Career Exploration
This program, which was established in 1981, exposes disadvantaged young adults, aged 17–21, to a broad range of career paths. It provides on-the-job summer internships and offers classes that place emphasis on school-to-work transitions and career alternatives.
It began as a pilot project for high-school groups in New York City, where students with academic potential were selected by their school counselors and principals. The focus of the project was responsibility, office decorum, communication, dress/or personal presentation, and the identification of transferable skills. The leadership counselors of the New York Coalition interceded with businesses in New York City to create summer internships and secured the services of Hunter College for the educational component, which was held on the fifth day of each week of work. The latter component was buttressed by professional minority speakers.
The pilot program, evaluated by the Educational Testing Services, received a 97 percent success rate and is now a national program under the auspices of the Commonwealth Fund. And it has been replicated by two NCBW chapters—Detroit and Kansas City.
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Wealth, Markets and Social Change
An Economic Development Colloquy for Women of Color held at Rockefeller University, this two-day event provides concrete information about retirement security, the global economy, challenges and opportunities within the corporate arena, what it takes to become financially secure and how to start and maintain a profitable business. The title sponsor of the colloquy in 1998 was Shell Oil. American Express and Con Edison also provided major funding support. Other contributors included Chase Manhattan Bank, Salomon Smith Barney, Bank of New York, Bank of America, Anheuser-Busch, McDonald’s Corporation and Fleet Bank.
In 1999, Bank of America was the title sponsor of the colloquy. Again held at Rockefeller University, the second colloquy eclipsed the success of the first one. Major funding support was provided by Shell Oil and JP Morgan. Other contributors included Anheuser-Busch Companies, Chapman Worldwide Financial Services, PaineWebber and RRE Investors, LLC.
The year 2000 saw a change of location for the third annual colloquy. Held at the Harvard Club of New York City, the colloquy proved that it gets better with age. JP Morgan provided major funding support; other contributors were the Ford Motor Company, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, McDonald's Corporation, Bank of America Foundation, Anheuser-Busch Companies and the Fannie Mae Foundation. |
