News

She’s Invested: Supporting Emerging Female Leaders will serve women of color from Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as universities in Southern California.

Los Angeles, CA, May 25, 2022  –  U.S. Bank and the WNBA are teaming up with Project Destined to launch She’s Invested: Supporting Emerging Female Leaders, the first all-female program for the organization. The program will provide mentoring and financial education to women of color from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as well as universities in Southern California.

U.S. Bank and the WNBA will pair up with 30 female students and provide leadership and mentoring through a speaker series that will be led by executives and WNBA players highlighting resilience, building a mental mode of success and other financial topics. The program will run from June 6-August 12.

Project Destined is a social impact platform which partners with companies, schools, and nonprofits to provide diverse undergraduate students with training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate. It includes virtual internship programs with team-based competitions.

“We are excited to partner with U.S. Bank and the WNBA to support this incredible group of young women in becoming leaders and entrepreneurs.,” said Cedric Bobo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Project Destined. “This partnership will provide students with the skills and access required to build a great career while also impacting their city and community.”

Earlier this year, U.S. Bank was named a WNBA Changemaker, a collective of purpose-driven companies that harness their power to elevate women in sports and support the league’s mission around advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a supporter of the league, U.S. Bank serves as the Official Bank of the WNBA.

“We are excited to team up on Project Destined with U.S. Bank and expand on our partnership with our latest WNBA Changemaker,” said Bethany Donaphin, Head of WNBA League Operations. “It’s an important mission for the league to provide leadership and mentoring opportunities to young women and partnering with U.S. Bank on this platform will help make a lasting impact and contribute to the long-term success of these future leaders.”

In addition to working with Project Destined, U.S. Bank is also providing WNBA players access to financial resources and creating programs to increase financial education across the country. U.S. Bank is also creating a new league-wide financial wellness program, where it will implement benefits and resources that include access to advisors for all WNBA players so they can create a game plan for their financial futures.

“We are proud to get this work underway with Project Destined and the WNBA, tackling financial empowerment at the core by working directly with these students and future leaders,” said Reba Dominski, chief social responsibility officer for U.S. Bank. “Project Destined is having a significant impact, supporting the next generation of women as they move from undergraduate students to potential business owners.”

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About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $587 billion in assets as of March 31, 2022, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. The Minneapolis-based company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses: Consumer and Business Banking; Payment Services; Corporate & Commercial Banking; and Wealth Management and Investment Services. The company has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, social responsibility, and customer service, including being named one of the 2022 World’s Most Ethical Companies and Fortune’s most admired superregional bank. 

About WNBA

The WNBA, which tipped off its 26th season on May 6, 2022, is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women.  Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and social responsibility.  Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete.  Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers, with AT&T, the WNBA’s Marquee Partner and inaugural Changemaker, as well as fellow inaugural Changemakers Deloitte and NIKE, Inc, and subsequent additions Google and U.S. Bank.  During the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

About Project Destined
Project Destined is a leading social impact platform that provides training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and real estate. Founded in 2016, Project Destined partners with corporations, schools and non-profits to deliver training using its proprietary e-learning platform and live courses. Project Destined leverages a work-based learning approach where students work with executives to evaluate live deals in their community and present them in a pitch competition to industry leaders. Scholars emerge with the skills, confidence, experiences and networks that prepare them to secure a strong first job and to become stakeholders in their community. For more information, please visit www.ProjectDestined.com.