While women make up more than half of the entry-level finance workforce in the United States, only about 6% of the top public financial institutions have women in senior positions.
Rock the Street Wall Street (RTSWS), is a program that empowers young women to navigate the world of finance while boosting investment and financial literacy.
According to the official RTSWS website, mentors visit schools guiding girls in discovering strengths, offering advice on college and career readiness, aiding in resumes and Linkedin profiles, and instilling positive money habits.
Women remain underrepresented in financial fields, heavily driven by societal biases and a lack of female role models in math-related fields. By offering these free courses, the program aims to bring gender and racial equity in financial markets. Since 2012, RTSWS has engaged over 6,000 students, with a 70% increase in participants’ financial knowledge.
RTSWS has mentors that visit schools in 30+ cities across the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. Luckily, Baruch has their very own mentors, visiting every Wednesday in room 506 to share their experience and expertise with us.
Hiba Lahfid and Nusiba Momo, both juniors and student leaders of the club, were asked how RTSWS is influential to girls.
“This financial field is really dominated by men and the goal is to try to incorporate more women into this field, because if women are involved in something like this, we could truly make a change,” said Lahfid.
They both noted the significance in recognizing and giving girls a chance to participate in these programs.
Momo shared what it means to her. “The country I come from is really small, but it’s so male dominated and it’s really hard for women to get jobs, especially in financial fields like this, so I think financial knowledge is so important for women to have and to break these stereotypes,” said Momo.
When asked about the learning process, Lahfid said, “I learned how to open up a savings account, investing, and stocks. Just talking to these women, sharing their experiences with us. It’s like there are jobs that are kind of a reflection of what we are gonna be doing in the future, especially if you’re interested in finance.”
The RTSWS girls are provided a curriculum book, with inspiring opening messages to the students, from leaders like Maura Cunningham—founder of the program. Cunningham writes:
“Our program stands out because you will be learning from successful female financial professionals who bring a wealth of experience into the classroom. Remember, regardless of the career path you choose…by understanding finance early on, you equip yourself with the tools to make confident and informed choices.”
This program doesn’t stop at classroom lessons. They organize field trips to workplaces, internships, and events to further deepen students’ learning.
RTSWS continues to empower young women by equipping them with essential financial knowledge and providing opportunities to explore the world of finance.
Note: If you are interested in joining this club, there will be a new season in the Spring semester so make sure to stay on the lookout for information on how to get involved.
