AdScape Brings 100 High Schoolers to Radford University to Learn About the Business of Advertising

Creative high school students from the Roanoke and New River valleys are heading to Radford University Thursday, Oct. 29, for AdScape, a program that teaches them about the business of advertising.

More than 100 students are expected for hands-on, interactive workshops in topics that include social media, audio/video production, 3D animation, graphic design, public relations, digital communication and advertising management.

Students will also will practice “soft skills” during a networking lunch, sponsored by the university’s Office of the Provost, that brings high school students, faculty and working professionals together for an elevator pitch exercise led by Radford University communication students.

The university’s School of Communication offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that focus on the study of advertising and public relations, as well as journalism, production technology and communication studies. Communication professionals and university faculty and staff are volunteering their time to lead the sessions.

This marks the second year of the program, an initiative of the Roanoke Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), a professional organization devoted to the business of advertising. Professionals in the areas of graphic design, marketing, broadcast, photography, print, digital media and more, come together to represent a wide range of community businesses and organizations. AAF Roanoke was founded in 1958.

AdScape was organized by the chapter's Discover Advertising Protégés (DAP) group, which exposes minority students to advertising careers through job shadowing and special events. This segment of the population is being heavily recruited in the advertising industry.

The event is free to registered high school students because of support from Radford University’s College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences and the Office of the Provost, Mountain Valley Transportation, Duncan Automotive Network, Lawrence Transportation, Blue Eagle Credit Union and Cuz’s Autobody Repair. Learn more at the Discover Advertising Protégés website.