Black History Month: a conversation with Courtney Falato and Dr. James Moore

During February, our team is celebrating Black History Month in conversation with our partners about programs and issues affecting the Black community.

This week, we focus on how the university and companies can impact the Black community through corporate partnerships. Alissa Comella, associate vice president for corporate partnerships, highlights how JP Morgan Chase is working to creating an inclusive economy with equal access to opportunity in part through their relationship with Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). Today we hear from Courtney Falato, vice president and program officer for global philanthropy at JP Morgan Chase and Dr. James Moore III, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at Ohio State.

The partnership between JP Morgan Chase and Ohio State spans more than 50 years and Ohio State is one of the largest sources of talent for the firm across the globe. In 2019, JPMorgan Chase made a $2.5 million investment in ODI for specific programming and its two nationally-recognized, scholarship-based programs – Morrill Scholarship Program and Young Scholars Program  – that help diversify the university enterprise. Last fall, the firm made a $7M commitment in Columbus and five other U.S. cities, investing in career readiness to develop pathways and policy recommendations that give underserved students access to higher education and real-world work experiences that lead to high-wage, in-demand jobs. Work on that initiative is beginning now.

Hinting on these programs and more, today’s conversation gives a glimpse behind the scenes of a strong university and corporate relationship, and how that relationship can have an impact on society.