I believe economic empowerment is perhaps the most powerful instrument we have to raise up underserved populations and build sustainable change. When people are given access to financial knowledge, career opportunity, and capital, they are likely to take ownership of their future, support their families, and build sustainable wealth. It is what drives me to be a finance professional and what makes me want to become committed towards using business as not just a tool for individual achievement, but as a tool of making a difference. Minorities are often excluded from credit-controlling, investment-controlling, and education-controlling financial institutions. Exclusion creates a pattern of restricted growth and opportunity. It's through strategic business investment and innovation that we can make a mark in that cycle. I see this as innovating solutions to bring people where they are. From financial literacy education with high school students, providing first-time founders access to capital, to diversifying hiring pipelines for HBCU students, I'd love to bridge business with community. My work goals are reimagining this vision. I would prefer specializing in growth driven companies, sustainability driven companies, and inclusion driven companies under private capital or investment banking. I would want to learn some about company valuation, some about capital structures, and some about investment management in as wide a range as possible. And after that, once I have stable ground under my feet, then my ultimate dream would be to attend the Wharton School for an MBA and subsequently have my own financial home. But this business will be constructed not only to cater to upmarket clients. It will be constructed to reinvest in communities like my own. It will bring mentorship, internship, and access that allows individuals and families to own their own economic future. I am currently doing just that mission right here at Florida A&M University. I am a President of the Chief Financiers Organization and have a student organization committed to empowering underrepresented students with a finance career. We offer workshops, networking, and resume review that opens doors to opportunities that many never even knew existed. I am also the FAMU student representative to the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, representing students' interests at regional economic development forums. Social equity and justice are not abstractions to me. They are outcomes we can work toward through deliberate effort in business. They are such as a Black student having their first internship in a big financial company. They are such as someone learning to budget and invest. They are such as an entrepreneur feeling the experience of access to capital for the first time. These are the kinds of changes which last forever. These are the kinds of changes which I am dedicated to bringing about. This award would grant me the steady financial support I would require to embark on that path. With fewer financial burdens, I am better positioned to develop, learn, and create solutions that yield real, measurable outcomes. I'm committed to opening doors to the finance world so it's inclusive, accessible, and life-altering—for everyone.

My name is Derek Holloman, a Florida A&M University junior and Accounting major with a finance concentration. I was born in the city of New Orleans, which shaped me into my personality through its people, its struggles, and its culture, and where, as a young boy, I was educated in the virtues of resiliency, perseverance, and giving back. Those virtues continue to direct everything that I do. I never felt so motivated to work with others, especially underrepresented groups. Finance was where that interest took me. Economic empowerment, I think, is the strongest tool for life change. I also gained hands-on experience through PwC and Loop Capital internships in auditing, credit analysis, and portfolio management. I also had the blessing of acquiring professional development training, such as AltFinance and SEO Career. These have honed my technical abilities and introduced me to role models who have influenced me. I've learned along the way how deeply Black professionals are underrepresented in the financial sector. Knowing this not only drives me to prosper but to bring others along with me. The Jorian Kuran Harris Helping Heart Foundation Scholarship would be a valuable assist along the journey. Financial limitations will limit the freedom to pursue growth opportunities. This scholarship would mitigate that limitation so that there would be more time devoted to study, leadership, and career development. It would also be utilized in the cost of transportation to travel for interviews, attend workshops, and buy materials required to stay competitive in my field of practice. Apart from the financial value, this scholarship would also assure me that there are people who trust my ambition and would love me to succeed at it. I would finally want to have a career in private capital or investment banking. I would wish to study at the Wharton School for an MBA after acquiring some experience in the field. Ultimately, I want to establish a company that unites finance and social responsibility. I hope to develop software that educates students on money, career guidance for young adults, and capital for small firms in low-income communities. I want to return value not only to boardrooms but to streets where it matters the most. Emotional exhaustion occurred halfway through college. I wasn't juggling a heavy course load, interviewing for internships, and checking personal items off. I was rejected twice in the week, and it made me question if I was right or not. Instead of giving up, I took cues from my mentors and my faith. I looked at myself and recalled why I started. I fell into a rut, got myself organized, and looked after myself. Then, eventually, the opportunities started to materialize, and I was ready to deal with them thanks to that suffering. It reminded me that it is okay to be kind and weak sometimes. It is the journey. It doesn't make you; what makes you is how you react to it in the moment. I am making a vow to take every win as a chance to bring others along with me and every loss as a stepping stone.

As a Business Admin major with a Finance concentration at Florida A&M University, I don't see my education as my achievement but also as a responsibility. I pledge to utilize what I have gained to bring about more equitable opportunities for Black people in the corporate arena. My financial background has been educated through a complete understanding of where access, representation, and opportunity intersect, and I am dedicated to using my voice to address those failings directly. Through my academic and professional experience, I have been privileged to be exposed to several aspects of the financial industry. From interning with Loop Capital’s Asset Management Fixed Income team to working with PwC in Trust Solutions, I’ve developed skills in credit research, portfolio management, auditing, and risk assessment. I’ve also received mentorship through the AltFinance Fellowship—a $90 million initiative launched by Apollo, Ares, and Oaktree—which has given me invaluable insight into private markets, capital structure, and financial modeling. What I've gained from this experience is not only the complexities of the finance world, but also the absence of Black voices there. Representation matters very heavily for me. You don't get to see Black professionals in senior finance roles very often, and I want to be involved in changing that. One of the things that I have already begun to do is being President and CEO of the Chief Financiers Organization at FAMU, where I oversee initiatives to mentor underrepresented students into the career path of investment banking and financial services. We offer workshops, resume review, and mock interviews, and help students become comfortable and proficient with competing at top firms. I have also been the FAMU student representative on the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to guarantee that student perspectives, particularly the perspectives of Black students, are heard and valued in larger economic discussions. I plan to keep developing programs and initiatives that directly address the underrepresentation of Black professionals in finance. My goal is to create my financial advisory firm that not only provides services to clients but also finds, trains, and mentors young Black professionals. I plan to offer a high school summer boot camp to learn the fundamentals of investing, budgeting, and entrepreneurship, especially in neighborhoods where financial education is typically in short supply. I also hope to give a tangible example of what can be done, showing that business success is not based on race or background but made possible by preparation, intention, and persistence. In short, I aim to utilize my education to construct pipes, rather than pathways. I aim to open doors and leave doors ajar for others to walk through. Whether I'm balancing portfolios, boards, or next-gen investments, it makes no difference: I am on the same quest--enabling and uplifting Black voices within business.