University 101
We have maintained a long-standing partnership with the University of New Mexico (UNM) to help students succeed through their pursuit of a higher education. In support of this partnership, we developed several programs to help students understand and manage their finances, including micro-assistance, financial capability curriculum, financial workshops, on-campus banking, Wi-Fi access, and much more. Through these programs, we provide training to about 6,000 incoming freshmen annually.
One example is a program called University 101. Since 1993, this semester-long course has focused on incoming freshmen who experience traditional college retention issues, such as first-generation students, or students aging out of foster care. It’s designed to introduce college study skills, professor teaching styles, and other information that will help ease their transition into a post-secondary education.
Our custom-tailored portion of the University 101 curriculum and in-person presentations teach students study and time management skills, as well as financial capability training. We also provide UNM faculty with on-site training, comprehensive teacher manuals, learning module overviews, lesson plans, visual presentations, and student activity assignments.
In a three-year study, students enrolled in University 101 showed a higher level of success because of the additional support provided, meaning that this method of reaching students has a greater impact on retention and overall GPAs.