ATLANTA, GA – June 03, 2019 – MELT, and MELT Founder/Chairman/CEO Vince Thompson announced today its prestigious Class of 2019 featuring 36 students from 19 colleges and universities.
MELT University is an immersive eight-week summer intern program that features more than 50 speakers from the top corporations, sports, and media organizations in the country; 10 field trips to the top sports and entertainment venues in the city and a capstone project with The Giving Kitchen, which recently won The James Beard Humanitarian Award for their work for the food service industry.
The 36 students were selected from more than 300 applications submitted. MELT University was created by Thompson based on his experience working his way through Auburn University as a student assistant in the Sports Information Department during the days of Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley and this program is his and MELT’s way of helping the next generation of sports marketers. Many MELT University alumni are now working at the country’s top corporations including The Coca-Cola Company, Home Depot, Chick-Fil-A, Carter’s, Turner Broadcasting and many more. MELT only hires from this talent pool, which allows their retention rate to be more than twice the nation’s average. MELT University captured a Cynopsis Social Good Award in 2017.
“I’m so proud of this class of outstanding students,” said Thompson. “They represent the best of the best and brightest and we look forward to spending the summer together and learning from one another.”
MELT University Class of 2019:
Hannah Berretta | University of Alabama
Emily Blank | University of Texas
Taylor Borden | Georgia State University
Lauren Dollar | Clark Atlanta University
Lindsey Engles | University of Georgia
Elizabeth Feiber | University of Alabama
Abby Fraher | Auburn University
Nate Freeman | Samford University
Jackson Goins | University of South Carolina
Lindsay Gomes | University of Georgia
Isabelle Gordon | Auburn University
Catherine Hare | Southern Methodist University
Ian Herbert | University of Texas
Trey Janes | The University of Tennessee
Katherine Jordan | Georgetown University
Zachary Katz | University of Alabama
Carlisle Kennerly | Auburn University
William Kidd | Clemson University
Ben La Kier | Indiana University
Hannah Lagod | James Madison University
Hayden Loeb | Sewanee: The University of the South
Camille Marsh | University of Alabama
Hannah Marto | Louisiana State University
Austin McCain | Auburn University
Ali Mourad | University of Alabama
Daniel Oakes | Indiana University – Bloomington
Kyle Orr | University of Georgia
Riley Portmann | University of Alabama
Carson Rains | Auburn University
Jackson Sharpe | University of Georgia
Courtney Sherman | Louisiana State University
Adison Shiffler | Mississippi State University
Caroline Spillman | North Carolina State University
Casey Stark | Auburn University
Page Wallace | University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Sophie Zelony | Vanderbilt University
About MELT
Founded by CEO Vince Thompson in 2000, MELT, LLC, is an Atlanta based fully-integrated sports, esports, entertainment culinary and lifestyle marketing agency offering clients advertising, original content development, digital, social media, event and experiential marketing, retail and consumer promotions, brand strategy and sports property evaluation and activation. MELT has won or has been nominated for the following industry awards since 2017:
- 2019 Bronze Stevie Award (American Business Awards) – Company of the Year: Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
- 2019 Drum Marketing Awards USA Finalist- Best Event/Experiential Strategy: MELT & IHG’s Avid Hotels Pop-Up Tour
- 2019 Interactive Marketing Awards – Shortlist
- Best Social Media Campaign: MELT & Coca-Cola College Gameday Snapchat
- Best Influencer/ Outreach Campaign: MELT & Coca-Cola Company Valser Influencer Strategy
- 2019 Atlanta Magazine – Top 500 Business Leaders: Vince Thompson
- 2018 BizBash500 List – Top 500 People in Events: Vince Thompson
- 2018 Event Marketer Top 100 “It List”- Top 100 Agencies
- 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO: Vince Thompson
- 2018 Silver Stevie Award- Brand Experience of the Year- Consumer: Taste of the Tournament for Kroger, Hershey’s, Mondelez & The Coca-Cola Company
- 2018 PR News and Social Media Award- Best Use of Filter (Snapchat): Coca-Cola ESPN College Gameday
- 2018 Social Good Influencers- Honorable Mention: MELT University
- 2018 Cynopsis Sports Media Award – Honorable Mention for Use of Snapchat: Coca-Cola ESPN College Gameday
- 2018 Shopper Marketing Effie Award – Multi-Brand/Manufacturer Shopper Solution: Taste of the Tournament for Kroger, Hershey’s, Mondelez, & The Coca-Cola Company
- 2017 Experience Design and Technology Awards- Best Permanent or Pop-Up Retail Experience: The Coca-Cola Kitchen
- 2017 Stevie (American Business Awards) – Marketing/Advertising Agency of the Year