ING Americas & Rock The Street, Wall Street Celebrate Financial Literacy Month with Reimagined Career Center for High School Girls & Alumnae Pursuing Math

ING Makes Transformational Grant to RTSWS's Career Platform Providing Access and Opportunity to Young Women Entering the Workforce

NEW YORK, April 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock The Street, Wall Street (RTSWS), bringing the world of math and finance to diverse high school girls, and ING Americas announce a reimagined Student & Alumnae Career Center. 

With a grant provided by ING's global community investment fund, ING Americas is the Inaugural Sponsor of the RTSWS Student & Alumnae Career Center. The grant will be used to transform the engagement and experience for alumnae and students seeking recruitment events, networking opportunities, internships, and entry-level positions. More than 70 financial firms post job openings with some also providing career fairs, training, and events for these cohorts, continuing to build networks and support as they advance in their careers. 

"We immediately recognized a natural alignment with Rock The Street, Wall Street which is helping to bring both gender and racial equity to the financial markets," commented Gerald Walker, CEO, ING Americas. "At ING, we are focused on steering people towards stronger financial health through financial literacy education and career development. With this grant, we can ensure that the training and experience alumnae received as RTSWS students, continues to be supported as they enter the workforce bringing us a step closer to increasing the number of women in finance and math-related jobs."

Rock The Street, Wall Street offers racially diverse high school girls additional opportunities to engage with math before proactively selecting college courses and, ultimately, their career pursuits. Importantly, RTSWS alumnae earn degrees in finance, economics, or related business fields at 5x the American national average for women in college. 

"Through this commitment, ING is helping women take their first steps in establishing finance careers by providing access to employment and networking opportunities," commented Katharyn Meyer, Head of Financial Markets, ING Americas and a lead sponsor of this partnership. "For me, the love of math and finance has been encouraged by my teachers, parents, and mentors throughout my academic and professional journey. It is my hope to pass forward this gift of engagement and support to others with the help of ING and industry colleagues."

Rock The Street, Wall Street demonstrates the benefits for active engagement with high school girls, as their graduates complete the program 71% more financially literate. 

With 25 years of Wall Street experience, RTSWS Founder & CEO Maura Cunningham turned her attention to empowering the next generation. "Understanding math and the power it can have, offers these talented students a seat at the table, diversifying and strengthening the workforce," comments Ms. Cunningham. "STEM professions are exciting, purposeful and can lift families out of poverty in one generation." 

Although women have surpassed men in earning college degrees, women are disproportionately represented in 6 of the 10 lowest-paying college majors, while 9 of the 10 highest-paying majors, all in the STEM fields, are dominated by men.

Throughout Financial Literacy Month, Rock The Street, Wall Street is participating in several industry events to raise awareness, thank volunteers, and recognize students and alumnae. Rock the Street, Wall Street is proud to have recently added ING Americas, Ninety One, and Bloomberg to their esteemed group of partner firms leading the way. Sponsors include Blackrock, Meta, J.P. Morgan, LPL, EY, Franklin Templeton, Invesco, Fitch, and Morningstar. Click here for the complete list.

"As we raise awareness during Financial Literacy month, I am grateful to our sponsors and volunteers for helping our remarkable students and alumnae," Ms. Cunningham added. "We know there is a long road ahead, so it's great to reflect on our wins and support as we move forward together. This generous grant from ING Americas will help RTSWS grow with our students and improve the girls' experiences as they work hard to enter the financial industry – a major win for us all."

Rock The Street, Wall Street is now in more than 60 high schools across 34 cities and has engaged more than 6,000 girls through its program. Completing the program, students' comprehension of financial and investment concepts improves by an average of 71%, and their interest in pursuing a degree in finance, economics, or related fields is 5x higher than the national average of women attending college. 73% of RTSWS students are from BIPOC populations and 50% are from low-income households. Rock The Street, Wall Street is a 501c3, and operates in the US, Vancouver, and London.

About ING Americas

ING Americas is the brand name of ING's wholesale business in the Americas region, and a part of ING Group N.V. ("ING"), a global financial services company of Dutch origin with a network spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. ING has more than 58,000 employees and offers financial services to customers in over 40 countries.

ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N).

About Rock The Street, Wall Street

RTSWS is an innovative nonprofit that brings the world of finance to high school girls, helping to provide financial and investment literacy before college and career selections are made. Aiming to increase girls' interest in the financial industry, former Wall Street executive, Maura Cunningham, founded RTSWS, which has expanded internationally to bring STEM to young women in more than 60 high schools across 34 cities across the US and now in London and Vancouver. The programs leverage women leaders in the financial industry as volunteer instructors and coaches, and firms as sponsors. RTSWS helps students see themselves in key roles, expanding their reach and offers them the social capital and a flight path into the M in STEM careers. RTSWS alumnae earn degrees in finance, economics, or a related business field at a 5x the US national average for women in college.

RTSWS solves for a few problems: Girls often opt away from STEM, Math in particular, at young ages. This group strives to strengthen technical and mathematical skills, teach financial lexicon, and create solutions to overcome the gender gap in math and investing, with a woman leader actively involved in teaching each program. Leadership statistics of powerful investment firms repeatedly demonstrate a lack of gender diversity in the C-suite and as money managers. The nonprofit deploys technology and in-person training to improve the diversity in talent slates and increase qualified candidates reflecting all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion, expanding the talent pipeline for interested and engaged investment, technology and FinTech firms.

Contacts:

ING Americas
Melissa Kanter, + 646 424 7021
[email protected]

Rock The Street, Wall Street
Kimberly Weinrick, + 917 224 5335

SOURCE ING Americas