(Left) Jouri Thornton, Artaevian Epps, (Middle) Latonya Jones (Coordinator of Financial Literacy), (Right) Ava Anderson, and Jabari Johnson
Itta Bena, MS – In a significant step toward empowering students with essential financial skills, Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) has joined the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development (SFEPD) Student Ambassador Program. This initiative, which MVSU officially became a part of in August 2024, is dedicated to enhancing financial literacy among college students, particularly at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and empowering them to take control of their financial future.
Launched in 2017, the SFEPD Student Ambassador Program is designed to assist first-generation students in managing their finances more effectively and building wealth. The program, which operates at 35 colleges and universities nationwide, equips selected student ambassadors with the knowledge and tools to educate their peers on critical financial concepts.
LaTonya Jones, Coordinator of Financial Literacy at MVSU, expressed her enthusiasm for the university's new collaboration with SFEPD. "I am excited that MVSU is among the HBCUs hosting SFEPD's financial literacy program on our campus," said Jones. This program will help young adults learn to manage their finances wisely, make smart financial decisions, and plan for a healthy financial future. Additionally, the program encourages financially savvy college students to share what they learn with their family, friends, and community after graduation."
Under Jones's guidance, who will serve as the Oversight Professor for the MVSU cohort, the university has appointed four Student Ambassadors: Jouri Thornton, a Junior Business and Accounting major from Jackson, MS; Jabari Johnson, a Junior Business major from Greenwood, MS; Artaevian Epps, a Senior Business and Accounting major from Barnett, TN; and Ava Anderson, a Sophomore Accounting major from Cordova, TN. As representatives of MVSU, these students will play a pivotal role in the SFEPD Student Ambassador Program, sharing their knowledge and experiences with their peers from various other HBCUs, thereby demonstrating the crucial role of the Student Ambassadors in the program.
The Student Ambassador Program's structure is built on a peer-to-peer learning model. Ambassadors receive extensive training in personal finance concepts and are supported by HBCU business school professors and SFEPD financial educators. This training prepares them to lead and teach their fellow students through engaging classes and workshops. The ambassadors also play a crucial role in coordinating educational events and creating programs focusing on vital financial topics such as saving, investing, banking, budgeting, credit, debt management, and financial goal-setting.
The overarching goals of the SFEPD Student Ambassador Program include embedding financial literacy into college education through peer education, expanding SFEPD's impact and brand, and establishing lasting financial literacy programs at HBCUs. Additionally, the program aims to empower students to make informed financial decisions, increase retention and graduation rates, reduce student loan defaults, and positively influence community financial behaviors.
As MVSU embarks on this exciting new journey, the university and its Student Ambassadors are poised to significantly impact the financial well-being of their peers and the broader community.