Webinars

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020: 2:00PM (ET)

A research study surveyed groups of underclassmen students relative to their entry & exit-level financial knowledge within two distinct GenEd courses. The study sought to answer: What do students know about personal finance when they arrive at college?, What role do parents play in shaping that knowledge?, & If we teach financial wellness, will it better prepare students to navigate life in & out of college? Assessment tools, study results, & curriculum structure will be shared.

Presenters:Cathy Snyder, James Madison University

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020: 2:00PM (ET)

CFPB will discuss resources available to consumers during the COVID 19 pandemic. We will cover the CARES Act, managing debt, tips to protect your credit and additional resources to help stay on top of your finances during the pandemic

Presenters:Dr. Heather Brown & Brian Stone, CFPB

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020: 2:00PM (ET)

Over six years ago, Claudia Villicaña created and built the peer-to-peer financial wellness program at UC Berkeley from the ground up. Come learn from her experiences about what worked and what didn’t work as well as how the program functions now.

Presenters:Claudia Villicaña, University of California Berkeley

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020: 1:00PM (ET)

Lance Palmer will share tips and tricks that empower positive student financial behavior by focusing on student strengths and capabilities instead of student problems and weaknesses. In this session, you will see a short video demonstrating this approach in a non-clinical setting and discover solution-focused language exercises that you can take back to your financial counseling sessions or classrooms.

Presenters:Dr. Lance Palmer, University of Georgia

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020: 2:00PM (ET)

As institutions of higher education and financial aid and wellness offices are working through COVID-19, professionals are delivering digital communication across multimedia more rapidly than ever. Although student-focused communication is critical, ensuring that all people have equal access to information is of paramount importance during this crisis. The Americans with Disabilities Act holds Title IV institutions of higher education accountable for communicating equitably with people with disabilities, many of whom do not enjoy the privilege of physical distancing. As a result, institutions of higher education must practice web accessible communication to ensure all stakeholders access COVID-19 related communication equitable, complying with ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This webinar will detail ADA-focused web accessibility guidelines, provide free software and resources, and outline best practices for practitioners looking to communicate in the most technologically equitable way possible.

Presenters:Zach Taylor, Trellis Company; McKayla Marois, University of Maine at Farmington

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020: 1:00PM (ET)

Are you a student interested in attending the Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance Summit? Join us for a webinar on April 2nd at 1PM ET to learn what the Summit is and why you should consider attending, as well as discuss details around funding, transportation, and other logistics.

Presenters: Isaac Irvin, Indiana University; McKayla Marois, University of Maine at Farmington

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020: 2:00PM (ET),

As COVID-19 is presenting college campuses with considerable challenges, financial wellness programs on these campuses must maintain clear communications with students during this crisis. Students and other stakeholders are likely stressed, financially vulnerable, and eager to return to normalcy.

This webinar will outline best practices for crisis communication with students and how financial wellness programs can 1.) communicate effectively with students, 2.) share high-quality resources in culturally-responsive ways, and 3.) avoid information overload. The webinar will conclude with an open discussion to bring practitioners together and share ideas, resources, and narratives.

Presenters:Zach Taylor, Trellis Company

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020: 2:00PM (ET),

Very recently, states across the country have mandated that Title IV institutions of higher education send their students debt letters meant to inform student borrowing and improve student financial literacy. This session will provide an overview of debt letters from different institutions, as well as suggestions for practitioners to improve the composition and effectiveness of their debt letter.

Presenters:Zach Taylor, The University of Texas at Austin; Karla Weber, The University of Wisconsin-Madison

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020: 2:00PM (EDT)

Our office receives more questions about the topic of credit compared to any other. The questions reflect a lack of knowledge on the subject, often focusing on quick fixes to credit rather than building solid financial habits that translate to improved credit. Are we doing a disservice to our students with how we respond to their questions? Are we advocating students to make poor financial decisions with how we teach credit?

Yes we are.

Let’s start the conversation of teaching credit right.

Presenter:Phil Schuman, Indiana University

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020: 1:00PM (EDT)

Campuses that have constructed financial wellness programs for their students have become the unexpected beneficiaries of less-stressed, more successful students. Hear lessons from Paul Goebel, director of the University of North Texas Student Money Management Center, on how to construct a program on foundations of “student success” and “financial wellness.” Safety glasses and steel-toed shoes optional.

Presenter:Paul Goebel, University of North Texas

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019: 2:00PM (EDT)

“If you build it, they will…” Well, probably not come. Even with the greatest programs, students still need more than self-motivation to take advantage of your information and services. Whether you are just starting out or have a robust financial wellness offering, you need to have a plan for marketing your program. This webinar will teach you how to create a marketing plan suited for your specific use case and that you can easily maintain and grow over time. As we work through the interactive session, you will review examples that help you build your plan along the way. Session attendees will walk away with tangible, proven ideas to take your program to new heights.

Presenter:Sara Wilson, Product Manager, Student Connections

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019: 2:00PM (EDT)

Given the growing complexities of the higher education industry, there seem to be competing priorities that make it challenging to obtain the resources and support that we need to take our personal finance education programs to the next level. Because Financial Wellness is a relatively new field, there are still growing pains within our industry. Many of our services started by passionate practitioners who decided to respond to a need. Strategic decisions around organizational structures and alignment of mission and goals were not always present in this process. This session will start the conversation around benefits and challenges of having financial wellness efforts come from different areas and how that might affect our field moving forward.

We’ll share how by combining a personal finance and career education curriculum into one program, an institution was able to better communicate the importance and interconnectedness of career success and financial stability, and ultimately capitalize on existing networks and gain stronger institutional buy-in by becoming part of our institutional brand.

Presenter:Jimena Huaco, Assistant Director, Talent Education Management, Champlain College

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2019: 1:00PM (EDT)

Campus financial education programs often ask, “How do you train peer educators?” Come learn training techniques that have seemed like well-kept secrets. Peer-to-peer is the pinnacle of education delivery methods but requires a robust training program to ensure its effectiveness. Come learn training approaches that are efficient to administer, ensure students become successful peer educators and provide students a leg-up in their transition into financial services careers. It’s a WIN WIN WIN!

Presenter:Jodi Kaus, Director of Student Financial Planning and Counseling Center at Kansas State University

Trellis’ Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) seeks to document the financial well-being of post-secondary students and provide institutions with a detailed profile of the financial issues their students face, some of which could potentially impact their success in college. In this session, the presenter will share findings from the Fall 2018 survey and discuss the context and implications of the findings for institutions. Student financial wellness topics covered include how students pay for college, attitudes on debt, basic needs security, student debt, academic goals, public assistance usage, and financial obligations to family. The SFWS is free for institutions to use, and Trellis is currently recruiting institutions to participate in the Fall 2019 semester implementation.

Presenter: Kasey Klepfer, Senior Research Analyst for Trellis Research.