WVU students work to promote financial literacy

Seen in the Daily Athenaeum today, four WVU students are participating in a national campaign (Financially Literate 4 Life) to increase financial literacy among fellow students and the community. One of the students said their target audience is students, although people from the community are also encouraged and welcomed to attend the sessions. There will be several sessions held with intention of educating the community and students on “effective financial strategies” which will include topics such as “budgeting, credit, and applying for loans”. Due to the fact that a lot of people are intimated by financial issues, these sessions will help people tackle that fear and take control of their financial life.

The main reason for students being the target audience is the fact that many students are already in financial problems, meaning debt from college loans. Being students themselves, these four students understand much about the difficulties other students are having, especially since very few people at WVU are doing much to students with their debt problems. It is a hope that with the awareness that these sessions bring, along with the Financial Literacy Week which will be February 28 to March 4, that more people will begin to help students with their financial difficulties, especially student debt.

I think the reason that there isn’t a whole lot of help for students when it comes to financial literacy is the fact that they are in college now. Now that we, students, are in college we’re expected to take care of ourselves and be responsible. Nobody wants to hold our hand through every little step. But we’re not asking for that, in fact, a lot of students aren’t asking at all and that’s a problem. When students don’t seek help when they need to, they can soon find themselves in deeper financial trouble and with more debt than ever before. Students don’t need someone to hold their hand, but helping them become financially literate is something they need, since many of them are only just beginning to take care of themselves financially.

The students will be promoting the campaign in the Mountainlair during Financial Literacy Week, and the next session is set for March 7 at 6pm in Room 103 of Martin Hall.The article can be found at

http://www.thedaonline.com/news/four-students-participate-in-national-campaign-to-be-financially-literate-1.1961903