participants – we have nine total agencies involved – and expanded our scope to include programs that address diversity needs within the current workforce as well as the talent pipeline. This milestone could not have been achieved without the incredible team at Mission North driving this work, including Nabeelah Khan, Liv Osbourne, Gillian Davis, Melinda Ball, Lucy Stenzel-Poore, Lindsey Shumway, Yuliya Kim, and Logan Wood.
Several new components mark our 2024 interagency efforts. Foster the Future: Sponsorship aims to accelerate career paths for agencies’ internal, mid-level leaders from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of the open-sourced curriculum, sponsorship participants tap into our Foster the Future Mentor Network, which includes an incredible group of communications leaders prepared to support our participants’ career goals. Mentors include comms experts from the world’s leading brands, including Google, Nike, Threshold Ventures, Johnson & Johnson, and BlackRock.
Striving for a More Equitable Industry
In planning and administering this growing program, I’ve consistently referenced some alarming statistics about the makeup of today’s PR and communications organizations. A 2022 Diversity Action Alliance survey found that 29% of employees were ethnically and racially diverse. Within leadership positions, that percentage falls to just 17%.
Nevertheless, the Foster the Future initiative – now nine organizations strong – is helping to “foster a new future,” bringing equity into our fast-moving and ever-expanding communications world.
Two years ago, Mission North’s inaugural fellow, Brielle Smith – at the time a rising senior PR major at Howard University – told us the following about her tenure with us over the summer:
<split-lines>"Each week challenged me to learn more about the industry and become a better communication specialist than I was the week before."<split-lines>
Smith spent time with different internal teams and practice areas and left the program noting:
<split-lines>"[They've] created an incredible opportunity to support the interest of BIPOC women seeking exposure into this highly ethnographically exclusive field."<split-lines>
Our 2023 fellow, Lala Badaoui, a senior studying communications at James Madison University at the time, also spent a substantial amount of time pivoting between accounts and practice areas. She completed various tasks, including media and technological research, scanning and audit assignments, and participated in several agency events.
Commenting on her time with us, Badaoui said in a blog she authored:
<split-lines>"Through research, strategy, and other client-facing exercises, I quickly diversified my PR skills and knowledge. In addition to client work, I had the opportunity to spearhead several internal projects, expanding my creative thinking skills."<split-lines>
<split-lines>"In a matter of six weeks, I felt like I actually made a difference."<split-lines>
Scholarships, Stipends, and Paid Internships
With growing support from the broader communications community, sharing specifics about the 2024 program gives me great joy. Accepted fellows will receive some combination of scholarships, stipends, and paid internships, totaling $82,000 this year! The list is below; the applications can be found using this link:
- Mission North The Future Is…Fellowship: $30,000 scholarship, $6,000 stipend, eight-week paid remote internship
- Method Communications Fellowship: $15,000 scholarship, $3,000 stipend, six-week paid remote internship
- LaunchSquad Fellowship: $10,000 scholarship, $4,000 stipend, eight-week paid remote internship
- AGEAN Public Relations Public Relations Fellowship: $2,500 scholarship, five-week paid remote internship
- Just Drive Media Fellowship: $5,000 scholarship, eight-week paid internship
- The Bliss Group Fellowship: $5,000 scholarship, eight-week paid internship
- PressFriendly Fellowship: $1,500 scholarship, eight-week part-time paid internship
The excitement here extends beyond our team at Mission North. In fact, Ali Winkle, CEO of Just Drive Media, a Foster the Future partner, tells us that the initiative truly helps amplify unique perspectives and backgrounds: “This partnership is a great step forward in opening up new pathways to a more inclusive industry,” she said.
The application window for 2024 fellowships runs from Feb. 5 - March 8.
A Meaningful Endeavor
We are so proud of how Foster the Future has grown and believe we are just getting started. We will only ensure that our industry reflects the rich diversity of audiences we serve by working together.
If you want to learn more or join our effort, please contact us through our fancy new website!
