Summer Fellowship - Financial Empowerment Research (Competitive Stipend)
Program Summary
- Dates: Monday, June 18 to August 16, 2017
- Fellowship Hours: 9:30 - 5 pm Monday – Thursday
- Host: Beneficial State Bank
- Location: Oakland, California
- Focus Area: Financial Empowerment Research
- Ideal Candidate: Graduate level student or exceptional juniors or seniors studying public policy, social welfare, business, economics, economic development, or a related discipline (all majors are encouraged to apply)
- Compensation: Beneficial State is committed to providing a living wage for all employees. Both organizations compensate at 150% of living wage using the MIT Living Wage Calculator to determine the per hour amount in each market. Based on the calculator, the summer stipend is $6674.
Exceptional students have a fantastic opportunity to apply their skills and experience to a dynamic, innovative organization that is pioneering “beneficial banking.” At the same time, summer fellows will gain exposure to community and socially-responsible banking through a series of workshops led by experts in the fields of community banking, investing, and finance. Summer projects are challenging and designed to contribute to the fellow’s career development.
Position Overview
Exceptional undergraduate students have a fantastic opportunity to apply their skills and experience to a dynamic, innovative organization that is pioneering “beneficial banking.” At the same time, summer fellows will gain exposure to community and socially-responsible banking through a series of workshops led by experts in the fields of community banking, investing, and finance. Summer projects are challenging and designed to contribute to the fellow’s career development.
Project Overview
Beneficial State Bank is looking to better serve our clients and communities by providing them with additional financial education and empowerment services. In order to maximize the impact of these programs, we need to 1) understand current best practices, 2) find the right partners, and 3) have a deeper insight in to the financial needs of our clients and communities we serve. The fellow’s deliverables will focus on these three areas, and will have a direct impact on the direction of our financial empowerment programs going forward.
Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Conduct research on the effectiveness of financial education and financial empowerment programs and report on best practices.
- Conduct market and landscape analysis of financial education and financial empowerment programs in California, Oregon, and Washington. Assess potential partners to implement financial education programs to our clients and communities.
- Analyze the financial needs of our communities, clients and employees.
- Graduate level student or exceptional juniors or seniors studying public policy, social welfare, business, economics, economic development, or a related discipline (all majors are encouraged to apply)
- Strong research skills and ability to summarize/distill large amounts of information
- Experience conducting focus groups amongst diverse audiences
- Experience creating surveys, analyzing results, and presenting findings
- Bi-lingual in English and Spanish, preferred
- Great writing skills with keen awareness of target audience
- A strategic thinker with a natural ability to see the bigger picture to identify general themes and trends
- Capacity to take initiative, consult, share information and ask questions within the Bank and Foundation and with other organizations as needed; entrepreneurial spirit
- Comfort working in a culturally diverse setting with employees ranging from front line staff to executives
- Highly self-motivated with a drive to produce quality work in a fast-paced environment, as part of a team or independently
- Naturally curious with a zest for learning
- Has a true “customer service” attitude
- Humble and enjoys supporting and celebrating the success of colleagues
- Great sense of humor a plus
Solid computer
skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint required
For any questions, feel free to contact Maritessa Bravo Ares, Fellowship Manager at mares@beneficialstate.org.