Students Engaging Students to Impact Student Success

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2 Students Engaging Students to Impact Student Success Presented by Ilia Cordero, Financial Aid Manager/ Financial Literacy Coordinator Valencia College and Carmen Panlilio, Associate V P for Enrollment Management Cinthia Diaz, Graduate Assistant Mack Do and Diego Portillo, Student FLEXers New Jersey City University

3 First, about N J City University Urban, four year state university in Jersey City, NJ Minority Serving Institution (MSI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Annual Enrollment: 8,500 Student Characteristics 60% Female, 40% Male 37% Hispanic 20% African American 25% Caucasian 18% Asian/Pacific Islander/Native American/Not Indicated 74% full-time, 26% part-time Retention Rate: 71% Graduation Rate: 4 yr rate = 6%, 6 yr rate=39%

4 FLEX (Financial Literacy Experts): how it all started Executive Sponsorship Internal: indicative of value, priority and confidence IHEP/USA Funds Conferences, Workshops, and Support External: validates and reinforces the internal support, provides larger view of issues, possibilities, and opportunities Grant from USA Funds Existing Structures To utilize, replicate or learn from To use as network of resources to draw from Communication Make the value resonate with community Make the successes known

5 Selection and Training Don t reinvent the wheel find a pre-existing group or process and borrow or replicate (SGO, CLUBS, Student Ambassadors) Selection : students did it too! An investment of self into the team they will have to work with these students. Privilege of helping select who will be part of the team not to be understated Training material from USA Funds Web based (USA Funds Life Skills) and handbooks (Coordinator and Student Guides) Training from existing organizations and subject matter experts on campus Trust the students they can ride the bicycle quite well on their own! Creative freedom Do what they know to do well

6 NJCU Financial Literacy Committee and Student FLEX Team Michael Faivush, Senior, Psychology, SGO President, Mack Do, Senior, Criminal Justice, SGO Vice President Hamdya Manasrah, Senior, Psychology, Student Ambassador Diego Portillo, Senior, Finance, athlete Ernesto Espin, Junior, Political Science Karen Mateus, Sophomore, Criminal Justice Amira Washington, Sophomore, Philosophy David Ricco, Sophomore, Music Sebastian Abello, Freshman, Undeclared Tomas Abello, Freshman, Undeclared Student FLEXers Fin Lit Committee Carmen Panlilio, Associate VP Enrollment Management Dr. Deborah Woo, Assistant VP Academic Affairs Dr. Roslyn Overton, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Business Programs, CFP Peter Ljutic, University Bursar and Risk Manager Cinthia Diaz, Graduate Assistant Amani Jennings, Assistant Dean of Students Jonathan Ng, Financial Aid Counselor Larry Ladutke, Prospect Researcher, University Advancement Gary Gordon honorary member IT Webmaster

7 FLEXers today: Where We Are! University recognition University President s Welcome Back Letter 5 Year Strategic Enrollment Management Report Student Government Organization KnightLines, the Division of Students Affairs Newsletter Faculty and Academic Deans New Student Orientations Website:

8 Orientation, Workshops, Lectures, Conversations

9 Orientation, Workshops, Lectures, Conversations

10 FLEXers today: Where We Are! Minute for Your Money videos and YouTube NJCU FLEX on Facebook NJCU FLEX on Twitter

11 Mobile App: first for the university!

12 Partnership with Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union: Mentoring Day (Jan 2012) and University Reality Fair (Fall 2012)

13 Partnership with United Way of Hudson County on Free Tax Prep on Campus

14 A message from the FLEXers

15 What it took to get here Executive sponsorship, Inter & Intraorganizational Support Cross-Divisional Engagement, especially faculty! Strategic partnerships with offices and individuals Faculty IT and Webmasters Controller s Office and Budget Office Financial Aid Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs Admissions Students...More Students Creative Students!

