News and Insights
FINN Partners launches annual academic scholarship for aspiring marketers at University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business
December 15, 2022
Gift grows roster of scholarship programs funded by FINN Partners to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in marketing and communications field
PORTLAND, Ore. — FINN Partners, a global independent marketing and communications firm, is launching an annual scholarship for aspiring marketing professionals: the FINN Partners Excellence Scholarship in honor of Wendy Lane Stevens at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. The gift represents the third scholarship program instituted by FINN Partners to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry. A tribute to alumna Lane Stevens (’72), a retired FINN Partners managing partner and long-time public relations practitioner, the scholarship will be available for the 2023-24 academic year.
“It is our privilege to establish an annual gift to support future marketing professionals at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business, and this award furthers our commitment to opening doors for a more diverse field of future communicators,” said Peter Finn, FINN Partners CEO and founding managing partner. “We are proud to do so in honor of Wendy Lane Stevens, who has been an inspirational leader and who credits her world-class education at the University of Oregon for laying a solid foundation for her success.”
“FINN Partners is committed to advancing DEI and representation in the communications industry and beyond,” said Helen Shelton, global chief diversity officer for FINN Partners. “Through programs like the FINN Partners Excellence Scholarship, we help provide the resources and skills students need to succeed, while honoring and integrating their diverse voices, backgrounds and experiences.”
Each year, the FINN Partners Excellence Scholarship will be awarded to one undergraduate student majoring in business with a concentration in marketing at the Lundquist College of Business. Students of diverse backgrounds will be prioritized, along with those demonstrating financial need and academic excellence. The beneficiary will receive a one-time award of $3,000. Additionally, FINN Partners is establishing an annual paid summer internship opportunity in its Portland office that will be open to the college’s students.
The gift to the Lundquist College of Business is modeled on successful scholarship programs that FINN Partners has established at The City College of New York and at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to providing financial support, FINN Partners nurtures up-and-coming communicators through mentorship programs, internships and an Excelerator Program specifically designed to attract young people to the agency world. In all its efforts, FINN Partners emphasizes building and maintaining a welcoming and diverse culture, a founding principle.
“Attending the University of Oregon was a formative experience that gave me the tools and confidence to succeed in business,” said Lane Stevens. “It is my sincere hope that this scholarship from FINN Partners will help others achieve their career goals while fostering greater diversity in the marketing and communications field.”
Lane Stevens, who retired from FINN Partners in September 2022 and remains an adviser, was among a handful of women in her 1972 graduating class at the then called School of Business Administration at the University of Oregon. She excelled in the rigorous program and eventually established her own public relations agency in 1990, helping household names and regional brands share their stories, before ultimately joining FINN Partners in 2016.
To be considered for the FINN Partners Excellence Scholarship and other awards, students may apply through the college’s application portal now through Feb. 15.