MARCUS GRAHAM PROJECT & ROCK THE VOTE PARTNER TO INCREASE VOTER EMPOWERMENT AMONGST MILLENIALS

The Marcus Graham Project, a national network of marketing professionals dedicated to the development of the next generation of thought leaders, announced today its pro bono partnership with Rock The Vote, a nonpartisan non profit organization dedicated to engaging young people in the political process by using music, popular culture and new technologies.

As part of The Marcus Graham Project’s iCR8 Boot Camp program, aspiring advertising and marketing leaders will develop a get-out-the-vote campaign for next year’s 2012 presidential election, as well as a research study that will uncover the issues important to the Millennial generation.

“We couldn’t think of a more appropriate partner than young people themselves to help us develop a “get-out-the-vote effort” said Chrissy Faessen, VP Marketing and Communications for Rock the Vote. “We are excited to work with Lincoln and his creative and energetic team to ensure young Americans are educated and engaged in our country’s democracy and the 2012 elections.”

Approaching it’s fourth year, the iCR8 Boot Camp is a summer-long leadership development program that provides young adults with an interest in marketing, media and advertising with the opportunity to gain the exposure and experience necessary to solidify careers within the industry.

Over the last three years the program has taken on clients such as AT&T, ABC (WFAA-Dallas), John Legend’s non-profit The Show Me Campaign, and signature body care line forplai by Lamman Rucker. WFAA-Dallas Participants of the previous summers have now landed jobs at Ohio State University, Wieden+Kennedy, RAPP, TPN and The Richards Group.

“After having run the Rock The Vote Street Team in 2004 (Dallas) and 2008 (Chicago), as street team leader, I am excited to now partner our non-profit’s core program with an organization that I have an incredible amount of respect for,” says Lincoln Stephens, Marcus Graham Project Co-Founder. “Next year’s presidential election is going to be pivotal to the progress of our country and our generation and we need to empower young voters with knowledge on the power of their voice through all forms of media and participation.”

Applications for the iCR8 Summer Boot Camp are now available and will be due January 20, 2012. Ideal candidates should seek to build resume experience,while gaining invaluable mentorship and knowledge about the marketing, media and advertising industry. The application can be downloaded at http://www.marcusgrahamproject.org/MGP_Summer_Bootcamp_Application_Packet_2012.pdf

Sponsorship opportunities for the summer boot camp are available for agencies, corporations, and private donors. For information on how to get involved and to request a sponsorship package, interested parties can email Lincoln Stephens at info@marcusgrahamproject.org or call (214) 810-6475.


About The Marcus Graham Project

The Marcus Graham Project is a national network of diverse professionals who have purposed themselves in developing the next generation of thought leadership within the advertising, media and marketing industry. The vision of The Marcus Graham Project (MGP) is to provide long-term access to information, technology, financial and people resources that will strategically develop a viable pool of talent and leadership within the industry. The Marcus Graham Project is a 501 (c) 3 organization. More information about MGP can be found at: www.marcusgrahamproject.org

About Rock the Vote | www.rockthevote.org

Rock the Vote’s mission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country. Using music, popular culture, new technologies and grassroots organizing for more than 20 years, Rock the Vote has registered more than 5 million young people, including a record- shattering 2.5 million registration downloads in the historic 2008 election. In 2010, Rock the Vote logged nearly 300,000 voter registration downloads as part of the largest midterm election outreach strategy in our organization’s history. As the tidal wave of Millennial generation voters continues to establish its power at the polls, Rock the Vote will register millions more young people and make their voices heard. In 2011, Rock the Vote is leading the charge toward making our electoral process more accesible to young people through our high school civics program, Democracy Class, by rallying young people to stop unfair registration laws, and preparing for our largest voter engagement campaign ever in 2012.