Ally Financial Commits $2 Million to Help Fund the Charlotte Talent Initiative at Queens University

Today, Ally Financial committed $2 million to help fund the Charlotte Talent Initiative (CTI), a newly established partnership between organizations in Mecklenburg County and Queens University to expand Charlotte’s talent pipeline while also impacting the lives of low-income graduates from local high schools.

Ally’s commitment will include an annual investment over four years which will provide full-tuition scholarships as well as internship and job placement opportunities upon graduation for students in the Ally cohort. Ally will also provide the students in its CTI cohort with onsite experiences at its corporate center and access to mentors within the organization.

“By investing in a cohort of Charlotte area students to develop more advanced analytics skills, Ally is making clear to the world their commitment to Charlotte and to walking the walk of their corporate values,” said Queens President Dan Lugo. “They’re priming their talent pipeline while also closing the opportunity gap for talented Charlotte students and families that just need opportunity and investment.”

CTI will create pipelines for talented, socioeconomically diverse university graduates to contribute to the most pressing organizational needs of partners. Ally’s commitment reflects an understanding of the need to level the playing field and accelerate the economic trajectories of talented young people, regardless of their socioeconomic background, through education.

“There’s no question that the future of Charlotte is bright but for far too long, our city has not created equal access to opportunity,” said Ally Financial CEO Jeff Brown.

“At Ally, our commitment to closing the wealth gap and creating pathways to economic mobility for all people is woven into our culture and vital to our success as an organization. That’s why, today, we’re honored to announce this $2 million contribution to help fund the Charlotte Talent Initiative to help strengthen the career trajectory of local graduates from low-income communities while also building a talent pipeline that will bring new ideas and creativity to Ally, and other businesses in the Charlotte region.”

Ally will work with Queens to create a cohesive set of financial and business management opportunities to educate students in modern leadership within the context of a liberal arts curriculum.

Ally joins Lowe’s as an inaugural corporate partner for Queens’ Charlotte Talent Initiative. This partnership will create curricular and co-curricular experiences for students focused on data analytics. The program will provide students with an authentic application of learning while providing Ally with a pipeline of valuable interns and graduates.

“We believe a community is best when it benefits everyone. And to be the best, we have to do it together – through collaboration, through partnerships like the Charlotte Talent Initiative,” said Janet LaBar, president and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. “That will expand our talent pipeline and impact the lives of the young people in our community. They are the talent of tomorrow, and the future of our workforce.”

The first Ally student cohort will begin in the 2023 Fall semester. Students will take a suite of computing and data analytics courses while pursuing a major in their chosen field of interest.

“Ally leaders will work directly with students by serving as guides and mentors as students navigate this new experience and the myriad opportunities that will be generated by this partnership,” Lugo said. “Lives will change. Charlotte will change when people not only invest their financial resources but also push up their sleeves and work in community. Ally does this every day. They don’t simply state their values for creating a more diverse workplace and a more equitable Charlotte, they are showing up to live those values.”

Brown, who leads Ally’s nearly 11,000 employees and also serves as chairman of the board of trustees for Queens, believes that education is crucial to promoting equity and economic mobility.

“We look forward to working with CTI students to support their education, provide internships, and offer job placement upon graduation. We are committed to giving them the experiences and opportunities needed to reach new heights and make invaluable contributions as future leaders in Charlotte,” he said. “We are building a workforce for the future.”