UToledo Engages Students in Financial Literacy Month

UToledo Engages Students in Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy Month and The University of Toledo is marking the occasion with outreach designed to help students build confidence in managing their financial futures.

The effort comes as national data underscores a persistent gap: only 26% of college students rate their personal finance knowledge as "somewhat or very high," according to a 2023 SPARK Institute survey in partnership with Corporate Insight Inc.

Led by the UToledo Financial Wellness team, the outreach includes a "Paint a Piggy Bank" event in collaboration with Campus Activities Programming (CAP) on Tuesday, April 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Thompson Student Union Room 2548. This free, creative and hands-on activity opens conversations about saving, budgeting and setting financial goals.

Take the Financial Literacy Month Challenge

Mollee Williamson, a senior financial wellness counselor at UToledo, says students are encouraged this April to take part in a simple monthlong challenge designed to build stronger money habits through small, manageable steps:

• Review a recent bank statement to better understand where your money is going.
• Set a realistic short-term savings goal - even a small amount can make a difference.
• Reflect on spending by identifying needs versus wants.
• Try a no-spend day to build financial awareness.
• Choose one positive financial habit to carry forward, such as regularly checking your balance or staying on top of payments.
• Schedule a meeting with a Financial Wellness counselor for personalized guidance.

Students can email [email protected] to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a Financial Wellness counselor or request a presentation for a student organization. The office is located in Rocket Hall Room 1790.

Students engaging in past appointments and group workshops said they come away with actionable advice.

"While I had heard about budgeting before, the way it was broken down into manageable steps - like tracking expenses, identifying needs versus wants, and setting savings goals - made it feel much more achievable," said Colin Clancy, a sophomore studying construction engineering technology in the College of Engineering. "It helped me realize that financial stability is built through discipline and planning rather than large, sudden changes."

About the UToledo Financial Wellness Program

The University of Toledo Financial Wellness program provides students one-on-one counseling, group presentations and campus-wide events focused on budgeting, saving, credit, debt management and investing. The resources and programming help foster a culture of financial empowerment, providing UToledo students the knowledge and confidence needed for long-term success - on campus and beyond.