Professional Associations

  • Professional associations and affinity groups offer a great way for young professionals to network and strengthen leadership skills. Here are some groups that many finance professionals find valuable.

Associations & Affinity Groups / Demographic-Focus

        African American

  • National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the black community.  The organization has a strong belief in community and a commitment to its development through economic and educational development initiatives that support the global African American community.


        Asian

  • APA Five educates, mobilizes and inspires the next generation of Asian Pacific American leaders. By gathering our greatest role models with emerging young talents and creating a coalition of community organizations, we bring together all Asian Pacific Americans to promote active leadership, cultivate an interdisciplinary network and build a mentorship pipeline.


        Hispanic /Latino

  • Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement (HACE) builds Latino careers through leadership and career development of Latino students and experienced professionals and recruitment programs for the acquisition of this talent by leading corporations, the government and other institutional employers.
  • National Hispanic Business Association (NHBA) dedicated to helping Hispanic undergraduate business students develop the real-world skills and relationships needed to launch successful professional careers. 
  • National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) fosters Hispanic leadership through graduate management education and professional development. NSHMBA works to prepare Hispanics for leadership positions throughout the U.S., so that they can provide the cultural awareness and sensitivity vital in the management of the nation’s diverse workforce.
  • New America Alliance (NAA) is an organization of American Latino business leaders committed to leading the process of Latino empowerment and wealth-building by expanding the forms of capital most crucial for economic advancement, including economic capital, political capital, human capital, and philanthropy.

 

        Native American

  • American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) creates successive generations of American Indian citizens prepared to participate in the constructive revitalization of their respective communities—those who share a common location, common interests, and common needs.
  • Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) focuses solely on the financial success of tribal entities. They provide a central source for the latest in financial management information and professional idea sharing. Through their network, members connect with experts in various financial areas, specifically as they apply to tribal governments and organizations.

Women

  • Catalyst is the leading nonprofit corporate membership research and advisory organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women and business.
  • Forte Foundation is a consortium of major corporations and top business schools that has become a powerful change agent in educating and directing talented women toward leadership roles in business.  Their mission is to increase the number of women business leaders by increasing the flow of women into key educational gateways and business networks.
  • Women in Finance is a membership-based association who exist to provide members with access to both fun and educational events along with opportunities to build relationships with other professional women in their industry.


Finance Industry / Professional Associations

  • CFA Institute global, not-for-profit association of investment professionals that awards the CFA and CIPM designations. We promote the highest ethical standards and offer a range of educational opportunities online and around the world.
  • National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC) is the industry association for investment companies dedicating financial resources to investment in an ethnically diverse marketplace. NAIC member companies invest in privately held businesses that have a high probability of growth and the ability to generate significant returns for investors and shareholders.
  • National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) brings together the nation’s minorities and women who have achieved recognition in the industry as brokers, asset managers, public finance consultants, investment bankers, bond counsel commercial bank underwriters, investors, plan sponsors and other finance professionals.
  • National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) is a trade association that represents the U.S. venture capital industry. It is a member-based organization, which consists of venture capital firms that manage pools of risk equity capital designated to be invested in high growth companies.NVCA's mission is to foster greater understanding of the importance of venture capital to the U.S. economy, and support entrepreneurial activity and innovation.
  • Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) serves members engaged in institutional real estate investment through the sponsorship of objective forums for education, research initiatives, membership interaction and the exchange of information.
  • Real Estate Executive Council (REEC) is the leading professional trade association promoting the interest of minority executives doing business in the commercial real estate industry. REEC strives to create opportunities for relationship development and access to information that will lead to increased business opportunities between and among members, as well as with majority owned firms.


Graduate Management Education

  • Robert Toigo Foundation -- the non-profit that "powers" the ready-for-finance website -- is a premier organization supporting the ongoing advancement of exceptional minority students (undergraduate and MBA) and alumni within the finance industry through scholarships, mentoring, internships and job placement. The Foundation's network of alumni includes 600+ finance professionals. This non-profit is sponsored by major investment banking firms, asset management, real estate investment, private equity and other firms within the finance industry.

  • Ten School Diversity Alliance (TSDA) is an alliance of top business schools with the mission to impact and influence the diversity of MBA campuses, organizations, and the global community. TSDA strives to increase awareness of and participation in graduate management education by underrepresented populations. The alliance of schools host information sessions to educate people on the value of an MBA and the MBA application process.  During these events, participants have an opportunity to speak to admissions representatives, current students, and alumni from different MBA programs around the country.

  • Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) is a national nonprofit that focuses on the development of the next generation of African-American, Hispanic and Native American leaders in major corporations, nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurial ventures. MLT's MBA Preparation Program is committed to preparing minority young professionals for successful application to leading MBA programs via a 12-month program focusing on individual work-plan development and execution.

