Though a lack of financial literacy skills is all too common in the general population, it is more acute in the Black community. But even more acutely lacking is the understanding that developing such skills can lead to a career with substantial monetary rewards.
Point Park University and its Director of Academic and Economic Development Herman Reid are addressing that issue. Thanks to a $1 million grant, the university established its Urban Accounting Initiative, a unique feature of which is Reid’s Building Our Leaders Daily program, or BOLD.
The program connects middle-school students attending urban schools with professionals having similar upbringings backgrounds as an aid to helping students discover the many career pathways in the fields of accounting and finance. It also offers guidance on interview skills, work habits, time management, money management and other life skills.
On April 30, BOLD celebrated its second year and honored its students, mentors and partners with a dinner emceed by KDKA-TV reporter Harold Hayes and featuring a keynote address by Paulo Nzambi, executive vice president and COO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation.
“The idea is to get to them early, and we’re doing that now with students at Manchester Academic Charter School,” said Reid. “The mentoring and guidance is a unique motivational and inspirational feature of the program. The theme is ‘Today’s Mentors for Tomorrow’s Workforce.’”
This year’s banquet, held at Point Park’s Lawrence Hall Ballroom, celebrated the success of the students and thanked mentors, some of whom included Christian Management Enterprises President and CEO Howard Slaughter, Familylinks CEO Fred Massey, and PNC Vice Presidents Lynwood Mitchell and Eric Dickerson.
Reid said he was pleased with the program’s growth from its first year and is working on companion mentor-based programs in technology, communications and performing arts.
“It’s about having role models that look like they do,” he said. “These are top professionals—Terry Collier is a CPA and has his own company, Anthony Henry is a lawyer and VP at BYN Mellon. No one has to tell them what it feels like to be ‘the only one’ and they can pass that insight on to the students.”
As for the banquet itself, Reid said it was well attended, and that Point Park should be commneded for all its support.
“Paulo gave an outstanding speech, Harold was excellent and all the kids received awards. So now, we’re gearing up to start again in September,” he said. “There are only three kinds of people: those who make things happen; those who watch things happen, and those who say, ‘what happened?’ BOLD makes things happen.”
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
