In partnership with the Urban League of Philadelphia and the Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, 7 Philadelphia high school students will benefit from attractive grant options.

Through Lincoln Financial Network's LincABLE (Lincoln Accelerating Business Leadership Experiences) program, which recently won the Urban League's Equity Award, select Black and African-American high school students in Philadelphia will be able to access mentoring, financial education, and career development opportunities .

The company highlights that currently only 2.9% of financial advisors in the industry identify as Black or African-American, so LincABLE works to increase representation in the financial services industry, a core element of the overall diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy of Lincoln Financial Group.

Jennifer Burks, assistant vice president of Investment Products and Platforms at Lincoln, and a manager of the LincABLE program, said in a press release:

As a Black woman in financial services, my interest in the industry began as an economics major at the encouragement of a former Lincoln employee who I looked up to, who also was a Black woman.

About the Program 

In the first year of the LincABLE program, college-bound seniors enter a paid job shadowing program and complete a curriculum that covers capital markets, resume writing, and career development.

While in the second year, students are offered a paid college internship at the Lincoln Financial Network, during the third year, students can return to a broader paid internship with more exposure to leadership and networking.

LincABLE currently has approximately 30 students participating in various phases of the program, including high school students and alumni who are now college students.

“LincABLE is designed to deliver that same type of impact, providing transferable knowledge on personal and professional finance, enhancing students’ future employment competitiveness and contributing to increasing diversity in the financial advice industry with a pool of next-generation, high-caliber talent,” added Burks.

Financial wellness isn’t just some buzzy catch phrase, it’s personal. It’s how you manage your financial life, wherever you are in life.

With our products, tools, resources, & services you have everything you need at every stage of your journey: https://t.co/DVK8ORGMhZ pic.twitter.com/aZf5ocdq8I

— Lincoln Financial (@lincolnfingroup) August 15, 2023

Rising Recognition

In addition to recently receiving the Urban League's 2023 Equity Award, LincABLE was also named a finalist for WealthManagment.com's 2023 Industry Awards in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) category, which honors outstanding achievements by companies, organizations and individuals who support the success of financial advisers.

The Urban League of Philadelphia is committed to empowering the youth of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas by engaging them with innovative programming and opportunities like the LincABLE program,” noted Darrin Anderson, president and CEO of The Urban League of Philadelphia. 

LincABLE was also named a ThinkAdvisor LUMINaries 2023 finalist in the Community Impact category, which honors companies leading community-focused efforts that serve as role models of excellence and demonstrable impact with demonstrable results.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to link high school students to Lincoln Financial Group and their great employees. The organization and their employees have shown their commitment and passion for preparing the future workforce by their support of the LincABLE program and the student interns they continue to mentor and employ each year,” concluded Anderson. 

Click here for more information on the LincABLE program students.