Challenging Perceptions

Challenging Perceptions: Diversity in Investment Management

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About the Initiative

After researching the impact of diversity on decision making and effectiveness of organizations, the Changing Perceptions initiative was launched in 2016 with a group of more than 15 volunteers and CFA Society Minnesota staff met regularly to plan programming, events and projects aligned with the goals of the initiative.

In 2019 the group reorganized to re-launch the initiative. The group will kick-off a new series of events in early 2020, and has renamed themselves Challenging Perceptions.

Philosophy

Encouraging diversity in our profession will improve investor outcomes in our profession.
Associated programming must be inclusive and will be aimed at providing value to all members.
We recognize the limits of what a primarily volunteer run professional association can accomplish.
Despite uncertainty about the causes and solutions, we will take action.

The CFAMN Partnership with the Academy of Finance (AOF) at Como Park High School

This is a terrific opportunity for those who are extremely busy but still want to give back!

Join us in building extraordinary CFAMN mentorship teams to engage and impact Freshman students participating in the AOF program, a rigorous course of study in Finance, Social Studies and English, accredited by the National Academy Foundation. Your mentorship will aid in starting 240 students on the path to completing internships, starting college, and choosing future careers.

This is not your typical mentorship opportunity –

It’s been designed to make it attractive for industry professionals like you -
It requires very little to no preparation time
Meetings and events scheduled in advance (just four meetings, one meeting per month in Feb., Mar., Apr. and May)
You'll work with a team of three mentors so if something comes up, you don’t need to find someone else to fill in for you or let down your students
All meetings and events are held virtually via Google Meets. Once schools reopen, some meetings and events may be held at Como Park High School.

Want to learn more?

Download the PDF below to view the complete CFAMN volunteer description and details of the AOF Program.
Academy of Finance (AOF) Volunteer Description.pdf

Ready to sign-up? The deadline to apply is October 20, 2020

Once you sign-up, we will forward the background check form to you that is required by St. Paul Public Schools.
Complete the form below and return to Paula Carlson (contact info below)
2020 CFAMN AOF Mentorship Program Application fillable.pdf

Want to chat?

Contact Paula Carlson, Committee Chair at 612-803-9554 (call or text) or paula@momentum-driven.com.

Get Involved

The CFA Institute website is a wealth of information on this topic including and provided the guidance we needed to launch this initiative. View CFA Institute resources and information here

Please contact any of the following people if you have questions, ideas or want to get involved in this initiative:

Kate Lyons, CFA - reach out to CFAMN for contact info
Carol Schleif, CFA - reach out to CFAMN for contact info
Diane Senjem - support@cfamn.org
Megan Millett - assistant@cfamn.org

Goals

1. Identify the Society’s role in helping members and employers address challenges faced by, and opportunities available to, women in the field of investment management.

2. Determine and implement appropriate measures aimed at increasing the level of female participation in the Society.

University students participating in the event "Owning It: Money and Power for Young Women" at Piper Jaffray, co-hosted by CFA Society Minnesota.

"The wonderful panel gave us a glimpse of life as a female in the field of finance: the realities of the gender gap and the overarching reward of being in the field of finance," said Yeng Lee, Gustavus Adolphus College.