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We get it: the financial struggle is REAL at times! Taking out student loans, paying bills, managing expenses and saving money all require strategic planning and decision making. Developing financialsavviness takes knowledge, and often time, but starting now, as a student, can have a life-long impact!
With that in mind, we interviewed Hannah Sadollah, the Programs Specialist for FinancialSmarts @ UMBC (which she’ll talk about in her interview) to shed some light on this important topic.
Extra Credit: Why do you think it is important for college students to build up their "financial savviness” right now?
Hannah: Education is an investment in yourself! College is an experience and an investment, so make sure you get a high return on investment (ROI) or benefit relative to the cost. Your college experience can still be amazing while you become more financially savvy! There are ways to make lasting memories while still saving money for the future and saving money now can have a serious impact on your future!
College can be stressful, between balancing classwork, extracurricular activities and having a social life it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out when throwing personal finances into the mix. Becoming financially savvy can help reduce this stress! For example, hanging out with friends doesn’t always have to break the bank! The UMBC Student Events Board (seb) hosts multiple events every week like; Karaoke Nights, Yoga sessions, or Glow Dodgeball! Another example is FinancialSmarts @ UMBC which hosts events during Money Smart Week (April 6th-11th) where students will be entered to win $25 Campus Cash just by attending the event! These are great ways to hang out with friends, meet new people, and save or even win money! Try following groups like FinancialSmarts on social media to learn more about all their free events.
Extra Credit: What is one financial topic you recommend college students learn more about?
Hannah: Managing money, specifically savings. As a current student unexpected costs come up all the time! Whether it’s an extra book that you need for class or replacing a missing campus ID, it’s important to be able to prepare yourself for unexpected or emergency expenses.
In January 2019 Forbes reported that 78% of U.S. workers are living paycheck to paycheck. This means that these individuals are using most or all of their monthly income on their monthly expenses with no money left over or in savings. Don’t be part of the statistic! Consider the 50/30/20 model when creating a budget. Plan to spend 50% of your monthly income on fixed costs like; rent, groceries or transportation. 30% of flex costs like; Eating out or going to concerts. And then allocate 20% of your monthly income to savings. This model makes saving and money management seem like an attainable goal and helps you create a plan to achieve it!
Extra Credit: What is UMBC FinancialSmarts and what has been the biggest way you've seen undergraduate students utilize it?
Hannah: FinancialSmarts @ UMBC provides students with the tools necessary to make informed and effective decisions about your finances. Managing money is an important part of your daily life and we encourage students to be well versed in this important life skill that many find challenging. We have arange of programs available to all students! The biggest way UMBC students engage with our content is by enrolling in the FinancialSmarts CashCourse! This is a free, self-paced, open enrollment blackboard course that allows students to learn about concepts like budgeting, saving, banking, as well as talking to them about the working world! Student can find more information about how to enroll in the course on our website at https://financialsmarts.umbc.edu/programs/cashcourse/
In addition to the CashCourse we encourage students to attend one of our many events during Money Smart Week, April 6th-11th. All of our events are fun and engaging and by attending certain events student will be entered into a drawing to win $25 Campus Cash! To learn more about these events and Money Smarts Week please visit the FinancialSmarts myUMBC page!https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/financialsmarts/events
Extra Credit: What would you say to a student who is struggling with budgeting their money?
Hannah: Don’t give up, nobody’s perfect and we all struggle sometimes! If you’re struggling to stick to your budget, try revisiting it and see what areas you might need to tweak to make it more realistic. If you primarily pay with cards or digital payment methods try taking out cash (while being mindful of non-network ATM fees). This is a helpful way to stop spending once you’re out of money. There are also budgeting applications that help users track their spending like the Mint App!
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, we encourage students to sign up for our CashCoach program which will begin its next cohort in Fall 2020! Visit our website to sign up today!https://financialsmarts.umbc.edu/programs/mybudgetcoach/
Extra Credit: What is your best piece of financial advice?
Hannah: Keep learning and asking questions! No one person has all the answers so there’s always more to explore and learn about Financial Literacy. You will go through various seasons of your life where you will need a different set of financial skills so it’s important to seek out trustworthy guidance and leverage the resources that are available to you now for free as a student!
April is Career Month! The Career Center will be celebrating with plenty of different opportunities and events for you to take advantage of and progress your career. From the Clothing Closet to the Dining Etiquette Dinner to Navigating the Security Clearance, these events during the month of April are intended to better prepare you for your upcoming career in your field of interest.
