Students who write for the College Connect blog describe their own experiences handling and managing money and credit. Blog topics include family financial crises, working while going to school, financial aid, managing debt and more.
The blog writers attend Arizona State University, the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
This personal finance blog project is funded by Denver-based National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).
Fall 2019
Workplace navigation for the professionally inexperienced
by Samuel Leal
The pursuit of legally taxable income has taken me to some interesting places. Just after my high school graduation, for example, I had thought proving myself in the real world meant getting a job in the deli department of a nearby grocery store – but quit after a while because the free chicken wings no longer seemed to make that particular job worthwhile overall.
Technology investment awakening
by Hailey Mensik
Growing up, I hated when people asked me what my dad did. He was a technology salesman, working for companies like IBM, and it was boring to explain and even worse to watch people have to listen. His jobs were always stable and offered good healthcare. Commissions made some years better or worse, but didn’t force us to drain our savings – until two years ago.
How I got my financial life together
by Andy Blye
When I was in the Peace Corps I lived in a very rural village and did not have access to the internet. I served in an African nation called Zambia and I lived 80 miles away from paved roads and grid electricity. To avoid boredom way out there in the bush, I would download podcasts on my phone when I went to town and bring them back to the village with me.
Spring 2019
Planning for Study Abroad: How to finance your semester BEFORE you get there
By Mimi Wright
If there is one piece of advice that I would give to any college student, it would be this: study abroad. The experiences, connections and sights you see are priceless. But unfortunately, the trip is not. Studying abroad is a hefty financial undertaking. It can be extremely overwhelming when you are faced with the program fee, because I know I was. A helpful tip: PLAN AHEAD.
College Connect Spring 2019: How to travel cheaply while studying abroad
By Chloe Thornberry
Arriving in the country that’s you’ve chosen to do your study abroad is a thrill. But it’s just the start – now that you’ve taken this big leap, you might as well see as much of the world as possible. If there are alarms going off in your head telling you that sounds off-the-wall expensive, take a breath. There are ways to travel abroad without breaking the bank.
College Connect Spring 2019: Learning about financial aid, right from the source!
By Sydney Calhoun
Who would have thought that a journalism major would be working in a university financial aid office, but I’m glad I do! In today’s world of student loans and repayment plans, life can get the best of your wallet. After all, two-thirds of students at public universities like mine have student loans.