This in-school, employer-facilitated program is designed to prepare students to graduate from high school to a promising career. By guiding students in building their resumes, sharpening their interviewing techniques and developing power skills, PartnerUp® will help students position themselves to successfully embrace the job opportunities that await them.
The Time Is Now
Today’s tightening labor market is creating immediate opportunities for high school graduates and opening routes to advancement for minority students.
92%
U.S. employers offer educational benefits
37%
Employers who rank experience as most important qualification, not education
When screening candidates and using a bachelor’s degree as a criterion, employers miss diverse talent, including:
Our Partners
Schools, Employers, Community Partners
PartnerUp® has teamed with schools, community groups and a wide array of business sectors, including finance, utilities, healthcare, retail, transportation and communications. As our list of partners grows, so too does the opportunity for organizations and individuals to flourish.
Meet the PartnerUp® Team
The PartnerUp® Program Team is made up of passionate individuals from a variety of backgrounds who are dedicated to student success. They bring a wealth of knowledge from both the corporate and the educational fields, ensuring that PartnerUp® bridges the divide for students leaving high school and entering the workforce.
Brianna McMeekin
Talent Program Manager
Brianna joined PNC in 2017 to build out and oversee the PartnerUp® program. Prior to PNC, she had a 10+ year career in counseling, focusing primarily on career education and early career talent development in higher education, online coaching and a startup environment. Her background and prior experience allow her to bridge the gap between education and corporate worlds.
Brianna’s career has been heavily focused on underserved populations. She has built PartnerUp® to ensure that the program offers an avenue to long-term career success for all students.
A member of the National Career Development Association, Brianna serves on the PA Department of Education’s Career Ready PA Coalition Steering Team and on the Consortium for Public Education’s Advisory Committee on school–business partnerships. She earned an M.Ed. in community counseling and a B.A. in psychology and sociology from Duquesne University, and she holds an LPC in the state of Pennsylvania.
Rich Fann
Talent Program Supervisor
Rich joined the PNC PartnerUp® program in 2023 after over 17 years in higher education, online coaching and public service. During his time in higher education, he had a focus in career development, notably for undecided, pre-health and health-related fields students, serving more than 1,500 students annually. Later in his career in higher education, he focused on cross-cultural and leadership development especially in student communities, while also working as an online career coach. Rich believes in lifting as he climbs, and coaching is a piece of his overall mission to develop and encourage growth wherever he can — in the classroom, on a field or even in a grocery store.
Rich earned a B.A. in political science, and a B.S. in psychology, as well as a master's degree in public and international affairs in security and intelligence studies all from the University of Pittsburgh.
Antonyea Ellis
Talent Program Supervisor Sr.
Antonyea has held various roles in several areas of PNC Bank, including PNC Investments, Wealth Management and the Retail Branch since beginning her career 17 years ago. Her prior experience and skill set provide a unique perspective on her role as program manager. Antonyea believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive in their chosen career path and has been dedicated to helping youth achieve their professional goals.
Outside of work, Antonyea finds joy in mentoring and volunteering to help create a strong and more inclusive society. She dedicates her free time to local organizations that provide resources to underserved youth and communities.
In 2023, Antonyea was nominated as a YWCA Woman of Excellence. As a former Youth Opportunities Unlimited alum, she is proud to currently serve as one of their board members.
A proud Cleveland native and Cleveland Metropolitan School District alumna, Antonyea grew up on the east side, attending Glenville High School, Tri-C and Cleveland State University. Antonyea has one son, who works in law enforcement. She is passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of others and is committed to continually learning to better serve those around her.
LeJune Williams-Clements
Early Career Recruiting Advisor
With 20 years of successful experience in hiring and management, LeJune joined PNC in 2015 as manager in the Customer Care Center where she spent 2 years coaching and developing a team of 18–20 consultants. LeJune then moved to Talent Acquisition, where she recruited for high-volume roles in the Customer Care Center. During her time as a Customer Care Center Recruiter, she facilitated behavior-based interview sessions for Care Center leadership, trained numerous recruiters and interns, and kept robust pipelines through community engagement with programs such as PA Women Work, BankWork$ and Pittsburgh Community Service Inc.
LeJune is excited to be an official member of the PartnerUp® Team. She is passionate about taking career development into area schools to help ensure that high school graduates are able to secure flourishing careers.
Tahirah Nall
Talent Program Supervisor
Tahirah joined PNC and Birmingham PartnerUp® at the beginning of 2023 to manage and develop the new Birmingham market. Tahirah is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and dedicated to making change in her city. Her passion is helping youth find their purpose and path through career development. Tahirah has over 20 years of experience working in higher education and talent acquisitions. Her professional experience in management, recruiting and mentoring has helped her become a great addition to the PartnerUp® team. She is a graduate of Alabama A&M University with a B.A. in mass communication and marketing.
Making a difference in underserved communities
At PNC, we’re committing our time, talents and resources to fighting inequities and making a positive difference in the communities we serve. That’s why we’re proud to take a leading role in PartnerUp®. By building school–business partnerships where few existed before, we’re helping to set the stage for a brighter future for today’s high school students — and for everyone in the places we call home.
PartnerUp is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
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