Raymond James partners with UofM ‘Where Wall Street Meets Beale Street’
The University of Memphis’ UMRF Ventures has secured a partnership with Raymond James Financial creating a “pipeline” opportunity that helps ensure students’ success after their college graduation.
With a grant from FedEx, UMRF Ventures, which was founded in 2017, is a gateway opportunity through the UofM that advocates for the success in student advancement during school and after school by providing paying jobs on campus and opening the doors for potential careers.
UofM UMRF employees consist of undergraduate and graduate students, earning anywhere from $15 per hour to $25 per hour, with work hours ranging anywhere from 10 to 20 hours per week. Students are able to experience this opportunity and get a firsthand look at how the program operates, by visiting the FedEx Institute building, located on the main campus.
The University of Memphis is driven to ensure long-lasting career opportunities for its students while they are in school, through partnering with various companies and venues, including Raymond James.
“We see this as not only a better alignment in our service hours and service-first culture, but also as a direct pipeline for future IAM talent at Raymond James,” said Andy Zolper, the senior vice president and chief IT security officer for Raymond James. “Our partnership with
UMRF will be a new dimension to our firm’s long-standing commitment to the Memphis community.”
On Feb. 23, 2018, the UofM hosted a meeting in order to give Cybersecurity faculty, staff and students an opportunity to converse with Kishen Sridharan, an executive representative from Raymond James. The meeting resulted in Sridharan offering computer science, cybersecurity and information system majors at the UofM the opportunity to apply for an internship or full-time position in their Accelerated Development program.
Raymond James sees their decision to invest in the culture of Memphis as, “Where Wall Street meets Beale Street,” and extends their dedication directly to the heart of Memphis and onto the University’s doorsteps. In order to invest in the community, you have to invest in its future. The idea is that the future of Memphis lies in the students.
“With over 200 students currently on the payroll, and now at least one dozen more due to Raymond James’ investment, it has been gratifying to see the mission play out,” said Thomas Kadien, board chairman of UMRF Ventures. “Raymond James can maintain high service levels and keep costs low while creating a pipeline of career opportunities for students right here in Memphis. It’s an economic opportunity we do not take lightly.”
UMRF’s mission statement is to provide good-paying jobs for the students at the University of Memphis, that are scheduled around their schooling while ensuring their post-graduate future career through various partnering companies.
Throughout college, many students struggle to find jobs that are willing to compromise and work around their school schedules. UMRF is dedicated to creating a path for students to succeed during and after they receive their education.
UMRF Ventures recognizes the importance of giving students the opportunity to learn and grow, while reinvesting into their community. They allow students the chance to implement their education into practice.
Internships are put in place to give students a glimpse of a real-world experience while learning how to implement education into a career. For students, securing an internship during college is one of the first steps in securing their careers in the long run. Employers want experience, but many students do not have the knowledge or opportunity to obtain an internship.
Through each partnership they display their willingness to re-envision and expand in the culture of Memphis, through the students.
