• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, June 19, 2014

JWT Worldwide has created an international scholarship to assist and promote female creative advertising students. Named after JWT’s (and the industry's) first female copywriter, Helen Lansdowne Resor, the scholarship is one of a number of elements that the agency has devised to commemorate its 150th anniversary. 

Details of the scholarship were unveiled in Cannes today where the agency and The New York Times hosted a panel at the Cannes Lions Festival exploring the lack of female creative leadership in the industry. 

“As the industry’s oldest global agency with a history of pioneering achievements, we are in the position as influencers to change the paradigm when it comes to diversity and women in the industry,” said JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Bob Jeffrey. “We are thrilled to offer this first-of-its-kind scholarship designed to cultivate a network of support for aspiring female creative ad students.” 

The Scholarship from JWT aims to support young, diverse women from around the world who aspire to join Adland’s creative ranks where women comprise just 3% of the creative leadership. 

The HLR Scholarship will award five individual $10,000 annual scholarships for a five-year program. In addition, HLR Scholarship recipients will receive a paid summer internship between their junior and senior year at a JWT office in their respective region, a JWT mentor and a “first look” placement consideration upon graduation.

Initially, the scholarship will be open to applicants in China, India, the Middle East and North America. 

Helen Lansdowne Resor began her pioneering half century-long career with JWT in 1911. According to JWT, during her tenure, the agency was known as the “Women’s Agency,” where bright young female talents had a chance to succeed. She was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 1967, three years after she died at the age of 78.