Financial Wellness Peer Educators

Hokie Wellness’ financial wellness student peer educators/interns assist in educating the greater Virginia Tech community to enhance their financial knowledge and skills.

Financial Wellness Peer Educators are trained on major aspects of personal financial management (budgeting, credit, student loans, financial planning/goal setting, and banking terminology) in addition to identifying campus resources for students to save money.

About Financial Wellness Peer Educators

• Present to the VT community on various personal financial management topics.
• Coach students seeking to enhance their financial knowledge and skills in an individual setting.
• Will be trained in Motivational Interviewing Skills, and the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change to enhance skills as a financial coach and support clients in initiating changes related to their financial goals.
• Develop guidance for students on saving money. This includes on-campus resources as well as the greater Blacksburg area related to finances (thrift shop locations, deals at restaurants, student emergency loan program, etc.)
• Trained to assist other students in understanding federal student loan repayment plans and how to make payments, pulling credit reports, and other hands-on financial skills.
• Work with the Hokie Wellness marketing team to develop content and timeline for posting social media posts related to financial wellness.
• Enhance and expand current services

FAQs

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 we 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.

Are there other peer education programs at Virginia Tech?

• Yes, there are several other non-Hokie Wellness peer education programs listed at the bottom of the linked page.

How do I apply?

• Check back to this page and/or Hokie Wellness’ social media in early 2025 to see application updates!

If you have questions about the Financial Wellness Peer Education program, please contact FinancialWellness@vt.edu.