On Friday, December 13, 2024, hundreds of NYC high school students, from across the boroughs, descended upon Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. They participated in the SuitUp “Battle of the Boroughs” competition, which focused on building a diverse talent pipeline in the financial services sector by engaging students in an exercise that introduced them to the world of finance. This entailed having them create a product or service that celebrates and builds a sense of community in New York City.
Educational institutions that competed included: Liberty Partnerships Program, Bronx; Integration Charter Schools, Staten Island; St. Jean Baptiste High School, Manhattan; The Young Women’s Leadership School of Brooklyn and The Brooklyn School for Math and Research; and John Adams High School, Queens
SuitUp also enlisted corporate partners including: Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, BlackRock, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Goldman Sachs, and Santander Bank, whose executives served as coaches and judges for the contest.
Bronx Borough President, Vanessa Gibson, and Brooklyn Borough President, Antonio Reynoso delivered inspirational remarks.
Coached by a participating financial services sponsor, the student “CEOs” developed a product or service they sensed would build community in New York City. Each idea included a profit margin, a 3-year financial model, and a list of KPIs to measure success. The winning team from each borough went “head-to-head” in a true battle of the boroughs final.
Students from the Liberty Partnerships Program in the Bronx took first place, with glasses,
that help to translate what others are saying into different languages, so that all New Yorkers can understand one another.
All students walked away from the experience with a greater understanding of the financial services industry and the business world, as well as the confidence that, they too can be CEOs someday.
Photography by Bruce Gilbert.
