Financial Wellness
Whether you are feeling high levels of financial stress or are simply seeking to expand your financial knowledge, increasing your financial understanding is a great way to feel confident in managing your financial resources for a lifetime of well-being. We are here to help guide you on this path.
Increased financial literacy and financial wellness can have positive impacts beyond your wallet. Having ownership of your finances can be empowering, even if the amount of financial resources is low. Having a plan moving forward can make even the largest pile of debt seem manageable. Focusing on the basics of positive financial behavior while in college can set the course for the rest of one’s financial life.
Financial Coaching Appointments
We offer individual financial coaching appointments for individuals that prefer a 1:1 conversation.
Workshops
Workshops are held throughout the semester – dates, times, and locations can be found on GobblerConnect.
The topics of each workshop are below:
- Budgeting Basics
- Do you follow a budget? Not really sure where to start? Budgeting Basics is a great introductory presentation to help individuals understand the importance of a budget and how to create a budget that will work for them.
- Credit: What is it and why should you care?
- What even is credit? A lot of individuals have mixed perceptions of credit, how to build it, and why it’s so important. This presentation will take individuals through the basics of credit, including building and maintaining good credit, and will leave attendees with tools, tips, and resources to take the first (or next) step into the world of credit.
- Student Loans & Debt Management
- The cost of a college education is on the rise, and many people depend on student loans to assist them when paying for college. Learn about the various types of loans, the repayment system, and discover a debt management system that works best for you.
- Sports Betting
- The world of sports betting is relatively new and quickly growing. With so many different applications and advertisements, it can be very easy to get sucked in and spend more money than one ever expected.
- Finances After Graduation
- This workshop is specifically geared for students graduating from undergrad or grad school, who are getting ready to embark on the next step in their journey. In this session, participants will be provided with a review of financial wellness basics and will be provided the resources needed to navigate finances after college.
Schedule a workshop for your group
Please click below to schedule a workshop for your organization or class. You will be redirected to a form that will help you submit your request and a Hokie Wellness representative will get back with you quickly.
Financial Wellness Peer Educators
Hokie Wellness’ financial wellness student peer educators assist in educating the greater Virginia Tech community to enhance their financial knowledge and skills, and are trained on major aspects of personal financial management in addition to identifying campus resources for students to save money.
How long has there been a Financial Wellness intern program?
- Financial Wellness services started in the Spring 2020 semester. Our first interns were for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Are Financial Wellness internships paid?
- Yes, in addition to the training, experience, learning, friendship, and other positive outcomes members gain from this internship, interns receive hourly pay and are eligible for pay increases after their first year.
What is the time commitment?
- The weekly time commitment for our interns are typically around 5 hours each week with significant (and mandatory) training and attendance requirements. Interns assist with facilitating workshops and meeting with students individually for appointments. Some weeks there will be few appointments, while other weeks may have more, so the time commitment may vary week to week. Most of the services are offered in-person, however some appointments, workshops, and team meetings may be held on zoom on occasion.
- Appointment availability, workshop hours, and other internship commitments are based around student class schedules.
How will I be trained?
- Applicants do not need to have knowledge in our content areas in order to become a member of our team. We have a training day at the beginning of each semester, with ongoing training throughout the experience during your regular weekly work hours. The training is updated through the semester as you learn new things every week.
How long do people serve as Financial Wellness interns?
- The minimum period is 1 year with most members staying 2 or more years. This is based off your academic plans if you want to stay on the team for more than one year.
When do you accept applications?
- The application process for these volunteer positions is competitive. Our application window closes at the end of March for the following school year.
Do you accept new members every year?
- Yes, each year we plan to continue growing the team!
Who can apply?
- We accept applications from all undergraduate students - rising Sophomores and rising Juniors are particularly encouraged to apply.
Do you accept graduate or professional students?
- Not at this time, as this is designed to be a service and leadership opportunity for undergraduates only.
What majors do you accept?
- There is no major restriction; all majors are welcome and encouraged to apply.
How many people are on the team this year?
- The group has 11 members at this time.
What is the deadline to apply?
- The Financial Wellness team is no longer accepting applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.
May I also apply for the other student groups that Hokie Wellness has, such as HEAT (Health Education & Awareness Team) program or IMPACT?
- You may only apply for one Hokie Wellness peer education group. You may not apply for one, decline an offer or not be accepted, and then apply to another in the same year. Likewise, you may not submit applications to both concurrently.
How do I apply?
- Check back to this page and/or Hokie Wellness’ social media in early 2025 to see application updates!