The Summer Finance Institute provides the interns with work readiness instruction, classroom training and mentor relationships. This past year, the Chicago Summer Finance Institute employed 104 student workers. Participation in the program gives students a chance to have a meaningful summer job that can help to further their careers after high school. They are given the opportunity to see and participate in what happens in the financial and legal communities. They also make money to pay for college.
Weekly seminars are an integral part of the program.
Through lectures, students hear about career opportunities from securities, law and accounting professionals. Many of the seminars include a chance for the students to put what they have learned into action. A tour and presentation of the Board of Trade and LaSalle Bank, as well as a public finance case study give students a better understanding of the actual work performed at these institutions. Awards are based on attendance, evidence of savings, written and oral presentations, a daily log and a final essay. Often, the lack of child support payments leads to a mother's dependence on welfare.