16 Why It Matters! Beyond Financial Literacy Retention and Graduation Student Engagement in the true sense of the word Also, self-efficacy and resiliency More ready with realistic and practical view of working world Connection between academics and real life careers Reality Fair Mentoring Program Lecture and Guest Speakers Resource for Students: social, cultural and financial capital Academic perspective: learning skill Further linkage between faculty and students Finance perspective University Advancement perspective Less debt

17 Why it works Students Own It Students know how to talk, influence, and lead students We Measure It Assessments and data based solid feedback in terms of data, numbers, comments Surveys, attendance, and feedback loop University and Community Supports It From faculty to administrators to community partners

18 Bottom Line Administration and Faculty Role Provide structure and support Guide to resources Use your networks to launch them Give them the freedom to be creative So that students can do what they do best influence their peers! Student Role Be creative Be supportive, yet hold each other accountable A little competition does not hurt anyone Influence their peers!

19 Take-Aways Web-based USA Funds Life Skills Student Guide: Peer Financial Educator Roles and Responsibilities Coordinator Guide: Peer Financial Educator Roles and Responsibilities Student Ambassador training Share and borrow internally and externally And Challenges Scheduling and Time Resources, including training Institutionalization

20 Sample FAFSA Video

21 We Created FLIRT! Financial Learning Initiative & Research Team

22 FLIRT Membership Financial Learning Initiative & Research Team Our Members- Strategically Selected - Ilia Cordero, Manager of Financial Aid, Osceola Campus - Marva Pryor, Professor of Business - Chanda Torres, Director Student Development - Barbara Shell, Assistant Director for Community & Alumni Relations - John Stover, Director of Bridges to Success Program

23 Financial Learning Ambassadors Pilot at Osceola Campus 4 Financial Learning Ambassadors Developed relationship with Osceola Student Development Coordinator Student Development included us in their yearly training with their student leaders and attended a Student Leader Retreat Collaborate with Peer Educators- Students through peer to peer learningbring awareness to health and wellness topics

24 Financial Learning Ambassadors in What do we do? Action Conduct Financial literacy skill shops on campus Student Success Classes, work with professors to facilitate Financial Literacy topics Participate with Student Development and incorporate Financial Literacy Tabling events in the atrium, promote to a heavy traffic area Promote My Financial Planner Promote Financial Priority deadlines Reaching Each Academic Challenge Head on (REACH) & BRIDGES To Success

25 College Night

26 Money Tree

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28 Movie Night 45 students attended movie night Marketing company implants a family in an upscale neighborhood The stress of high debt could lead to tragic event Letting your friends influence you and trying to keep up with your them

29 Love Your Wallet Convincing students to not spend their Financial Aid Refund money on pointless items Creative and inexpensive ways to impress your partner

30 Thanksgiving on a Budget Ambassadors setup a table in the atrium to show students how to eat Thanksgiving on a budget No need to overspend or feel you cannot have a thanksgiving dinner because of the lack of money

31 Peer Educators Health and wellness Collaborate with Peer Educators Financial Stress is part of wellness

32 Expanding The Ambassador Program College Wide East, West, Winter Park and Lake Nona Campuses

33 Expanding The Ambassador Program College Wide Held a meeting with Student development and Financial Aid Coordinators college wide Made program binders for 4 campuses (blueprint of the program) Created a budget and ordered materials for all campuses Created a sample display of tabling events Incorporated the Financial Learning Ambassadors to tell their story

34 Take-Aways Web-based USA Funds Life Skills Student Guide: Peer Financial Educator Roles and Responsibilities Coordinator Guide: Peer Financial Educator Roles and Responsibilities Student Ambassador training Share and borrow internally and externally And Challenges Scheduling and Time Resources, including training Institutionalization

35 Our Journey Created a photo book to document the events for the year 1 st book is the beginning of our year 2 nd book is continuation of the year 3 rd book is yet to be completed, our year ends in April

36 Questions?