Overview

Fifteen undergraduate or graduate students will be chosen as Peter DeSimone Scholars and have the opportunity to attend US SIF FORUM 2021 (Virtual) and connect with sustainable investment experts. US SIF’s 10th Annual Conference will be held virtually June 15-18, 2021. These scholarships are made possible through the support of Praxis Mutual Funds, Boston Trust Walden and Calvert Impact Capital.

The scholarship is named in memory of Peter DeSimone, a 20-plus year veteran of the sustainable investment community. Peter was a US SIF staff member for several years and also worked at the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) in the mid-1990s. He was also a founder of the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), which provides impartial research to institutional investors.

The Scholarship is intended to both introduce students to this field and to enhance the diversity of the field—it grew out of a US SIF initiative on diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from women and members of the Black and Indigenous communities and people of color to apply.

The objectives of the Scholarship Program are:

1. Enhance students’ knowledge of sustainable and impact investment;

2. Encourage students to enter the field of sustainable investment upon graduation;

3. Provide an opportunity for students to learn directly from leaders and experts in the field of sustainable investment through participating in the US SIF conference and being introduced to experts in the field.

Scholars are expected to attend the entire conference, including the Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment course and Member Day activities. We also ask Scholars to post on social media including twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and write a blog post for the US SIF website or other approved platform.

What Does the Scholarship Cover?

Scholarship recipients receive:

• Registration for FORUM 2021 (virtual), US SIF’s 10th Annual Conference from June 15-18, 2021, including Member Day (scholars will have a prep session the week of June 7);
• Registration for our course on the Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment, to be held on Monday afternoon, June 14.
• One ticket to attend FORUM 2022, US SIF’s in-person conference.

Who Should Apply?

The Peter DeSimone Conference Scholarship is designed for students who can show commitment to a career in sustainable and impact investment through their work/internships to date and through focus on this area in their academic studies or extra-curricular activities:

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting undergraduate or graduate program at the time of application and be in good academic standing.

How Do I Apply?

Complete the online application, which includes a personal statement, resume, current transcript, and the name and contact information for one reference who will submit a recommendation. All applications must be submitted online and all components must be received by midnight EST on Friday, April 16, 2021.

Applications will be evaluated based upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the strength of the personal statement and demonstrated activities or actions related to pursuit of a career in sustainable investment. Candidates may also be interviewed by US SIF Foundation staff.

All candidates will be informed of their status no later than Friday, May 14, 2021. For any questions, please contact us at scholars@ussif.org.

About the US SIF Annual Conference

The US SIF Annual Conference offers a unique opportunity to hear from leading investors, CEOs and policymakers, and to learn about new approaches, trends and policy developments in the field of sustainable and impact investing. The conference attracts representatives of investment management and advisory firms, asset owners such as pension funds and foundations, research and data providers, financial planners and advisors, broker-dealers, community development institutions as well as policymakers and corporate leaders. More information about the event and our past conferences can be found at www.ussif.org/conference.

About US SIF

US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment is the leading voice advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes. Our mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts. US SIF members include investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, asset owners, research firms, financial planners and advisors, community investing organizations and nonprofit associations.

The US SIF Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization providing educational, research and programmatic activities.

Additional information can be found at www.ussif.org.

US SIF is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.