Peer Review

Finance Workshops at the University of Oregon

Students Need Money Knowledge

· Financial excitement among recent graduates often leads to reckless spending.

· Student loan repayment is often low on graduates’ priorities.

· Poor budgeting can also lead to irresponsible spending.

· Many graduates do not know to have emergency spending money.

Personal Finance to Professional Success

Being able to understand personal finances boosts confidence within individuals. This confidence boost affects a person’s personal life as well as their professional life. Understanding personal finances increases one’s ability to understand business finances, as well as strengthening skills for decision-making and planning for future situations.

What the Lundquist College of Business has Now

Currently, the Lundquist College of Business does have financial workshops. However, they are not very accessible to students currently due to the lack of advertising. Much of what these workshops include is just a very basic level of personal finance suggestions. There is plenty of room for EXCELL to improve these workshops.

What to Add

· Real-life situations about personal finance relating to each student including:

· How and when to purchase a home.

· How to handle student loans.

· Claim independence on taxes.

· Provide real-life stories of the effects of actual financial decisions.

· Describe how to invest money, and where to invest to grow one’s money.

· Advertising to make more students aware of the workshops.

What it Will Take

· Cost will include:

· Making more sticky and memorable.

· Cost for professional speakers or professors to lead the workshops.

· Materials such as paper and, potentially, simulation software.

Conclusion

To improve graduates understanding of personal finances would also aid in their professional and leadership success. EXCELL has the ability to greatly improve the quality and effectiveness of these workshops.