Informational sessions on Stocks, Bonds, Personal Finance, Business Operations, and Real Estate
Individual homework assignments, text book and experiential learning through group projects and competitions including stock market simulation
Resume Writing, public speaking techniques, business etiquette
On-site tours and visits to financial and educational institutions
Interaction with mentors and professionals from the financial services industry
Scholarships
Chapter Highlights
New York
In the summer following the FAST Track school year, a select number of students are given an opportunity to apply their newfound knowledge while working for a financial services company. Some of the firms that have hired students for the summer are: BNY Mellon, Magna Securities, the NJ Dept of Treasury, City of NY Department of Finance, and New Amsterdam Partners.
At the Annual Wall Street Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony FAST Track participants practice and learn the value of networking skills. Proceeds from this dinner help fund the scholarship fund.
In addition to learning about the various segments of the securities industry, the curriculum for FAST Track New York includes lessons in entrepreneurship, interview preparation techniques, networking skills, and more.
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia F.A.S.T Track participants meet every third Saturday of each month at FIS Group, Inc. The sessions are geared to cover financial literacy, current events and public speaking.
Two of our Philadelphia F.A.S.T. Track participants addressed an audience of over 300 at our Joyce Johnson Awards luncheon during the 2008 Annual Pension and Financial Services conference held in Philadelphia.
In 2009, the Philadelphia F.A.S.T. Track participants took a day trip to the NYSE Euronext and got a chance to interact with traders on the floor, meet senior level management including Robert Marchman, Executive Vice President in New York Stock Exchange Regulation. As an added treat, the group was able to screen “Wall Street in the Black” an educational documentary about the unheralded success and challenges of African Americans in the financial services industry.
Southern California
NASP-SoCal founded its Fast-Track program in 2010, conducting educational workshops and providing mentoring to disadvantaged high school students from underserved communities within Los Angeles inner city. Generous sponsorships of The Annual NASP-SoCal “Day of Education in Private Equity Conference”, along with personal donations and offers from gracious hearts to help mentor and serve, have allowed our Fast-Track students to study and graduate from such institutions as Dillard University, San Francisco State University, The University of California, San Diego, The University of California, Merced, and The University of California, Berkeley, to name a few.
Currently, NASP-SoCal takes great pride in the fact that several of our Fast- Track students are now college graduates who have transitioned into adulthood, have secured full-time jobs, and are living independent, productive lives. To further the blessing, there are siblings now following in their footsteps. And all of the Fast-Track Graduates are even paying it forward by serving as motivational advisors in the current Fast-Track program.
Chicago
NASP Chicago has had such success with its program, that it has outgrown its current space and is in the process of securing a new location. Local retirement systems, including Chicago Teachers Pension Fund have provided space for students to meet with mentors and instructors. Partners included the Posse Foundation.
Students practice personal financial management skills with an on-going project in which students randomly chose a profession, with an average annual salary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Students then drew up a personal monthly budget based on that annual salary, with average monthly expenses for a resident of the Chicago metro area (rent, utilities, food, transportation, etc.).
This chapter’s FAST Track program maintains a blogsite which includes articles and investment terms glossary as well as other updates.
The program includes a finals presentation where NASP Chicago membership, parents, sponsors, and other firms attend.
Detroit
The Detroit chapter partners with Money Matters For Youth, which includes a five-day summer camp for students aged 8 through 18. The workshops at the camp teaches young people financial literacy in investment strategies and gives youth exposure to economics, budgeting, Wall Street and other resources to help set a foundation for a financially responsible life. Financial literacy sessions are led by professionals from Michigan First Credit Union and other area financial services firms.
The Detroit chapter utilizes the annual ENCORE event held in April to fund scholarships for high school students, and have awarded over $100k over the years.
