Prestigious Program Has Provided 4,500 Students with Work Experience, Leadership Skills to Help Build Future Careers

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America is celebrating two decades of helping prepare the next generation of the nation's workforce for skilled, high-demand careers through its signature philanthropic program, Student Leaders^® (#BofAStudentLeaders). Launched in 2004, the program connects service-minded high school juniors and seniors to eight-week paid summer internships with local nonprofits to gain early work experience and leadership skills. With these internships often representing the students' first paychecks, the teens also receive financial education coaching through Bank of America's Better Money Habits^® platform.

As the workplace continues to rapidly evolve and new career opportunities develop, Bank of America recognized early on the need to prepare a diverse pipeline of young adults for success in the modern workforce. Over the program's 20 years, the bank has placed 4,500 students across nearly 100 communities into paid internships at more than 500 local nonprofits – representing a $42 million investment into youth workforce development.

Many of these student interns continued to make an impact long after their internships ended, becoming leaders in business as CEOs, heads of nonprofits, authors, medical professionals, teachers and even the first Gen Z Member of Congress.

"By providing career and leadership development opportunities to teens for 20 years, Bank of America continues to help develop the next generation of skilled workers that is essential to America's long-term workforce and economic growth," said AJ Barkley, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Bank of America. "The Student Leaders program has – and will continue to have – a tremendous impact and longevity because of the inspiring young people and nonprofit partners at the heart of the program."

The capstone of the annual program brings current Student Leaders to Washington, D.C. for a leadership summit to build strong peer networks, hear from proven business, government and community leaders, learn about cross-sector collaboration and participate in community service activities.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters May Contact:

Carla Molina, Bank of America

Phone: 1.832.283.2681 

carla.molina@bofa.com

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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation