The Marcus Graham Project, created by co-founders Lincoln Stephens, Larry Yarrell, Jamil Buie and Kenji Summers, graduated another successful class of future marketing execs at its Lemonade Stand event on Friday, Jan 22. Named after the popular Eddie Murphy character in the movie Boomerang, the Marcus Graham Project has tasked itself with developing the next generation of thought leadership within the advertising, media, and marketing industries with a noticeably diverse approach.
Recent graduate and program participant, Candace Breedlove explained that each candidate is handpicked to be a part of the team and the interview process takes into consideration how well group members will work together. Breedlove has radio and television aspirations and feels the real-world experience provided by the Marcus Graham Project helped her grow by leaps and bounds. She’s learned among many things, the power of networking and building relationships.
Another participant, Haitham al-Rahim had recently returned from studying in Qatar, where he reported that massages and food servers in the workplace provided a very different work culture than that experienced in corporate America. Al-Rahim, who has ambitions of working in product innovation and development, noted that through the Marcus Graham Project, he and his team members tackled a real problem for a real client, and then provided a solution for them. He was happy to report that their proposal was accepted by the client.
A very cool aspect of the program is the inclusion and participation of career marketing execs, who were out mingling with project participants. media planners, brand strategists, communications execs, and creatives sharing drinks and cookies with the young individuals who are prepping to fill their shoes is an incredible idea. Congrats on another successful cycle.
Gallery photos provided by Candace Breedlove
