Creating a strong financial foundation begins during college, according to financialfacts.org; however, where does one begin when dealing with financial matters? Powercat Financial Counseling could be the answer to this question, as well as many more concerning finances.
PFC offers advice to K-State students about budgeting, credit use, saving, investing, managing debt, identity theft and how to handle expenses during and after college. There are trained student counselors or professional advisors available for individual financial sessions.
“Powercat Financial Counseling has been an amazing experience,” said Andrew Witter, Peer Financial counselor and senior in finance. “It has been such a great experience to be able to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply that to help students struggling with finances. It’s shocking how little students have been exposed to finances before coming to college. Also, every employer I have talked to is extremely interested in PFC, and it’s all they want to talk about.”
PFC also offers educational presentations covering various financial topics, educational material on personal financial issues, useful financial links on its website and a Facebook page to help keep students up-to-date about upcoming events.
PFC was developed based on Matt Wagner’s platform for the 2007 Student Governing Association election, which involved forming a financial service for K-State students. Through the College of Human Ecology, a financial planning center was created.
Jodi Kaus, program manager of PFC, said, “It is exciting that students are the ones who said they wanted a center where they could get help with money questions and students are the ones who have helped create Powercat Financial Counseling and are providing the services to fellow students.”
Kaus has been the director of PFC since 2009. She said she has had many opportunities to see each student involved with the financial planning benefit from the services, including those providing the help.
“Peer financial counselors are benefiting at the same time by gaining real world experience in personal financial counseling. It’s a win-win-win for students in the area of managing their money,” Kaus said.
Any K-State student is eligible for a financial counseling appointment.
PFC does offer walk-in hours on Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m., but students can make appointments by calling the organization or going online and filling out an appointment request form. The PFC office is located on the ground floor of the K-State Student Union.
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