Financial Literacy Month Outreach Programs Promote Healthy Financial Habits
Madison, Wis. - Today's trying economy has put more emphasis on helping students understand and take an active approach to their finances. Providing that help was the key focus of this year's Financial Literacy Month. From understanding credit scores and student loan repayment options to budgeting and building an emergency fund, Great Lakes' financial literacy program, Financial IQ, helped students do just that.
During April, Great Lakes trainers presented to more than 500 students at colleges across the country, to help them understand the consequences of their financial choices and encourage them to make smart money decisions. Great Lakes was also invited to present at three financial aid conferences on how colleges can implement their own financial literacy programs and increase their understanding of the financial topics that students need to know.
With more and more students worried about the transition from college to career, one of the best received Financial IQ seminars was the newly developed Life After College: Financial Know-how for Weathering Today's Economy. This seminar provides tips and strategies for managing living expenses and basic financial survival techniques during these less than ideal times.
"The rising indebtedness of today's college graduates is only part of the story," says Richard D. George, President and Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes. "We know that those earning less than the median after graduation are most adversely affected. Their ability to meet expenses like car payments, rent or mortgage, and other household expenses is affected. More borrowers are struggling today and delinquencies and defaults are both rising."
For students to succeed long term, they must see how the choices they make affect their financial future. Financial IQ offers schools free on-campus seminars, most presented by certified financial counselors, and a comprehensive curriculum to support their own programs and academic offerings. Training consultants from Great Lakes help each school implement the right mix of resources to give its students the skills they need to achieve financial success.
For more information about Great Lakes' Financial IQ program, contact Amy Kerwin at
608-246-1785.
About Great Lakes
Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates works with schools, lenders, and community organizations to change lives for the better through higher education. Great Lakes supports these partners with financial, educational, and operational resources that help students and families pay for college and build brighter futures. As a leading guarantor, originator, and servicer of student loans for over forty years, Great Lakes serves more than 2,700 schools and 1,400 lenders across the nation. One of the nation's largest integrated providers of student loan services, Great Lakes services student loans for more than two million borrowers and holds guarantees on nearly $51 billion in FFELP loans. Great Lakes member corporations serve as the designated guarantor for Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands under the Higher Education Act. Great Lakes is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, with operating centers in South Dakota, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. For additional information, visit mygreatlakes.org.
Posted 05/07/09 to www.NASFAA.org. Posting of press releases is done as a service to Members and does not imply endorsement or support by NASFAA. NASFAA does not review this information for content or accuracy.
