Building and promoting financial literacy among Missouri State University students — that is the goal of the new and free BEAR Essentials program on campus.
BEAR stands for Building Economic Awareness and Resilience.
What is BEAR Essentials?
Dr. Jana Phillips, clinical assistant professor in the department of finance, economics and risk management, knew college students would need help thinking about and managing their finances.
So, she started a program that would benefit both students who need help with financial planning and students who are majoring in financial planning.
BEAR Essentials is a dynamic, pro bono financial planning community project. It serves as a resource for students in need of financial guidance and a learning experience for financial planning degree students. There are 19 certified financial planners helping with the program.
“BEAR Essentials is about empowering Missouri State students with the knowledge and tools they need to make confident financial decisions,” Phillips said.
“At the same time, our students interested in a career in financial planning gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom and the opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals.”
BEAR Essentials offers:
- Free financial planning for students who need financial guidance but would not typically have access to expert advice.
- Real-world learning experience for financial planning majors to explore the profession, apply their knowledge and serve their peers in a meaningful way.
- A mentorship opportunity for Certified Financial Planner® professionals to help shape the next generation of financial planners while breaking down barriers to financial services in our campus community.
Students can get help with things, such as budgeting, improving their credit score, reducing debt, school loans and much more.
Students who would like free financial advice can complete an online form.
Why it matters
“It’s good for everybody because the student planners get experience and exposure to different professional planners,” Phillips said. “And the students across campus are getting access to free financial advice they couldn’t otherwise access.”