I’m especially excited for some of the networking events planned for the month of April. There are all sorts of networking events going on during Career Month, including UMBC Connects. I’m looking forward to the networking event on April 20th for Political Science and Public Policy majors. It’s a great opportunity to get in touch with alumni and professionals within your field of interest! There is an event for everyone, whether your major is Engineering or Social Work, Computer Science or English, there is an event for you!
There are also tons of workshops going on throughout the month of April, where you can go and develop your professional skills and hone your abilities to prepare for the workforce. From personal branding to professional communication, there are plenty of skills you can learn during Career Month that will jumpstart your career!
Finally, there are off-campus trips to employers where you can get the chance to learn more about what they do, how they do it, and what working at that company or organization looks like! You can get a feel for the organization by directly observing the work environment itself, and of course, get the chance to meet people and network.
Here are some more interesting events coming up:
April 2nd and 3rd: Clothing Closet. The Clothing Closet is an event all about dressing to impress! Come pick out a professional interview outfit for absolutely no charge. (First come first serve, so don’t wait!)
April 6th: Navigating the Security Clearance. If you’re interested in a job with the Federal Government, you may need a security clearance. The Career Center will be hosting NSA experts to debunk the myths around obtaining a security clearance.
April 8th: Communicating for Success. The Career Center will be hosting a workshop dedicated to teaching you how to better communicate, in person, over the phone, and by email!
April 13th: Personal Branding. Come by and learn how to develop a personal brand and what it takes to keep up your reputation.
April 22nd: What I Wish I Knew in College. A panel of UMBC Alumni will be coming to campus to share with you the secrets and tips they wish they knew before graduating.
Check out our Calendar on the Career Center Website for more information on all of these events and more for the month of April. As always, you can contact us at (410) 455-2216 for more information on upcoming events, appointment types, and mock interviews.
the Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising has openings available for summer Orientation Advisors! As an advisor, you would attend Orientation sessions where you would meet with students one-on-one to plan out and register for classes. No previous experience is required, and we will provide all training necessary!
Besides compensation, this is an excellent opportunity to gain professional and interpersonal experience. Depending on your field, your time as a student may not open you up to many client-facing interactions, and this is a pathway to gaining that experience. If you are considering a career in academia, meanwhile, advising experience is highly sought-after in faculty openings.
More details are provided in the application attached, which is due HERE by May 1, 2020. We will also be hosting a number of informational sessions for those who may be interested:
Finally, if you are a graduate student with an existing assistantship, you will be required to submit a “Request for Additional Employment” along with your application by the same date. Please note the form must be signed by your Graduate Program Coordinator/Director and Dr. Jeffrey Halverson before submission. The forms can be found HERE.
Please let me know if I can provide any additional assistance!
With best regards,
Laszlo Korossy, Ph.D.
]]>The Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising has openings available for summer Orientation Advisors! As an advisor, you would attend Orientation sessions where you would meet with students one-on-one to plan out and register for classes. No previous experience is required, and we will provide all training necessary!
Besides compensation, this is a rare chance for part-time faculty to gain advising experience – highly sought-after in faculty openings – as well as to interact with students outside of the classroom. As a faculty member myself, I can absolutely say that my teaching effectiveness has been augmented by my advising experience. For full-time faculty, meanwhile, this is the absolute earliest point at which you can begin to engage with your department’s incoming students: to give them the best possible head start in their studies (and to make your own future advising appointments easier!).
More details are provided in the application attached, which is due HERE by May 1, 2020. We will also be hosting a number of informational sessions for those who may be interested:
Please let me know if I can provide any additional assistance!
With best regards,
Laszlo Korossy, Ph.D.
]]>Name: Hafsa Shahzad
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Shady Grove Hospital
Position Title: Medical Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Biology Major, Psychology Minor, Pre-Medicine.
Current Class Level: Sophomore
Work Term: Summer 2019
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
My day to day responsibilities as an intern involved a variety of things. Some days would be packed, long and stressful while others stayed relatively calm. Some of my duties included having to check in patients and have them fill out questionnaires. Other times I would be asked to restock the supply closet, attend to patients, and assist patient families.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
The process was relatively simple since I previously volunteered at the hospital. I had a good connection with my coordinator who landed me the position.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
The position has not only given me experience but has also deepened my knowledge within the medical field which serves to be very beneficial since I am a Pre-Med student. Everyone at the hospital was willing to help and work with me allowing me to learn more.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I allowed the staff at the hospital to be less overwhelmed when it came to dealing with patients and answering questions.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I would say it is best to call instead of email since most times emails are usually missed. Phone conversations can help you get your answer faster and allows you to directly communicate with the coordinator.
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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!
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