Ithaca College

Joseph Rockhill '04 received the American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Minority Student Rising Star Award at a luncheon reception on February 4 in New York City. The ceremony was attended by leading advertising industry executives from Pepsi, Home Depot, Ad Age magazine, and many global agencies.

While at Ithaca, Rockhill majored in television-radio with a concentration in advertising and public relations. He currently serves as an account supervisor on the Verizon account at McCann Worldwide in New York City.

Scott Hamula, professor and director of the integrated marketing communications program at Ithaca College, was Joseph's nominator for AAF's Most Promising Minority Student Program back in 2004 and continues to serve as faculty adviser to Ithaca College's AAF chapter.

Scott said, "We are proud of Joe's accomplishments and support the efforts of the American Advertising Federation to prepare young, diverse talent for promising careers in this exciting industry. We support our minority students to be involved with these excellent opportunities for their professional development."

Earlier this year two other IMC majors, Peter Pasco '09 and Hannah Moore '09, also were inducted into AAF's Most Promising Minority Students Program, which is the premier advertising industry award program to recognize and recruit outstanding minority college graduates in advertising, marketing, media, and communications.

The program connects the advertising industry with the nation's top minority college seniors and provides opportunities to recruit fresh talent, to further prepare advertising's best young prospects, and to help the industry's workforce better reflect the multiculturalism of today's society. The program not only honors the students, but also enhances their knowledge and understanding of the advertising industry by offering networking, interviewing, and industry immersion opportunities with industry professionals.

The AAF MPMS Alumni Rising Star Award was established in 2006 by Arnold Worldwide.

Pictured: Joe Rockhill (left) with Fran Kelly, CEO of Arnold Worldwide.