Honoring a distinguished career spanning 30 years, The Harry Jacobs Scholarship is The Richmond Advertising Club's way of supporting future advertising leaders. Over the course of his lifetime, Harry Jacobs has impacted the advertising profession on the local, state and national levels. He has won virtually every advertising award in recognition of his creative leadership.

Moreover, Harry Jacobs has strongly supported the personal growth of young talent, serving on the boards of the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism, the Corcoran School of Art and the VCU AdCenter. His commitment to bringing out the best in those working around him is something from which we can all learn.

The Richmond Ad Club believes the VCU AdCenter can promote this tradition of excellence to future generations of advertising professionals. To help in this endeavor, the Ad Club, in conjunction with The Martin Agency, awards a $5,000 scholarship to a deserving AdCenter student(s) both to aid that student's development, and to show support for the AdCenter's mission of excellence in advertising education. Funds for the scholarship are raised through our annual golf tournament and speaker events.

The VCU AdCenter's two-year graduate program provides an intensive, real-world education for future advertising leaders. It offers a master's degree in communications with concentrations in art direction, copywriting, account planning, account management and media planning.

2008 Winner - Hank Leber

Hank Leber got into advertising about a year ago, at 26 (officially, at least). After 2 years at Ball State University in Fashion Design and finishing up at William and Mary in Virginia with a B.A. in English, Hank toured in a rock band for 5 years. It turns out that the music business is not too far removed from the advertising world, so last year Hank wound up at the VCU Brandcenter where he has found his true calling (or at least a great way to spend long days and nights wondering if there ever is a "right" answer).

Hank has worked as a snowboard instructor, summer resort waiter, rockstar, booking agent, freelance writer/editor/designer, and most recently interned with DDB Chicago helping Anheuser-Busch on their latest brand strategies.

You can find Hank at the VCU Brandcenter most days; he's the one wearing the Heelys shoes and wheeling around the building. Feel free to come say hello - just be careful not to get run over.

Previous Winners

• 2007 Diana Brost (Copywriting)
• 2006 Patrick Maravilla (Copywriting)
• 2005 Dave Ramirez (Copywriting)
• 2004 Sonia Brown (Strategy)
• 2003 Alan Buchanan (Art Direction), Deric Nance (Copywriting) and Lindsey Randolph (Strategy)
• 2002 No Scholarship Awarded
• 2001 La'Leatha Ryan (Strategy) and Miriam Kaddoura (Art Direction)
• 2000 Ron Villacarillo (Art Direction)
• 1999 Joe Nio (Strategy)
• 1998 Donald Vann (Art Direction)
• 1997 Tom Scharpf (Art Direction)