We are proud to host the Third Annual UNC System Financial Literacy Symposium at UNC Charlotte from February 18-19th, 2025. Registration details have been sent via email, however, if you need a link to register for this event, contact Nicole Benford at nicole.benford@charlotte.edu. Registration will be open until February 11, 2025. Below are other valuable details as you plan your trip to Charlotte.
The Symposium will be hosted at the Popp Martin Student Union located at: 8845 Craver Rd, Charlotte, NC 28223
There is no host hotel for this year's symposium. However, following are some options for your stay that are within 10 minutes of campus:
UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center 5 min drive and on campus bus available. An on campus shuttle can provide free transportation from the hotel to the Student Union from this hotel. Niner Transit bus service is fare-free for students, faculty, staff and visitors; no UNC Charlotte ID required to ride.
Hilton Charlotte University Place 7 min drive
Hampton Inn Charlotte-University Place 7 min
SpringHill Suites Charlotte University Research Park 10 min drive
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlotte NE - University Area 10 min
3rd Annual Charlotte / UNC System Symposium on Financial Literacy
February 18-19, 2025
Program Description:
The 3rd annual Charlotte Financial Literacy and Wellness Symposium is structured to build upon the success achieved in 2022 and 2023. During the last event, attendees learned more about program leadership, impactful content strategies and peer program training / development after shaping their vision and proposing programs on their home campuses in our first year.
We are proud that we now have at least 5 programs statewide (an increase from 2 when we started) as well as education occurring on other campuses in partnership with community leaders. We are excited to use this year to offer attendees insights into building partnerships, finding champions, and engaging students meaningfully while developing crucial skills like coaching, presentation, and social media management. Through a blend of program rollouts, success stories, and practical training, this event provides actionable steps to enhance campus engagement and to continue advocating for financial literacy and wellbeing programs on all UNC System campuses.
Learning Outcomes:
- Awareness of the resources available to campuses in the form of the Resource Guide (developed by the working group)
- Understanding what both the general student population and student workers need to be successful.
- Insight into leveraging Champions to push forward with programming across the System.
- How to tell an impactful story about your program / departments impact
- Impactful student engagement
Following is the agenda for our February event:
Agenda: Day 1, Tuesday Feb 18, 2025 Foundations for Success
11:00 am - 11:45 am Brunch / Welcome / Expectations / Ice Breaker
11:45 am – 12:00 pm Welcome from Chancellor Gaber
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm Break / Transition
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm Tools for Getting Started and Growing
Update from the System Office and System Working Group: Introduction of the Resource Guide
- Kimberly Mitchell: University of North Carolina System
- Nicole Benford: UNC Charlotte
- Kevin Sutton: Eastern Carolina University
HEFWA resources Cash Course 2.0 (Student Connections / Cash Course merger)
- Phil Schuman: HEFWA
NC ACE Program rollout
- Nicole Benford: UNC Charlotte
- Kevin Sutton: Eastern Carolina University
- Gilbert Rogers: UNC Chapel Hill
Resource Site
- Tevin Parathattal: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Break / Transition
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm Symposium “In action” - Program Spotlights
- Gilbert Rogers: UNC Chapel Hill
- Hannah Vallandingham: Western Carolina University
- Shahnaz Khawaja: UNC Greensboro
- Amber Sessoms: UNC Pembroke
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm Student and Staff tracks available
Staff Track: How to Know if the Work is Working
- Ashley O’Bruba: Assistant Director, Niner Finances
Student Track: Student Engagement
- Tevin Parathattal: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
- Kevin Sutton: Eastern Carolina University
3:15 pm – 3:25 pm Transition
3:25 pm - 4:15 pm Building Effective Stakeholder Campus Partnerships and Stakeholders
- 25 min Stakeholder panel
- Chris Brasel: Director of Military & Veteran Services
- Patrick Madsen: Associate Dean for Advising & Experiential Learning
- Kimberly Laney: Director, Niner Central
- 25 min Spotlight on TSI / Niner Finances partnership
- Shayauna Newsom: Program Director TSI
- Briana Wilson: Program Director TSI
- Nicole Benford: Director, Niner Finances
4:15 pm - 5:30 pm Recap Day 1 / Networking
Dinner on your own
Agenda: Day 2, Wednesday, Feb 19, 2024 Equipping Students for Success
8:30 am - 9:15 am Breakfast / Housekeeping at 9am
9:00 am - 9:15 am Housekeeping / Day 1 Recap
9:15 am – 9:30 am Break / Transition
9:30 am - 10:30 am Student and Staff tracks available
Staff Track: Effective Training for Student Workers / Financial Coaching Skills
- Kevin Sutton: Director, ECU Financial Wellness Hub
- Gilbert Rogers: Director, UNC Chapel Hill
Student Track: Case Studies in Financial Wellness
- Sylvia Sriniwass: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
10:30 am – 10:45 am Break / Transition (Snack break)30
10:45 am - 11:30 am Finding a Champion
- Dr. Kevin Bailey: Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, UNC Charlotte
11:30 am - 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Creating an effective Athletics partnership on your campus
- Ashley O’Bruba: Assistant Director, UNC Charlotte
- Gilbert Rogers: UNC Chapel Hill
- Kevin Sutton: Eastern Carolina University
Student Track: Presentation Skills for Student Workers
- Justin Howard and Tevin Parathattal: Financial Wellness Coaches, UNC Charlotte
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Break / Transition (Snack break)
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm Empowering Financial Wellness Coaches for their Professional Future
- Sylvia Sriniwass: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
- Cydney Richardson: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
- Taliyah Green: Financial Wellness Coach, UNC Charlotte
2:45 pm - 3:00 pm Symposium Discussion / Next Steps