Harvard College names Ryan Leslie 2010 AMBLE Vanguard Award Recipient

Musician and entrepreneur Ryan Leslie has been named the 2010 Vanguard Award Recipient by the Aspiring Minority Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs of Harvard College (AMBLE). The award-winning musician & CEO of the NextSelection Lifestyle Group received the group’s most prestigious honor at their annual Spring Career Conference on March 26.

“At this point in his career, Ryan is unstoppable,” said conference coordinator Brittany Mosely, who presented the award to Mr. Leslie, “...his perseverance is truly an inspiration to young college students like us.”

Within four years of graduating Harvard, Leslie began his musical career as a mentee of Sean "Diddy" Combs and Tommy Mottola. By the end of 2005, he had written and/or produced tracks for Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and New Edition. A year later, he was the architect behind Cassie's "Me & U," a number one R&B single that also reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

Leslie launched his solo career in 2009 with a self-titled album fueled by lead single "Diamond Girl," and successive singles "Addiction" and "How It Was Supposed to Be". The album earned Leslie 2 BET Award nominations, including Best New Artist, and set the stage for a subsequent album 'Transition', issued only nine months later.

In his keynote adress, Leslie encouraged students "to be like him" and use social media to promote & market their entertainment ventures.

Known for his accessibility on-line, Leslie also invited students to stay in touch and interact with him via his twitter (@ryanleslie) account and website (ryanleslie.com).

AMBLE serves Harvard’s community of students who maintain an active interest in exploring opportunities in the business world and honors the nation’s most acclaimed artists and entrepreneurs each year.