  • The Riordan Programs are pioneering career-based outreach programs that motivate high school students, college students and recent college graduates from diverse backgrounds and under-served communities to consider and prepare for careers in management through education, mentorship and professional development.  The Riordan Programs are based in Los Angeles and operate within the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

  • The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is an alliance of leading American business schools and some of our country’s top corporations that strive to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both their member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.  The Consortium offers programs that assist prospective students with the process of enrolling and offers merit-based full-tuition fellowships to qualified candidates.

  • MBA Diversity is an inclusive MBA prep and professional membership organization that utilizes a global portal to offer a fellows program (which includes a scholarship for GMAT preparation) and a national MBA Diversity Symposium and Social for both international and domestic members.

Summer Business Exploratory Programs

Summer business programs offer participants a way to increase their business knowledge so they can be better prepared to launch their business careers.  These highly selective programs vary in duration, requirements, and cost and occur during the summer for college students and recent graduates.  Most programs target non-business majors however a few accept business majors.  Additionally, they provide a great preview to graduate management education.

  • Chicago Graduate School of Business Summer Business Scholars Program

    • The Chicago GSB Summer Business Scholars Program is designed to help you learn about business school and differentiate yourself from the crowd. Chicago GSB teaches people to apply the fundamentals of business to assess any challenge or opportunity. Our unique approach emphasizes using psychology, sociology, accounting, economics, and statistics to examine business issues. Our curriculum will give you the knowledge and tools you'll need to think decisively and act confidently.

  • Babson College Babson Business Edge

    Babson College can give you an advantage. Imagine knowing the language of business. Imagine having tools to solve problems faced by all kinds of organizations. Imagine being armed with confidence and business skills to leverage in the business world. You would stand out. Learn the fundamentals of management including accounting, business law, entrepreneurship, finance, information technology, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, and strategy, and begin to understand how they interrelate.
    In just three weeks, Babson Business Edge can get you there.

  • Haas School of Business Business for Arts, Science & Engineering

    Do you want to improve your marketability? If so, the BASE Program may be right for you. The BASE Summer Program is an intensive, six-week, summer business program that exposes non-business, undergraduate students in arts, sciences, and engineering to the fundamentals of business.

  • Harvard Business School Summer Ventures in Management Program 

    The Harvard Business School (HBS) Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP) is a one week management training program for rising college seniors designed to increase diversity and opportunity in business education.

  • New York University, Stern School of Business Advantage Programs

    The Stern Advantage Program is an intensive summer business-training program designed exclusively for talented undergraduate students and recent graduates with non-business majors. Even if you have had no prior business training or experience, after your four weeks at Stern you will have the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to make a successful transition from college to the business world.

  • Stanford Graduate School of Business Summer Institute for General Management

    The Summer Institute for General Management offers college juniors, seniors, and recent graduates a unique opportunity to build critical business skills. As a Summer Institute participant, you will learn from and interact with the same outstanding faculty who teach in Stanford's world-renowned MBA program. During this rigorous residential program, you will gain the academic training and interpersonal skills you need to position yourself for a successful career in business. You will emerge from the Summer Institute for General Management with a foundation in management disciplines, ready to excel in the workplace.

  • Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Tuck Business Bridge Program

    • Business skills are valuable, no matter what you do with your life. The Tuck Business Bridge Program® is an intensive, career-focused program for juniors, seniors, and recent graduates of arts and sciences colleges. Give us four weeks, and we will give you the basics of accounting, marketing, finance, and leadership. Then it's look out world. Coming at you. The basic idea is to get ahead. Fast. But you'll have to work hard. Here's an overview of the courses you'll take. Tuck faculty are B-school stars. Take a look at who will be teaching you the ins and outs of business.

  • University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce McIntire Business Institute

    • The McIntire Business Institute, offered by the McIntire School of Commerce Foundation, is a unique program that gives those with little or no business background a working knowledge of business theory and practice. MBI's intensive program at the McIntire School of Commerce provides a sound preparation for launching a new career path in the world of business and industry.

  • Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management Accelerator - Vanderbilt Summer Business Institute

    • Accelerator-Vanderbilt Summer Business Institute is an intensive immersion in business designed exclusively for undergraduates and recent grads in all majors. In four fast-paced weeks at the Owen Graduate School of Management some of the top young minds from around the globe are immersed in real-world consulting roles for companies, helping to solve issues in marketing, logistics, finance, operations and branding.

  • Wake Forest MBA Babcock Graduate School of Management It is All About Business
    WHO? It's All About Business (IAAB TM) seeks to enroll rising sophomores, juniors and seniors from under-represented groups majoring in liberal arts, science and engineering programs. 
    WHAT? During the intensive three-week program, students will learn the fundamentals of accounting, finance, management communication, computing and statistical skills, marketing, economics, project management and organizational behavior. IAAB TM will be offered on a scholarship basis. This includes tuition, fees, and room and board. Students will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Program participation will be limited to 30 students.