LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--W2O Group today announced a $50,000, three-year commitment to The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) to fund the Future Leaders in Healthcare Fellowship Program targeting ethnic minority candidates pursuing careers in healthcare communications.
Spearheaded by W2O Group Founder and CEO Jim Weiss and TLF Chairman and CEO Mr. Kim L. Hunter, the program will build on TLF’s mission of increasing the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations.
“Given our expertise and focus on healthcare we are looking to ensure the next generation of leaders are ready for the challenges ahead,” said Weiss. “This partnership with TLF will result in a more diverse workforce, work with client partners to increase diversity in their communications functions, and provide more robust insights and results to clients from a diverse perspective.”
W2O Group launched the program with a $50,000 donation to TLF that will be dispersed over the course of three years, placing two fellows per year. The program will be a 10-week, paid fellowship in one of the following offices: New York, San Francisco, Austin, Boston or Minneapolis.
The program will expose the fellows to careers in healthcare communications and give them the opportunity to work with major organizations including Shire, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.
“A program this dedicated to increasing minority representation is certainly beneficial to the PR/Communications profession and the healthcare industry,” said Gwen Fisher, head of global portfolio communications at Shire. “I applaud TLF and W2O Group for their partnership in making this a reality.
Vicky Najar, a senior at California State University Dominguez Hills majoring in communications is looking forward to applying for the fellowship: “Being a Latina, I understand the impact health companies can have on someone like me and the unique perspective I can bring to them. I see this program and future career path as a way to help others in a truly meaningful way through my work.”
The healthcare industry is constantly evolving with a focus on patient care. In order to stay relevant and have the ability to target a wide range of patient demographics, health-focused agencies need to reflect diversity in their workforce to provide maximum value to their clients. The partnership with TLF illustrates W2O Group’s commitment to provide culturally relevant campaigns and services targeting the nation’s diverse population.
“Given the significant demand by both agencies and clients, this action–oriented fellowship program will be designed specifically to develop the next generation of healthcare communications and marketing professionals to meet the current and growing demand,” said Hunter.
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For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.lagrantfoundation.org. Engage with us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information about W2O group, please visit www.w2ogroup.com. Engage with us on: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF)
Since its inception in 1998, The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) has provided 331 scholarships and $1.83 million to continue its mission to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. With the generous support of its major donors and supporters, TLF provides students with career & professional development workshops, scholarships, internships, entry-level positions and mentors to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.
About W2O Group
Founded and led by chairman and CEO Jim Weiss, W2O Group is an independent network of complementary marketing and communications firms focused on integrated business solutions that drive change and growth for the world's leading brands and organizations. W2O Group firms employ proprietary analytics to ensure precise communications in today’s social and digital reality. W2O Group serves clients through a network of firms – WCG, Twist Mktg and BrewLife – via offices in San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Silicon Valley, Boston, London, and Basel.
