| Welcome back to the Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach's (CFCO) e-newsletter! The CFCO is an applied outreach unit of Penn State Erie, the Behrend College 's Sam & Irene Black School of Business . Our mission is to conduct outreach to educate the public, from kids to adults, on financial literacy issues. The Center's outreach programs focus on financial management and literacy, as well as college preparation and workforce development.
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2nd Annual High School Symposium
May 16th and May 17th
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The Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach will be hosting the 2nd Annual High School Symposium on May 16th and May 17th at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. Hundreds of students from all over Western Pennsylvania are expected to attend over the two-day event. Students will engage in the interactive Real Money Experience, a program that simulates real life experiences that students will face in the future. For instance, students will have to make choices concerning transportation, housing, banking, credit, and other expenses. Volunteers will be on hand to guide participants in this simulation.
In addition, an educator training workshop is being offered to educators from all over Western Pennsylvania. Representatives from the PA Securities Commission, PA Attorney General's Office, and the Erie GE Federal Credit Union will lead the training and provide participants with new information, as well as a new perspective on financial literacy topics.
For more information, please visit the High School Symposium page on our website, or click here. |
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Meet our New GA!
|  The Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach is pleased to announce that Chris Holmes has been named as our new Graduate Assitant. A recent graduate from Penn State Erie, the Behrend College with a degree in Business Economics and a minor in Management, Chris is now pursuing his Masters of Business Administration at Behrend. When asked, Chris said he is "most excited about the opportunity interact with all facets of the community and help them discover valuable life lessons that may not have otherwise learned." |
| Mindful Money
| This month the CFCO's Mindful Money column will be featuring ideas and  tips for smart summer staycations. Cathy Faulcon Bowen, Ph.D., CFCS, with the Pennsylvania State University Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, will be lending her knowledge and expertise as this month's financial expert in the CFCO's Mindful Money column.
For more information about Cathy, or any of the Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach's financial experts, please visit our "Ask an Expert" page, or click here. |
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Money Matters
May 31, 2012 | |
On Thursday, May 31, 2012 the Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Securities Commission, PA Treasury Department, AARP, and Department of Banking, will be hosting Money Matters Conference at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. The event is schedule from 6-9pm and complimentary refreshments will be served throughout the event. Whether you are looking to manage your money more effectively, start investing for your future, or simply looking for better strategies, this event will be of benefit to you. The conference is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Registration is now open for this event! To register, click here. For additional information or a copy of the event flier, please contact the CFCO at cfco@psu.edu or at (814) 898-6553. |
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Teach Kids to $ave
April 26, 2012 | |
On April 26, 2012, the CFCO partnered with Marquette Savings Bank on the Teach Kids to $ave project. Volunteers and representatives from  Marquette Savings Bank went into classrooms and taught students the value and importance of saving money. Students learned the difference between savings and checking accounts, and why saving money is more beneficial than spending in the long run. Throughout the day, nearly 500 students were reached. To view a media clip of the event, please visit our website, or click here. |
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NYSE Teachers' Workshop & Fellowship Program
Summer 2012 | |
Are you interested in learning more about the financial marketplace and its importance on your life as well as the global economy? Are you looking for innovative ways to integrate financial literacy into your classroom? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may consider looking into the New York Stock Exchange Teachers' Workshop and Fellowship Programs for 2012. These programs are being offered by the New York Stock Exchange's Euronext Program and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.
The Teacher Workshop is a five-day event in New York City that is designed to provide educators with a better understanding of the capital-raising process, how to include financial information across the curriculum, and additional skills and resources that can be implemented in a classroom setting. Registration is $150, which covers a continental breakfast and lunch each day. Transportation and accomodations are not included in this cost.
The Teacher Fellowship Program will be held in Washington, D.C.. This competitive program is intended to reach educators in underserved communities, especially at Title I or below. The Fellowships will help to defry the cost of the Teacher Workshop so that well-performing educators may attend.
For more information on these events or registration, please click here. |
Financial EduNation
An Online Resource Center for Everyone! | |
Financial EduNation is an online resource center offered by the CFCO in partnership with the National Financial Educators Council. This online tool is full of resources for students, parents, educators, and community leaders. Students can test their knowledge of financial literacy topics, while parents and educators can learn how to communicate more effectively with youth about financial literacy topics.
Qualified organizations receive complementary access to the comprehensive Financial EduNation resource center. This is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information about the Financial EduNation resource center, simply contact at our office at cfco@psu.edu. To visit Financial EduNation, click here. |
| Program Information & Samples
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If you are interested in learning more about the CFCO's financial literacy outreach programs, simply visit the link above, or click here. In addition, there are samples of each presentation so that you can get a feel for what they include. Some programs also have informational videos for your viewing. Once you get to the site, simply click on the program that you would like to learn more about to view samples and additional information about that program.
Also, if you are interested in requesting one, or more, of the programs, follow the link at the bottom of the page to the Program Request Form, or click here to view the form. |
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New! Good Financial Decisions
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Good Financial Decisions is a FREE online learning self-study program for teen and adult audiences and covers the four personal finance topics; Borrower Be Aware, Digging Out of Debt, Understanding Employee Benefits, and Where to Stash Your Cash. Each session is about 30 minutes long, and worksheets and handouts are part of the program. Good Financial Decisions provides current information young adults must understand in order to achieve financial security. For more information, or to request this program, contact the CFCO, or fill out a program request form here. |
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"Like" Us on Facebook
Stay Connected | |
If you have not already "liked" the Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach, you may want to in order to stay up to date on what the CFCO is doing. New outreach initiatives, CFCO events, and the latest in financial news are all posted regularly on our Facebook page in an effort to keep consumers informed.
To "like," search "The Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach," or click here. |
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Contact Us
Erica Jackson, Director
ekj2@psu.edu
(814)-898-6784
Chris Holmes, Graduate Assistant
cmh5282@psu.edu
(814)-898-6553
Amanda Shields, Intern
ars5458@psu.edu
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CFCO Homepage | |
Our new website is equipped with everything that you need to set out on the road to becoming financially savvy!
On our new site, you will find links to current financial news, a background on our center, a list of our current programs complete with a program request form, and our contact information. | |
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Join the Conversation!
May 1st was National Acceptance for high school seniors around the country, so we want to know:
Have you started saving to help finance your children's, or your own, higher education?
Vote Here | | |
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Additional Resources
CFCO's Financial Calculators:
Saving for a Goal
Back to School Budget
My Bonus After Taxes
Save A Million Dollars
Mortgage Payment
For more information and more financial calculators, visit the CFCO's website here. | | |
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