Alumnus Named to Crain’s "20 in their 20s"

First recognized by Bank of America last fall for his philanthropic contributions in Chicago, alumnus Kareem Edwards’ (DePauw Posse 7) contributions as a young professional have now earned him a spot on Crain’s inaugural "20 in Their 20s"—a list of 20-somethings who are outstanding in their respective fields and integral to the next generation of Chicago’s leadership.

While the assistant vice president of capital markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Kareem distinguished himself as the firm’s lead business analyst responsible for managing front office technology trading platforms.

His work outside of the office was honored with the 2012 Volunteer Service Award for Illinois at Bank of America in honor of his philanthropic and volunteer efforts with The Posse Foundation. Bank of America donated $1,000 to Posse in honor of Kareem and highlighted him in the Illinois Bank of America newsletter, which stated: “Kareem’s continued involvement with The Posse Foundation is a wonderful example of repaying acts of goodness with goodness to others.”

“Posse constantly challenged me to step out my comfort zone and provided me with the necessary support and love that allowed me to feel confident,” says Kareem.

Kareem is member of Posse Chicago’s Leadership Council, a core group of early- to mid-career professionals dedicated to expanding Posse’s financial and volunteer resources. He has helped to plan fundraising events and mentored current Scholars. In addition to his work with Posse, Kareem hosts monthly classes focusing on financial literacy, interview etiquette and cultural events for 20 students at Manley Career Academy High School.

Kareem’s volunteer leadership efforts began in high school and further developed at DePauw University. At DePauw, Kareem was the student lead for month-long service trips to Cameroon and Brazil. This experience leading his peers was one of the most transformative of his college career. After graduating, Kareem felt it was important to give back to Posse.

“Posse took my dream of attending a four year university—a dream that many people in my family and community often share but never experience—and made it a reality,” says Kareem.

This fall, Kareem will further his professional development in the MBA program at the University of Michigan while continuing his involvement as a mentor and role model to young people in Chicago.