MOORHEAD, Minn.–Affinity Plus FCU said it has renewed its partnership with Minnesota State University-Moorhead (MSUM) in which it provides essential financial education as part of the university’s First Year Experience (FYE) courses.
It is the third year MSUM and Affinity Plus have collaborated on financial education programming, and each semester Affinity Plus staff have presented at 10 FYE courses.
According to Rozlyn Johnson, Affinity Plus financial educator and member advisor, the program began with a request from one professor that the CU share information with his first-year students related to personal finance; now credit-union staff are presenting in multiple classes each semester.
“We could tell right away our information was resonating with students,” Johnson said. “They seemed grateful that someone would have an open conversation with them about money.”
Rob Greene, also a financial educator and member advisor said the program recently reached 100 more students compared to the previous fall.
FYE classes at MSUM are designed to help freshmen make a smoother transition from high school to college by focusing on setting goals, developing strong financial habits, balancing their new responsibilities, and avoiding common financial pitfalls, Greene said.
“The reality is that many students will rely on student loans to finance their degree and achieve their educational goals,” he said. “So, part of our conversations with them is about understanding the present and future implications of those loans.”
At the same time, Johnson said students face “day-to-day challenges related to getting and using their first credit card, building credit, and understanding how they can pay for those ongoing college expenses.”