June 2025 Newsletter

Support to Succeed is a nonprofit organization that connects candidates from non-traditional pathways to well-paid, licensed financial services roles. We currently offer Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam prep support along with career coaching to help our talent advance in their careers.

💬 Read Inspiring Success Stories!


      ✦ Your Donation helps us support even more trainees


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MILESTONES & UPDATES

High-Impact Outcomes: SIE Success and Career Opportunities


We’re excited to share the powerful outcomes from our year 1 pilot SIE preparation and job placement program, a true milestone in our mission to launch nontraditional candidates into thriving careers in financial services. This group showed incredible dedication, with participants averaging 20 weeks of study to prepare for the SIE exam. Our candidates’ hard work paid off as we saw an impressive 95% pass rate overall! This level of performance reflects not only their commitment, but the strength of our model and the value of tailored support every step of the way.


Even more exciting were the career outcomes that followed! Among participants actively seeking advancement, over 80% of candidates secured either a new role or a promotion! We couldn’t be prouder of what this cohort achieved and are more motivated than ever to keep building pathways to success! 


✦ Are you an employer, community college, or nonprofit interested in partnering with us?   


➤ Reach out to our Executive Director Meera Krishnan

📢 Launching Our Next Cohort! 


Support to Succeed is excited to announce the launch of our next cohort, with ten trainees officially enrolled and ready to begin their journey. This cohort is being launched in collaboration with Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM) as part of our commitment to integrate our program into the services of trusted community-based partners.


We're also proud that our proven workforce development partners Year Up United, Duet, and JVS played a key role in referring candidates! Participants will receive SIE exam prep, career readiness training, employer connections, and personalized coaching from our experienced facilitators! 


✦  Do you know candidates seeking financial services careers?  


➤  Send them our application link and flyer

👏 Thank You to Our Supporters!

 

Support to Succeed was honored to be selected for a $25,000 grant through Capital Group’s 2025 Associate Involvement Grant Program


Additionally, we’re thrilled to share that Support to Succeed has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Deshpande Foundation! We also want to sincerely thank Kathleen McQuiggan, Anmarie Ciccolo, and Geeta Aiyer, three incredible women in finance, for their generous donations. This funding recognizes our organization’s impact and enables us to further expand our mission of empowering nontraditional candidates to launch successful careers in the financial services sector.


✦ Just $2,000 sponsors 1 trainee through our program 


Help us grow our impact

🎯 Employer Event Highlight:


BlackRock x Support to Succeed Career Expo


Support to Succeed had an incredible time at our first career expo, held in partnership with BlackRock in Boston!


  • Candidates got one-on-one mock interview coaching and attended insightful Q&A sessions over lunch
  • All participants were either SIE-certified or on track, and ready to break into finance
  • Huge thanks to all the professionals who supported this event and helped us build a more inclusive and informed financial services community!

💼 Support to Succeed x ULEM: Advancing Careers, Rebuilding Boston


Support to Succeed is excited to announce the launch of our next cohort, with ten trainees officially enrolled and ready to begin their journey! This cohort is being launched in collaboration with the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM). We are deeply grateful to ULEM for welcoming us to their 14th Annual Rebuild Boston: Community Conference and Career Fair, where our Executive Director, Meera Krishnan, led a two-hour information session introducing the program to attendees. This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to embedding our program within the services of trusted, community-based organizations.

TALENT SPOTLIGHT

⭐Introducing: Darwin ⭐


Paving a Path in Finance from El Salvador to the Future


Originally from El Salvador, Darwin Castellon proudly calls home the place where his mother and grandmother’s love and cooking always welcome him back. His interest in finance began shortly after high school, while he was working as a Busser. Realizing his lack of financial knowledge, he took the initiative to start learning through YouTube and Financial Software. That moment sparked a passion that set him on his current path.


Darwin recently passed the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam, a significant milestone achieved while juggling a 50-hour work week! His secret to progress?


Consistency is everything,” he says. With the support of his coach through the Support to Support program, he managed to stay on, particularly due to his coach's help in creating a schedule and adhering to it during the most demanding weeks. He credits his success to one key principle: consistency. “If you want to get something done, just be consistent with it,” he shares.


Now, Darwin’s consistency has paid off in a big way: he just started a new role as an Investment Associate at Hub International! Darwin aims to utilize his skills in order to help others navigate their own financial journeys and career pathways!

GET INVOLVED

Donate:


➤ Sponsor a trainee ($2,000) or program manager ($5,000)

➤ Make a donation


Volunteer as a Career Coach:

1 hour/week for 8–10 weeks

➤ Sign up to volunteer or email Meera Krishnan


Financial Institution Partner:


Hire candidates or sponsor a cohort ($10,000 - $15,000)

➤ Contact Meera Krishnan


Implement Our Program:

➤ For nonprofits & community colleges

➤ Contact Meera Krishnan

CONTACT US

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