At RSM, our focus on inclusion extends beyond our (virtual) walls to include the communities in which our people live and work. Our support of the CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellowship program, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the RSM Excellence Academy are just a few examples of how we demonstrate our commitment to community.
At RSM, our focus on inclusion extends beyond our (virtual) walls to include the communities in which our people live and work. Our support of the CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellowship program, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the RSM Excellence Academy are just a few examples of how we demonstrate our commitment to community.
In 2019, we selected six professionals to join the CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellowship program. We selected another four to join during 2022. Read what the newest fellows have to say about their involvement:
Alejandra Alanis: “This experience means the world to me; to be able to dedicate my time entirely to advancing opportunities for minorities is something I once only dreamed of. I am excited to work alongside a group of talented fellows who are just as passionate and excited as I am to help bring change through policies and corporate strategies to improve societal wellbeing as a whole. We need this now more than ever before. Waiting is not an option.”
Bea Gatebuke: “I am delighted to receive this opportunity of a lifetime as it allows me to use my experience as a minority, a business professional and a community leader to advance racial equity through public policy and corporate engagement strategies, and look forward to collaborating with other fellows to help bring about lasting change.”
Erin Berry: “This experience will be life-changing for me. I will not only grow professionally but I will also have the opportunity to promote measurable change for minorities. I am grateful for RSM’s investment in my career and my passion for advancing racial equity.”
Taylor Desy: “I feel extremely fortunate to participate in the new wave of the fellowship, and I get the opportunity to bring my passion for inclusion to RSM and that RSM supports a program like CEO Action for Racial Equity. I look forward to learning and growing in this new role and bringing my experiences back to RSM.”
"If I had to zero in on a single word for the CEO Action for Racial Equity fellowship it would be “transformational.”
The founding fellows stepped into this venture with very little information other than the four pillars of focus: education, economic empowerment, healthcare, and public safety, along with the mission and vision of the fellowship. The mission is to identify, develop and promote scalable and sustainable public policies and corporate engagement strategies that will advance racial equity, address social injustice, and improve societal well-being; and the vision is to improve the quality of life for the 47M Black Americans through advocacy and advancement of solutions that seek to end systemic racism.
During the last two years, I have delved deeper into the history of America, the root causes of opportunity gaps within the Black community, and the framework, systems, and processes within the various pillars. I have walked away with a much greater understanding of my biases, and I have been able to shift my mindset and ways of working in several areas. Above all, I have been able to further the work of the fellowship, particularly in business diversity, and developed relationships with some incredible people. #NoRegrets"
Thank you to our first class of CEO Action Fellows, Dan O’Brien, Jalaal Madyun, Monique Williams, Tanya Coker-Fergusson and Wei Xue.
The Generations ENG and RSM US Foundation recently announced a financial and equipment donation to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), one of the national charitable organizations supported by RSM, along with BGC Canada. This contribution came through the support of our Generations ENG and other ENG members. They are focused on continuing the collaboration between BGCA and RSM by supporting BGCA’s Workforce Readiness program. This program provides opportunities to explore careers and prepare youth with employability skills for future success.
Through the program, RSM worked with Executive Personal Computers, Inc. (EPC), one of the firm’s technology vendors, to donate 100 Lenovo Chromebooks to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. They donated 60 computers to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Quinault Indian Nation and 40 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Yurok Tribe. In addition to the technology, RSM and the RSM US Foundation made a $237,500 donation to support the organization’s 2022-23 Workforce Readiness Strategy programming in Orlando, Irvine, Chicago and Washington, DC. Chicago, plus an additional three clubs in Baltimore, Charlotte and Dallas. A donation of $84,000 and $22,000 will go toward equipping mutually selected clubs with technology to help close the digital divide for clubs in Orlando, Irvine and BGC Canada, respectively.
In July 2022, more than 100 students completed the inaugural class events for the RSM Excellence Academy (the Academy), a multiyear early identification professional development and skill-building program for college students majoring in accounting, business technology and related fields.
The Academy teaches students about careers in professional services and introduces students to RSM’s workplace culture. While it will ultimately include various underrepresented student populations, it was initially piloted primarily with Black students. The idea was borne by RSM’s African American and Canadian Excellence (AACE) employee network group (ENG).
The RSM Excellence Academy kicked off a series of opportunities for students that will take them through their associate year at RSM. The program includes assigned mentors and internship opportunities before the participants’ last year of college. Students who meet the Academy’s established criteria will also receive job offers with RSM after graduation.
“At RSM, we understand that a diverse employee population leads to more innovative thinking and cutting-edge solutions that help our middle market clients succeed,” said Tracey Walker, national culture, diversity and inclusion leader with the firm. “Engaging with students early in their educational careers opens their eyes to the wide variety of possibilities in our profession and introduces them to potential career opportunities they might not otherwise have considered. We are excited to offer this first-of-its-kind opportunity to students and look forward to building relationships that will help students succeed in their future careers while enhancing the long-term viability of our profession.”
“I think it’s really cool that RSM supports their employees,” said Bitiyah Asalifew, RSM Excellence Academy participant. “It’s super important that employees can show up as their authentic and full selves. I’m proud of the fact that I am a first-generation college student, that I am Ethiopian and that I am a woman. All these things are important to me and will benefit any company I go to in the future, such as an amazing one like RSM!”
To learn more about the RSM Excellence Academy, watch this video.
