Programs

Next Generation

FWA Mentoring Program at Murry Bergtraum High School

For over 24 years the FWA has partnered with Murry Bergtraum High School in one of the longest partnerships in the New York City public school system.  FWA members mentor 30 students until graduation. The mentees benefit from the mentors’ knowledge and experience as well as the opportunity to explore career opportunities especially in the business community.  The program helps with the college selection and application process, provides SAT prep courses in partnership with Princeton Review, develops students’ self-confidence, and emphasizes the importance of success in school. Learn more about the FWA mentoring programs

FWA Mentoring Program at the Zicklin School of Business  at Baruch College (CUNY)

For eight years, FWA members have mentored undergraduate business students at Baruch and focused on career and personal development.  Approximately 30 mentee/mentor pairs participate in formal presentations at campus lunch meetings and at financial institutions, attend FWA speakers programs, and explore a range of career paths with a variety of experienced professionals.  Learn more about the FWA mentoring programs

Financial Backpack

The FWA’s Financial Backpack program teaches high school students practical financial skills to help them manage their financial affairs, such as budgeting, investing and planning for college. FWA members participate in conducting the workshops. A generous grant in 2008 from HSBC in the Community (USA), Inc. enabled the FWA to expand these offerings greatly to more than 400 students annually, mainly from the NYC Department of Education’s Virtual Enterprise program. Learn more about the financial backpack program

Undergraduate Scholarship Program

Since 1998 the FWA of New York Educational Fund has awarded $522,500 to 144 qualifying graduating FWA – Murry Bergtraum High School (MBHS) mentees.  Funds contributed by BMO Capital Markets now support these scholarships.Learn more about the MBHS scholarship program

FWA – BMO Endowed Scholarship Fund at Baruch College (CUNY)

Thanks to support from BMO Capital Markets over the past three years, the FWA has endowed full-ride scholarships for many students in the FWA-Baruch mentoring program.

Graduate Scholarship Program

The FWA of New York Educational Fund awards four $10,000 scholarships to graduate students studying business at New York City schools – NYU, Columbia, Baruch, and Fordham – and one $10,000 scholarship to a student studying microfinance at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).  Over the course of 27 years, the FWA has awarded $650,000 to 139 graduate students. Learn more about the graduate scholarship program

Wall Street Exchange

The FWA’s flagship Wall Street Exchange program enhances the summer experience of a select group of 30-40 college students working in New York City financial jobs between their junior and senior years. For almost 30 summers, the program has offered an exciting eight-week program for participants to gain broad-based exposure to career opportunities in the financial sector, enhance business, networking and job search skills, network with FWA mentors and learn to think strategically about career choices. Learn more about the WSE  program

Women Helping Women

Financial Literacy

Since early 2005, FWA members have provided financial literacy workshops to clients at University Settlement in lower Manhattan.  The program is proud to have expanded its reach since 2007 by working with women at Nontraditional Employment for Women.  About 200 people have completed the financial literacy program since it began. Learn more about the financial literacy  program

Microfinance

It is in the shared spirit of women helping women, and through the hard work of the late Lenore Albom, who was an FWA past president, that the FWA first became involved in microcredit and microfinance.  Through programs organized by the Microfinance committee, the FWA explores issues around microfinance, such as the performance of investments in microfinance during the financial crisis; and mobile banking and how it has expanded access to financial services in developing countries.In addition to these discussions, the FWA established the Lenore Albom Microfinance Giving Program as an annual campaign to raise funds to support microfinance organizations.  Over the past few years the program has chosen to provide scholarships for women leaders of microfinance institutions (MFIs) worldwide to attend executive leadership training seminars organized by ACCION and Women’s World Banking.  Learn more about the microfinance program

Personal and Professional Development

Entrepreneurs

Not-for-Profit

Professional Development