The Ohio State University is firmly committed to empowering its students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce and become tomorrow’s leaders. A recent grant to the university’s College of Education and Human Ecology by Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation is helping to make this vision a reality.
The college has announced that the new grant will support its CFP® financial planning program and the expansion of undergraduate participation in the program. It is designed to increase the number of Ohio State graduates who are highly prepared to provide financial planning services that are aligned with the needs of a wide array of communities.
With the strong growth rate in the independent Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) profession, the Schwab grant will ensure Ohio State is equipped to meet the demand. Faculty and staff will collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders to build a talent pipeline, first by recruiting and admitting more students into the CFP® program, second by increasing course offerings, and third by bolstering services that support program completion and student placement.
“I’m delighted that Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation will make career dreams a reality for so many students,” Cäzilia Loibl, PhD, CFP®, professor and CFP® program director at Ohio State, said. “We’re definitely seeing growing interest from students across the university in taking our seven approved courses that will qualify them to sit for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) exam. Schwab’s generosity reflects its unparalleled commitment to the Registered Investment Advisor industry.”
Through the grant funding, Ohio State’s existing suite of mentoring and training activities for CFP® students will be enhanced, thereby becoming a hallmark of this unique educational experience. In addition to customized academic advising and tutoring, students will be provided with accelerated placement in the independent Registered Investment Advisors industry through exclusive access to networking, internship and employment opportunities.
“The students at Ohio State University will have an instrumental impact on the financial planning industry,” said Bernie Clark, head of Schwab Advisor Services. “We are thrilled to be partnering with an institution that is equally as committed to providing students with the resources needed to lead us to a better tomorrow.”
