Visa's Practical Money Management Skills honors Grimes

Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 16:49

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Rachel Grimes, assistant director of outreach for the Student Money Management Center at the University of North Texas, has been named the Innovative Educator of the Month for August 2014 by Visa's Practical Money Management Skills for Life website. An article featuring Grimes is featured in the August Practical Money Skills email newsletter sent to more than 88,000 subscribers. This recognition is given to educators that have found a new way to help children or adults gain financial literacy skills.

"My goal is to make financial concepts interesting and exciting for students so that they want to stay involved in their finances," Grimes said. "At UNT, we are always working as a team to find out how to make our programs more interesting, by thinking about how we can innovate our programs so that we can provide resources that students will actually use."

Grimes manages all of the outreach activities and personal coaching programs at UNT's Student Money Management Center. She gives presentations to students, classes, student organizations and other programs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Grimes helped develop a six-week course called Financial Intelligence Training, or FIT, that helps students develop positive lifelong financial behaviors. This fall's FIT program will start Sept. 9 and is open to UNT students, staff, faculty and alumni. A new four-week course will be held for freshmen starting Oct. 7.

"The most rewarding aspect of my job is just being able to help students pick the resources or financial option that works best for them," Grimes said. "I love to teach, and it's rewarding to run into former students on campus who give me ideas for other financial apps or websites that worked really well for them that I can share in my classes."

UNT was one of the first universities to have a financial education initiative and has become an example for other universities. In 2013, a professional organization, the Texas Association of Collegiate Financial Education Professionals, was started for financial educators in colleges and universities. Grimes was named one of the inaugural directors of the statewide association.

"Financial literacy education is becoming more and more common because college is such a significant financial investment for many students and families," Grimes said. "I am proud that UNT has established and continues to strongly support our center as a resource for all students. We are often contacted by other universities exploring the potential financial literacy services that can be offered to students. We want people to come look at our program and spread our ideas to other campuses."

Throughout the year the UNT Student Money Management Center offers student workshops, personal coaching sessions, emergency loan programs, and online resources on a wide range of money management topics, such as car buying, taxes, credit cards, college and living expenses, student loan repayment strategies, relationships and money and more.

For more information on the UNT Student Money Management Center and its offerings, visit the Student Money Management Center website or call 940-369-7761.

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