Although Queens’ history is filled with change-agents who are committed to creating opportunities in the community,
the city of Charlotte is behind its peers in closing the opportunity gap. A 2014 study led by Harvard professor Raj Chetty ranked Charlotte last for economic mobility among the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Perhaps the most jarring statistic in that report is that overall, Mecklenburg County ranks 96th among the nation’s 100 largest counties for upward mobility. Despite the statistics, Queens is a proven leader in economic mobility. According to the Charlotte Opportunity Initiative 2020 report, Queens was found to have the largest impact on economic mobility among all Charlotte area higher education institutions. Driven by the motto—not to be served but to
serve—Queens will build upon its legacy of facilitating economic mobility with the launch of the Charlotte Talent Initiative (CTI). CTI is an immersive cohort program designed to change the economic trajectories of graduates from Mecklenburg County high schools. In close partnership with sponsoring partner organizations, Queens will select each cohort of ten or more students and will facilitate customized curricular and co-curricular academic programs for CTI cohorts that include mentorship, internship, and employment opportunities. “Higher education should serve to create a level playing field for driven individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Tat’s what economic mobility is all about,” said Queens University President Dan Lugo. “Queens University of Charlotte might be the best in the city and in the county and in the entire state in creating upward mobility, but our role in this community means we must continue to create more opportunities for the people of Charlotte.” Committing a total of $4.5 million, two prominent
corporate partners—Ally Financial ($2M) and Lowe’s Companies Inc. ($2.5M)—have signed on as the inaugural partners. Both organizations will contribute
to defining and designing these programs to effectively create pipelines of diverse and motivated graduates who will contribute to Charlotte’s most pressing needs. Ally’s commitment reflects an understanding of
the need to level the playing field and accelerate the economic trajectories of talented young people, regardless of their socioeconomic background, through education. Focused on data analytics, Ally will work with Queens to create curricular and co-curricular experiences for students. “Tere’s no question that the future of Charlotte is bright but for far too long, our city has not created equal access to opportunity,” said Ally Financial CEO Jeff Brown. “At Ally, our commitment to closing the wealth gap and creating pathways to economic mobility for all people is woven into our culture and vital to our success as an organization. Tat’s why, today, we’re honored to help fund the Charlotte Talent Initiative to strengthen the career trajectory of local graduates from low-income communities while also building a talent pipeline that will bring new ideas and creativity to Ally, and other businesses in the Charlotte region.”
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