Financial Symposium At UNC Charlotte Brings UNC System Together
UNC Charlotte administrators shared best practices and experiences with administrators and student leaders from across the UNC System during a two-day financial literacy conference.
The UNC System’s inaugural Financial Literacy Symposium, hosted at UNC Charlotte, aimed to help UNC System universities launch sustainable and responsive student-focused financial literacy programs on their campuses, following a model set by UNC Charlotte. Charlotte launched Niner Finances, the system’s first comprehensive college student-focused financial literacy program, in 2020.
“Managing money is one of the most critical life skills students can learn while they’re in college, yet so many students graduate with only a minimal understanding of the basics of financial management,” said Brad Yeckley, founding director of Niner Finances and organizer of the symposium. “This symposium is an opportunity to share our lessons and successes with system schools to provide a blueprint for similar programs across the state to support and educate our students.”
“As public universities, we have a responsibility to make sure we’re preparing our students, not only to be successful academically but also to be financially successful in life,” said UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber, who spoke during the event. “This symposium is a strong first step as we partner within the UNC System to discuss best practices and develop a financial literacy model that can support our students and position our state as a nation model.”