WESTPORT, Conn., Dec. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgewater
Associates ("Bridgewater"), a
global leader in institutional portfolio management and the largest
hedge fund in the world, today announced the launch of a new
Rising Fellows program to expand access to the
financial services industry for students in their first year of
university and help build a more diverse pool of future investment
talent.
Bridgewater's Rising Fellows
program will be a three-week virtual program and will focus on
recruiting students from backgrounds that are underrepresented
within the industry and from a wide range of universities,
including HBCUs, as well as through diversity recruiting partners
such as Out for Undergrad (O4U), BLK Capital Management, and Prep
for Prep. The program is designed around several core principles to
give students well-rounded exposure and experience, including:
- Providing an early introduction to the finance industry
- Building skills to help understand investing and the mechanics
of the global economy
- Offering practical application of lessons learned via projects
guided by Bridgewater's investment
professionals
"As we continue to explore ways to make our industry more
diverse and accessible, the Rising Fellows Program will help launch
new relationships and start encouraging future stars as early as
their first year of college," said Alan
Bowser, Co-Head of Americas Region and Chief Diversity
Officer at Bridgewater. "By
leveraging our unique network of clients in tandem with DEI-focused
organizations and universities, we believe Rising Fellows will be a
driving force in helping us accomplish that objective."
In addition to forming relationships with Bridgewater, Rising Fellows will earn a
stipend for their time in the program and have the chance to create
connections with Bridgewater's
clients, many of whom share the goal of increasing diversity in the
investment industry. Graduates will be considered for future
opportunities at Bridgewater,
while their resumes and projects will also be packaged and shared
with Bridgewater clients and
alumni for access to a wider range of potential roles.
"Diversity of thought, background and identity are incredibly
important to the work we do, however, as an industry we often look
to solve the DEI issue in the post-grad talent pool as opposed to
educating students about our industry when they are just charting
their college paths," said Robyn
Shepherd, Head of Corporate Engagement at Bridgewater
Associates. "Through our Rising Fellows program, we are looking to
change this by not only committing to giving participants robust
exposure to the industry early in their college careers but also
maintaining engagement with these emerging professionals after they
complete the program."
The first Rising Fellows program will include approximately 30
students and run from Monday, February
14th to Friday, March
4th. Activities planned include:
- Week 1: Providing students with an overview of the
finance industry and the role Bridgewater plays within it, as well as
focusing on skills such as presenting and public speaking
- Week 2: Exploring economic theory and trends, with a
focus on how they are reflected in current market cycles and how
they impact investment strategies—students will also receive
training in project management, research and writing
- Week 3: Focusing on final projects, whereby students
will apply their learnings from the program to an
investment-related module to be reviewed by Bridgewater executives
Upon completion of the program, Fellows will continue to have a
series of touchpoints with Bridgewater designed to maintain their
relationship with the firm and provide support as they continue
their education and embark on their careers. This will include
invitations to a variety of existing Bridgewater events and speaker series. In
addition, Bridgewater will host
bespoke sessions led by executives to give advice on various
subjects, such as building experience in the investment industry
and other career-related topics. Students will also be eligible to
participate in Bridgewater's
Immersion program (the goal of which is to provide an even deeper
window into our business) in their sophomore year and interview for
the internship program in their junior year.
About Bridgewater Associates
Bridgewater Associates is a global leader in institutional
portfolio management and the world's largest hedge fund. Focused on
understanding how the world's markets and economies work by having
the deepest possible understanding of the global economy and
financial markets, the firm translates that understanding into
expertly constructed portfolios and meaningful relationships with
institutional clients. Having built a track record of success for
more than 45 years, Bridgewater's excellence is grounded
in its distinct culture, which brings together great people and
enables them to operate in a culture of radical truth and radical
transparency. In recognition of the firm's commitment to
excellence, its clients, and the magnitude of its impact on the
investment industry, Bridgewater has received more than
70 industry awards in the past 10 years including recognitions for
innovation, performance, quality of research, client satisfaction,
and being a top place to work. Fortune named it the fifth most
important private company in the US.
Based in Westport,
Connecticut, Bridgewater manages approximately $150
billion in assets for the world's largest and most
sophisticated institutional investors, including public and
corporate pension funds, university endowments, charitable
foundations, supranational agencies, foreign governments, and
central banks. For more information, please
visit www.bridgewater.com.
Press Contact:
Sam Reinhardt
Prosek Partners
646-818-9244
sreinhardt@prosek.com
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SOURCE Bridgewater Associates