Marcus Graham Project Picks Kelvin Morales for iCR8 Fellowship

4/19/2018 Unknown 0 Comments


The email said: "We want you to join us this summer and embark on a journey that is beyond your imagination. Your life is going to change in 11 short weeks. You will make friends, meet geniuses and spark your mind to fire off great ideas with great people."

 That's how Kelvin Morales BIC '19 heard that he had been selected to be part of the Marcus Graham Project's iCR8™ program. He'll join fellow BICster Natalie Alcide this summer in Dallas, Texas. He'll be juggling his time between Dallas and San Francisco, where he'll be attending The LAGRANT Foundation conference in June.

The selected participants in iCR8™ programs form themselves into a pop-up agency that they will run as they manage the clients that they will partner with. Each year, the selected team typically provides consultancy for a select non-profit organization, as well as a large corporation and a start-up.

ABOUT Marcus Graham Project's iCR8™: it was inspired by a blog written by Tiffany R. Warren, Chief Diversity Officer of The Omnicom Group and Founder of the AdColor Industry Coalition:

“One idea proposed is the creation of an industry sponsored advertising “bootcamp.” Such a camp could assist those agencies who need to diversify, but are worried about lack of advertising experience in potential candidates. This would also help professionals yearning to be free from other sectors hit the ground running when they enter ours.” (“The Big Tent,” Ad Age Blog)

The goal of iCR8™ programs to do just as Ms. Warren suggested, identify opportunities in the industry and those interested in pursuing them. The curriculum design was inspired by the 1969 Agency Primer written by Bill Sharp entitled, “How to Be Black And Get a Job in The Advertising Business Anyway.”

Approaching its 9th year, the Marcus Graham Project’s experiential learning methodology is specifically designed to provide diverse aspirants in the field of marketing and media, including advertising, PR & social media with the exposure and experience necessary to solidify careers within the industry.