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RMA Scholarships for Future Financial Services Industry Professionals Reach $1.2 Million

PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 28, 2021) – The Risk Management Association Foundation is providing scholarships totaling $152,500 to 79 college students in its latest round of awards, the Risk Management Association (RMA) announced today. Since the RMA Scholarship was launched in 2015, students pursuing careers in the financial services industry have received 526 scholarships, totaling $1,220,500.  The most recent awards ranged from $1,500 to $5,000 per student. 

Anna Nguyen was this year’s winner of the Githens Award, which recognizes the program’s most distinguished applicants. Nguyen is a rising fourth-year student at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a first-generation college student, Nguyen has excelled, earning a 3.97 GPA while majoring in finance. Her path toward a career in banking has included working as a teller and an intern for Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank. The prestigious Githens scholarship is named in honor of RMA’s former President and CEO William F. Githens, who retired in 2017 and was instrumental in launching The RMA Foundation.

“At RMA we are proud to recognize all of the scholarship recipients, and especially Anna as our Githens Award winner,” RMA President and CEO Nancy Foster said. “A big part of our mission is to encourage students to pursue careers in banking, and set them up for success. It’s very fulfilling to look back over the years and see how RMA has helped so many students continue their college educations while introducing them to all the possibilities banking offers.”

The Risk Management Association, whose sole mission is to advance the use of sound risk management principles in the financial services industry, created the Foundation in 2014 to assist with attracting talent to banking at a time of increasing baby boomer retirements and competition for graduates from tech and other sectors.

RMA Scholarship winners are selected based on:

  • Academic achievement.
  • Participation and leadership in community and school activities or related work experience.
  • Demonstrated interest in the banking industry, including involvement in the local RMA chapter, academic studies, and internships.  
  • A statement of career goals and objectives.

In addition to applying for scholarships, banking-focused students can take advantage of free RMA student memberships. Benefits include an online subscription to The RMA Journal, access to the RMA Xchange online member community, and invitations to attend RMA chapter meetings and workshops. Students are also able to earn, through select colleges and universities, the Credit Essentials Certificate, which demonstrates proficiency in business and financial knowledge, and helps certificate holders stand out to employers.

About RMA

Founded in 1914, The Risk Management Association is a not-for-profit, member-driven professional association whose sole purpose is to advance the use of sound risk management principles in the financial services industry. RMA promotes an enterprise approach to risk management that focuses on credit risk, market risk, and operational risk. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, RMA has 1,900 institutional members that include banks of all sizes as well as nonbank financial institutions. They are represented in the Association by 18,500 individuals located throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia/Pacific.

Media Contacts

Stephen Krasowski, skrasowski@rmahq.org, 215-446-4095

Frank Devlin, fdevlin@rmahq.org, 215-446-4137