Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State is announcing a series of eight personal finance seminars scheduled on campus over the next nine months.
Titled "State Your Financial Future" and focused on the development of sound financial habits, the sessions are organized by the university's College of Business and Industry and its department of finance and economics.
The first presentation, "The Truth about Credit Cards," takes place Aug. 28.
"Our goal in this effort is to help individuals make better and more reasoned economic choices in their daily lives," said department head Paul Grimes.
While the primary audience includes students and other members of the university community, the once-a-month programs are "free and open to anyone needing to enhance their economic literacy," added the veteran economist who has taught at MSU since 1987.
All sessions get under way at 7:30 p.m. on a Thursday in the Taylor Auditorium of McCool Hall, home of the business college.
"The promotion of financial literacy is a primary goal of our college," said Dean Lynne Richardson. "We believe these seminars can be of major benefit to anyone who has to manage personal finances. Of course, that includes everyone."
In addition to the Aug. 28 inaugural program, the topic schedule includes:
--Sept. 25, "Student Loans";
--Oct. 23, "How Will the Presidential Election Affect Your Wallet?";
--Nov. 20, "Budgeting Your Income";
--Jan. 29, "Income Tax: Updates and Strategies";
--Feb. 26, "Financial Planning and Insurance";
--March 26, "The Real Estate Market"; and
--April 23, "Saving for Retirement."
Seminar speakers include a variety of financial specialists drawn from the college faculty, as well as from other regional educational and business institutions.
Grimes said the August program will feature Claire Loup, an education and financial education specialist with the New Orleans branch of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank.
"We are hopeful a large number of individuals in our target audiences will avail themselves of these opportunities," Grimes said of the seminars.
"Given the great uncertainties permeating the nation's current economic environment, it should be important that every citizen, no matter their age or station in life, understand how to effectively manage their personal finances and make the best choices in today's complex world."
For more information on the seminars, contact Grimes at 662-325-2341 or pgrimes@cobilan.msstate.edu; or Emily Keith Johnson at 662-325-9082 or ekeith@cobilan.msstate.edu.
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For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.