Are you having money struggles and worrying about paying off your student loans? Worried about managing funds in general? University of New Haven’s Financial Aid office is kickstarting their annual Cashparency Series.
During an interview with Vanessa Ort, assistant director of the Financial Aid Office, she explained that “cashparencies” is but one piece of a much larger program she calls the Financial Wellness Program. “We are actually a committee of campus partners all across campus, such as residential life and [the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership and Orientation], and we all come together to create programs that support our mission,” said Ort. “We want students to understand how your money works and budgets for them.”
“Our mission is to provide students with skills, knowledge, and resources to help them make informed decisions for a lifetime of financial well-being,” said Ort. “Tuition for college is one of the biggest purchases of your life, and it’s a great way to take the next steps on how to be on top of your money.”
The program will also support students who are struggling financially as their first time moving away from home. Ort said, “Our goal is to provide tools and resources, the main big program being Cashparencies. We will touch upon different topics all in regard to financial issues such as money management for the first couple of weeks.”
For this program students will be allowed to choose what subjects of money management and finances they would like to explore and learn about. “Cashparencies uses iGrad, a financial program where students can answer questions, creating a handmade tailored program for themselves,” said Ort.
The program will be once a week during the fall and spring semesters but it will not run during midterms. The Cashparency Series can be accessed through MyCharger in the Financial Wellness tab.
More information about the Cashparency Series can be found on MyCharger and on their Instagram page, @unewhavenfinwell.