Over 400 FSU students attended a Truist Bank financial literacy event focused on budgeting, saving, and money management skills.
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Florida State students get hands-on budgeting and saving lessons at Truist Bank financial literacy event
More than 400 Florida State University students spent part of their day learning how to better manage their finances through a hands-on event hosted by Truist Bank.
Students rotated through activities designed to teach budgeting, saving, and other financial skills they’ll use long after college.
Blake Leonard, an FSU student, said the event addressed a real need on campus.
“We’re all first generation, we all come very different backgrounds,” said Leonard. “You know, some might have less money than others, so being able to understand how to manage your money. I think it’s very important.”
The event comes as financial literacy rates continue to lag nationwide. A Stanford study found more than half of Americans lack basic financial literacy skills, with young adults facing some of the biggest challenges.
Organizers say building those skills early can have long-term impacts on financial stability and economic mobility.
Yolande Matthew, Workplace Banking and Financial Empowerment Executive at Truist, said the goal is to reach students at the start of their college journey.
“It’s important to get income and freshman because they’re starting their journey and we want to equip them with a tool and resources that will drive them to success in the future so they’re making better financial decisions,” said Matthew. “They are quick from themselves with the information that they need to be empowered and prepare them along that journey so they’ll make mistakes like a lot of Americans do.”
For many students, lessons about credit, debt, and saving aren’t always taught in the classroom. Organizers hope events like this help fill that gap before students enter the workforce.
Chris Mills, Market President of Truist Bank Tallahassee, said the Tallahassee area’s large student population makes outreach like this especially important.
“Here in the Tallahassee community, we’ve got over 60,000 students between the three different higher education organizations in town and we try to focus early in the process of these incoming freshmen to help them with personal finance,” said Mills.
Fellow FSU student Adriana Massanga said the program left a lasting impression.
“So I learned some really good, like money management tips through this program that I still keep to myself to this day,” said Massanga. “I think it’s just like understanding that you know you can make your money work for you instead of work against you, so just being smart with it and just making sure that you’re being intentional with your money is the biggest thing I took from this experience.”
As students prepare for careers after college, organizers say understanding how to manage money can be just as valuable as the degree they’ll earn.
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