Partnering with Spelman College

In 2007, Lehman Brothers announced a groundbreaking partnership with Spelman College. Spelman is the #1-ranked institution among all historically Black colleges and universities in the country by U.S. News and World Report. The development of the Lehman Brothers Center for Global Finance and Economic Development at Spelman College will create a new model that will prepare students for active participation in the global marketplace and increase the pipeline of women ready to enter the financial sector.

As part of this endeavor, Lehman Brothers has committed $10 million as well as ongoing funding support and professional expertise to create the Center. In support of the Center’s enhanced curriculum offerings, Lehman Brothers and Spelman are working together to attract and retain top faculty to develop a rich interdisciplinary curriculum, prioritizing core subjects that have not been traditionally offered by the college. Additionally, this partnership will:

• Create a new interdisciplinary minor, focused on global finance and economic development, that will evolve into a full major over the next several years;
• Establish a Lehman Brothers Scholars Program to provide scholarships to help talented students complete their education;
• Provide opportunities for international internships in finance;
• Offer an investment banking immersion program for Spelman sophomores to introduce them to a career in global finance;
• Conduct periodic simulated portfolio management competitions;
• Match Spelman students focused on business and finance to Lehman Brothers career mentors;
• Collaborate with Spelman faculty and other experts to develop initiatives around economic development / urban development / microfinance as well as diversity issues; and
• Leverage Lehman Brothers’ in-house expertise and network of global experts to create a speaker series, among many other projects.
  

Like our partnerships with Harlem Children’s Zone in New York, the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business at London Business School, and Oaklands School in London, our collaboration with Spelman College underscores the Firm’s commitment to leveraging our institutional knowledge and expertise to ensure the future success of this initiative.

Shown at left: Joe Gregory, President and Chief Operating Officer, Lehman Brothers, Dr. Beverly Tatum, President, Spelman College, and Scott Freidheim, Co-Chief Administrative Officer, Lehman Brothers, celebrate the groundbreaking partnership between the Firm and Spelman College.