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Thrive Scholars (Thrive) – an organization that provides high-achieving, low-income students of color with the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges and achieve their full career potential – announced Craig A. Slack has joined its new Chicago Board of Directors.
Written by Thrive Scholars
Slack is the Chief Investment Officer for the Office of Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin.
“Data shows Chicago is home to thousands of high-achieving low-income students who have the potential to get into the top colleges and Thrive wants to help them fulfill their potential,” said Steve Stein, CEO of Thrive Scholars. “We have already helped thousands of talented students of color get into some of the highest-ranking colleges in the country and armed them with the support and network to ensure their paths to success after graduation. We are thrilled to have Craig join our board as we grow our presence in the Chicago area and bring these supports to Chicago’s most talented and motivated students of color.”
Thrive Scholars’ expansion to Chicago is part of its ongoing mission to help talented low-income students of color develop the inter-generational wealth and financial security their more privileged peers take for granted, and become the diverse corporate, civic, and academic leaders Chicago needs. Thrive provides a multi-stage, integrated program of support – where getting students into a top college is just the beginning.
As the chief investment officer for the Office of Chicago City Treasurer, Craig oversees a team of professionals who manage and monitor the city’s investment activity, develop short and long-term investment policies, and maintain investor relations.
“Since day one Craig has been a valuable team member who is always willing to roll his sleeves up and jump into projects that have significant impacts to the taxpayers of Chicago,” Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago City Treasurer, said. “We’re excited to see him join Thrive Scholars’ Board of Directors and I look forward to the great work he’s going to continue doing for the youth of Chicago.”
Slack has more than 30 years of experience in the investment industry, primarily serving institutional clients in a fixed-income sales capacity. Prior to his role in the Chicago City Treasurer’s Office, Craig was with RBC Capital Markets, a leading provider of financial services, where he formed their Institutional Middle Market Division.
Thrive Scholars’ goal is to see talented low-income students of color develop the inter-generational wealth and financial security their more privileged peers take for granted, and become the diverse corporate, civic and academic leaders our country needs. The organization provides high-achieving, low-income students with the financial, academic and social-emotional support they need to get into a top college, achieve academic success during the college (with programs like Summer Academy), graduate from college and then pursue fulfilling jobs and careers. It offers multi-stage, integrated program of support to ensure students not only get into the top colleges in the country, but they can thrive during college and graduate to pursue fulfilling careers.
And the model is working. More than 90 percent of its scholars attend a Top 100 College – and more than 40 percent go to Ivy League schools. 98% graduate. And along the way, they persist more in difficult STEM majors and earn better grades than any other student demographics, including their more privileged peers at their same colleges. Most importantly, they go on to thrive in their careers, and are on the path to becoming the diverse professional, civic, business, and academic leaders of color the country needs.