ATLAS Fellows Welcomes 2023 Cohort
We are thrilled to welcome 29 high school graduates from Chicago and New York City to the third cohort of our ATLAS Fellows program! At ATLAS, our mission is to make careers in the financial industry accessible to talented young people from a variety of diverse and under-resourced backgrounds through both financial and professional support. This year, we are proud to share that our 2023 cohort represents the rising new face of finance:
- 72% identify as Female
- 45% identify as API
- 31% identify as Black
- 14% identify as Latino/a
- 55% are the first in their family to attend college
As an ATLAS Fellow, individuals receive access to our four “ships”:
SCHOLARSHIPS: Up to $20,000 a year in financial aid for college. The last-dollar scholarship covers remaining tuition costs after all grants and other aid have been applied. The scholarship is renewable each year, up to four years.
INTERNSHIPS: 4 years of paid, full-time, summer internships at world-renowned financial institutions. Students are guaranteed and arranged first year internship opportunities at Balyasny Asset Management. Internships are also paired with ATLAS programming which includes community events and guest speakers.
MENTORSHIPS: Each summer, ATLAS Fellows are paired with a mentor at their internship placement. One-on-one relationship provides guidance, supervision, and personal and professional support. Fellows can continue to call on mentors in the future for career advice and networking support. Training and workshops for mentors cover: Mentor Best Practices, How to Work With Gen Z, and How to Promote Belonging and Inclusivity.
MEMBERSHIP: Lifetime membership to a community of ATLAS Fellows. During the summer and the school year, ATLAS hosts virtual and in-person events for each specific grade that include career panels, discussions on a wide range of financial topics and social hours.
As part of our program, first-year Fellows also receive training in Microsoft Excel, coding, and a foundational introduction to financial markets. This year, we are pleased to share that ATLAS is also piloting an intensive, two-week Python training with half of the new cohort in response to growing trends within the sector.
By building an unmatched network, gaining impressive financial industry knowledge, and developing professional skills through work projects few undergraduates ever get to experience, our Fellows will start their first year of college on the fast track towards success in financial services.
After the first summer, our Fellows are placed with other external financial firms to build on their skills and experiences, so that they are not only competitive with their more advantaged peers by the time recruitment season arrives, but they also stand out. This summer we are excited to continue our partnership with returning firms like Balyasny, Baird and Loop Capital, and are honored to welcome new partners including GCM Grosvenor, Heard Capital, and OMERS Private Equity.
We look forward to the summer ahead and are excited to begin working with all of our Fellows!
