Educational Fund Activities
Through the FWA of New York Educational (Ed) Fund, FWA members engage in several outreach programs that support the organization's mission of encouraging young women to seek career opportunities in business and finance. It also supports the FWA's professional development and educational programs for the business community. Founded as an unincorporated association in 1976, The Educational Fund was granted tax-exempt status as a 501c 3 charitable organization and incorporated in 1982.
Scholarship Programs
Scholarships for graduate study in business are awarded to women in the second year of a degree program in business, who will receive their degrees during the award year. Universities currently participating include Baruch, Columbia, Fordham, New York University, and Pace. Recipients are chosen by their by institutions as best meeting the FWA criterion of academic merit combined with demonstrated leadership. Financial need is also a factor in selection. The amount of scholarship award is $5,000 per student.
A special program established more recently, the Clarin Schwartz Memorial Scholarship, commemorates FWA member Clarin Schwartz and all those who died in the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001. It awards $5,000 annually to a woman MBA student who is including international studies in her coursework. The initial awards have been made at New York University.
The Leah Pfeffer-Lidsky Scholarship Program assists participants in the High School Mentoring Program at Murry Bergtraum High School. Named in honor of the late founder of the program, these scholarships have totaled $365,200 and have been given to 95 students since 1987. The awards enable students to enter and continue higher education programs, and are made by the FWA through its Scholarship Committee on the basis of academic promise and financial need.
College Programs
The College Connections Committee coordinates the Wall Street Exchange ("WSE"), a program designed to augment the summer internship work experience of select qualified students who are between their junior year and senior years of college and who are employed in the New York metropolitan area. WSE provides an exciting opportunity for participants to enhance job search skills while learning to think strategically about career choices.
Our objective is to provide participants with the tools necessary to execute a successful job search for a full time job upon graduation from college. This objective is accomplished through a series of workshops that address specific skills including professionalism, leadership, resume writing, interview techniques, career development and career choice.
The program additionally emphasizes the important role a professional network serves in career development. To that end we highlight networking skills and have established the "Summer Network", a volunteer group of dedicated FWA professionals who offer WSE participants professional and personal support.
High School Programs
The High School Mentoring Program provides mentors for students from Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers, a NYC public school. For almost 20 years FWA members have served as role models, teachers and caring adults interested in the development of youngsters educationally, socially and personally. The program broadens students' knowledge of career opportunities, assists them in the college selection and application process, helps them develop self-confidence and emphasizes the importance of success in school. The FWA is also partnering with Kaplan Educational Centers to provide scholarships for the Kaplan SAT preparation course.
"Financial Backpack" is a series of workshops that teach high school students practical financial skills to help them manage their financial affairs, such as budgeting, investing and planning for college. FWA members conduct the workshops in school classrooms, including interactive lectures and case studies.
College Programs
College Connections programs encourage women in college to seek careers in the financial field. The flagship Wall Street Exchange internship program is designed to enhance the summer experience of college students working in NYC financial jobs between their junior and senior years. The program offers broad-based exposure to career opportunities in the financial field, provides a network of mentors and teaches tangible business and networking skills.
The Baruch Mentoring Program was launched in 2002. FWA members mentor students majoring in business at CUNY's Baruch College. The program provides one-on-one relationships, networking opportunities, group activities onsite at Baruch, at members' offices, and at cultural events throughout the city, invitations to attend FWA speakers' programs, and exploration of a range of career paths with a variety of experienced professionals.
Programs for the General Business Community
Programs focused on education and professional development are a central part of FWA activities, designed to provide continuing learning and career growth. Through its events, the FWA offers access to business, government, and academic leaders, allowing members to develop familiarity with issues in finance, technology, business, management and the non-profit world. An array of events are sponsored throughout the year by several committees including Emerging Issues, Entrepreneurs, Non-Profit, and Professional Development.
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