Meet the 2026 RIA Talent Advantage Scholarship Winners!

Schwab Advisor Services™ and Charles Schwab Foundation have created the RIA Talent Advantage Student Scholarship to help remove financial barriers, advocate for diversity, and open doors for future talent within the independent RIA industry.

For our sixth year, we awarded 15 scholarship recipients $15,000 each, along with a mentorship opportunity with an industry leader.

These scholarship winners represent the future of our industry, and we are excited for you to get to know them. Meet our 2026 RIA Talent Advantage Scholarship winners!

Read the press release to learn more about the scholarship.

Alexa Crome, Texas A&M University, Junior

"I have learned that people excel when they feel heard, respected, and not judged. I plan to carry this forward into financial planning by introducing a space where clients feel comfortable rather than intimidated. My goal is to make the process feel empowering rather than overwhelming."

Cody Hatridge, Michigan State University, Senior

"As I have gained more experience, my perspective on financial advising has also evolved. One of the things I care most about is making financial planning more accessible. There is still a perception that working with a financial advisor is only for the extremely wealthy, and I want to help change that. I plan to leverage my Spanish minor to bridge this gap and connect with individuals and families who may not feel comfortable seeking financial advice due to language barriers or lack of exposure."

Dempsey Ireland, Creighton University, Senior

"I want to build a structure that makes people's lives easier. If I can simplify complex situations and make decisions clearer, I have succeeded. I want to build a firm where clients don't have to worry about their money. Not from being naive, but because they trust our firm's values and the people behind them completely."

Derek Criddle, Grand Canyon University, Junior

"When I was deciding on a career, I knew I needed a role that was relational, highly scalable, and provided genuine value to others. Working within an RIA fulfills all of these requirements. This entrepreneurial base leads to better outcomes not just for the advisors, but for the long-term wealth and security of the clients they serve. It is a career path where personal growth and client success are perfectly aligned."

Howard Chung, Utah Valley University, Senior

"I believe good financial advice can change the trajectory of a household. It can help people see their options earlier, make decisions with more confidence, and avoid carrying financial confusion alone. My goal is to build a career that combines fiduciary advice, cultural understanding, and responsible technology to make financial guidance more accessible to the people who need it most. That is the impact I hope to make in the RIA industry."

Jack Fiester, Indiana University-Bloomington, Junior

"Young professionals, first-generation earners, and lower-income families rarely have an advisor in their corner during the years it matters most. That is the demographic I hope gets more assistance in the future, and the RIA model gives advisors the independence to actually build a practice around the people who need guidance most, not just the ones who already have it."

Jack Ratajczyk, Western Michigan University, Senior

"I plan to make an impact not only by working with clients but also within my community, promoting financial literacy and serving as a resource people can turn to throughout their lives, even beyond their finances. I want to build relationships like the one my family has with our advisor, which is a relationship built on trust, guidance, and care."

Madeline Borth, George Fox University, Junior

"I am currently taking proactive steps to drive change on my college campus. I have helped lead our club's annual financial literacy night, where we focus on breaking down complex concepts into actionable, everyday advice. Looking ahead, I am championing a new "Women in Financial Planning" initiative to connect current students with established female advisors, fostering the kind of representation I wish I had seen earlier."

Matthew Ogunrin, University of Houston, Junior

"I'm interested in joining the RIA industry specifically, because it speaks to my character of putting others before myself. You aren't forced to sell any particular product; it instills in you humility and loyalty through fiduciary duty and allows you to impact various relevant elements of a client's personal and financial life. I want to be in the people business, enabling my client interactions to be a consultative relationship and not a transactional one."

Nicholas Nazzario, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Junior

"Although my career in financial planning is just starting, one day I would like to use the experience I have gained and create my own RIA. I want to specialize in helping divorced individuals, although I would advise anyone who would like assistance. My goal is to be the kind of advisor who changes the trajectory of someone's life, the way that advisor changed my mom's."

Nolan Baker, The Ohio State University, Junior

"Another aspect of the RIA industry that excites me is the flexibility and open architecture it offers advisors. Advisors within independent RIA firms are empowered to utilize a wider range of planning tools, investment strategies, and resources without being limited to proprietary products or rigid systems. To me, this flexibility creates an environment where advisors can continuously grow in knowledge while implementing more personalized and tactful solutions for clients."

Rylee Killen, The Ohio State University, Senior

"My commitment to this industry is not just something I say. It shows up in the choices I make every day in college. I chose to pursue a financial planning minor because I want more than surface knowledge. I want to understand retirement planning, estate basics, insurance, and behavioral finance so I can confidently sit across from a client one day."

Spencer Dickinson, Brigham Young University, Junior

"I aspire to eventually establish my own RIA with a similar model, helping hundreds of families overcome financial hardship and achieve their life goals. As I near retirement, I will give back by teaching as an adjunct professor, helping the next generation of students see the influence they can have on the families they serve as they creatively seek new ways to bless others through the RIA industry."

Tano "William" Condie, Utah Valley University, Junior

"I have chased an opportunity because I want it. I want to win and succeed. I believe my internship this summer will be the beginning of a long and successful career working within the RIA space, where clients can count on me as a fiduciary."

Tijana Djordjevich, Arizona State University, Senior

"I don't want financial literacy to feel like a birthright for people who happened to grow up around it. I don't want women to feel embarrassed for asking questions they were never given the chance to ask earlier. That work has already started for me at Arizona State University, where I helped build an Asset and Wealth Management Club because I wanted students to have a place to learn before life forces them to."