Extra Help to Financially Prepare for College

Kori Brown beamed as she walked across the stage to graduate May 21 from James S. Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Florida.

The added spring in the step of the four-year outside hitter for the Rickards Raiders girls volleyball team belies her excitement about starting a new life chapter at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama.

The mass communications student said she feels financially prepared, too, because of Regions’ first “Extra Credit: College Life Money Skills” event.

She joined participants across 15 states and a live audience at Regions’ Riverchase Operations Center for the hour-long primer offering tips on applying for college, student financial aid, budgeting, avoiding fraud and more.

“I’ve lived here in Tallahassee all my life so going to college in another state and being away from home for the first time, my main financial needs center around the basics,” Brown said.

We want to make sure we’re providing all the advice and guidance needed at crucial points in life—whether personal or part of an educational journey.
John Jordan, head of Retail at Regions

“I need gas for my car, insurance, food, contact lenses when my current supply runs out, and things like that,” she added. “The Extra Credit program gave me a lot of great ideas.”

Brown’s favorite Extra Credit event tip focused on savings and came from Angela Aaron, a Regions Financial Wellness Next Step^® program educator. The bank makes these and other no-cost Next Step financial wellness tools and resources available to anyone at www.regions.com/nextstep.

Introduced by John Jordan, head of Retail, Extra Credit also featured insights from: Christy Hudgens, regional recruiter for the University of Alabama; Kelly Savoie, director and assistant region head (South) with Sallie Mae; and Jeff Taylor, head of Commercial Fraud Forensics for Regions.

Missed the hour-long program? Watch the replay on Regions.com.

“We want to make sure we’re providing all the advice and guidance needed at crucial points in life—whether personal or part of an educational journey,” Jordan said.

Savings lesson

“The main thing I’ll take with me to Miles from Extra Credit is a savings plan,” Brown said. “I’m already using the 52-week savings challenge (they) shared and have started saving a certain amount each week.

“When I go out to eat, I’m also setting a specific budget and trying to stay under that number. Over time, I know it will add up. I loved how easy, digestible and interactive Regions makes this information.”

Increasing financial wellness

The morning of the Extra Credit event, Regions’ Tallahassee Market Executive and Branch Manager Felicia Richardson took Regions bankers Isaiah Tillman and Ayla Lemoine with her to Brown’s high school as part of the bank’s ongoing efforts to increase financial wellness.

Brown and about 100 other students in the school’s media centered learned about: Preparing a Savings and Spending Plan, Credit Reports and Scores and Fraud Targeting College Students Today. The experience prompted her to tune into Extra Credit to learn more.

At Osborne High School in Marietta, Georgia, the entire 16U Team Elite Hubbard Addidas 3SSB girls basketball team tuned into the Extra Credit webinar, as did many of their parents.

Official “team mom” Denise Holder was among those watching.

“As a parent of a high school student, I really appreciated the opportunity,” she said. “Hearing from Regions Bank and the panel of experts on topics like FAFSA, financial aid and fraud prevention was incredibly helpful as my daughter prepares for college.

“The session was fun, interactive, and full of valuable insights. Thank you to Regions for providing this platform and helping students feel more confident about their financial future.”

See also:

• Extra Credit: 4 Fraud Truths to Remember