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The American Advertising Federation of Lincoln has awarded scholarships for many years to students aspiring to continue their education in this crazy field of advertising. In spite of our efforts to encourage them to run like heck! Three scholarships are awarded each year. This year each scholarship is valued at $1,000.

In the 1980s, AAF Lincoln dedicated two scholarships as memorials to two former icons in the advertising community. They were established as a tribute to Pam Holloway-Eiche, vice president of Ayres & Associates (now known as Ayres Kahler) and to Warren Joyce Ayres, president and founder of the same agency.

Pam served as the President of AAF Lincoln in 1973-74 and became the 9th District Governor in 1977-78. She received many award in the advertising industry. In college, she was named the Outstanding UNL Woman Student in Advertising in 1962. When she was 9th District Governor in 1977, she founded the student Ad Club at UNL, and was instrumental in establishing other student ad clubs across the country. She was also named Outstanding Young Women in America in 1975, Lincoln Silver Medal Winner in 1976 and 9th District Silver Medal Winner in 1979.

Pam was described by a long-time colleague as "the most caring person you could ever meet. She truly loved her work and she took care of her clients. She was the best account executive that Ayres ever had. She was organized, energetic and totally devoted to her cause." She died an untimely death in the 1980s from cancer.

Warren Joyce Ayres had many articles written about him. One of which described him as "patriotic, loyal, friendly and well loved." He had a motto that we in the ad industry can all live by: "the person with the best idea wins." A graduate of UNL in 1930, he had his first job working in advertising/public relations for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. He was commissioned in the U.S. Navel Reserve during WWII and spent three years in the Pacific. During that time he wrote the words and music for what would become the official Navy amphibious song "Fighting Amphibians."

On April 1, 1946, thirty days after leaving the Navy, he founded Ayres and Associates. He also founded the Lincoln Admen's Gridiron in 1939, which evolved into the Advertising Federation of Lincoln in 1951.

To list his awards and achievements would take volumes. As stated in a newspaper article, "Joyce Ayres did not just become a "member" but rather a "mover" in any group with which he had been associated. He was named the Silver Medal winner in 1960 and 9th District Silver Medal winner in 1976. He also was recognized with the distinguished Service Award by the University of Nebraska Alumni Association in 1975. But his greatest honor was hearing the University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band play "Hail Varsity" which he wrote in 1936.

The Cultural Diversity Scholarship was added to the awards in the 1990s. The scholarship was established to encourage more minority students to continue their education in advertising and marketing with the financial backing of an AAF Lincoln scholarship and encourage people from all nationalities to pursue a career in the advertising industry.

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