Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC), a proud partner with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, will bring debt experts to campus for a Financial Sustainability Conference during Money Smart Week in Indiana. The Conference, which will begin at 9 a.m. on Oct. 13, will be held in the Hayes Auditorium in SMWC’s Hulman Hall. It is free and open to the public.

An education is an investment that is often financed with scholarships, grants, loans, and credit cards. According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, “two out of three college students graduate with debt and the average borrower who graduates from a public college owes $17,250 from student loans,” and a survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers indicates that “the number of college graduates with at least $40,000 in student loan debt has increased 10-fold in the past decade.”

Money Smart Week (MSW) is a series of free classes and activities designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances, and for the second year in a row,  SMWC is taking advantage of the week to give students the tools they need to make the most out of their educational investment.

“Your education is the most important investment you make in your lifetime,” said Jamie McCracken, SMWC assistant professor of business. “If you begin your educational journey prepared you will know your options and realize what you have to do to maximize that investment.”

The Financial Sustainability Conference at SMWC will begin at 9 a.m. on Oct. 13 with a keynote address from Erin Alsman Robertson, a 2000 graduate of SMWC, who will discuss establishing and reestablishing credit in today's society. At 10 a.m., Karla Bensinger of Old National Bank will share a checking and savings account options for college students. Old National Bank will also have MoneyCube demonstrations.

At 10:25 a.m., Ron Moore, adjunct professor at SMWC, will talk about money management issues emerging from the field of behavioral economics. At 11 a.m., the Attorney General's office will present information including tips on how to avoid identity theft. At 11:30 a.m., Jackie Fischer from the SMWC Career Development Center will explain searching for a job with a discussion called “Inside the Career Center - Job Hunting Tips in Today's Economic Climate.” At noon, the SMWC Financial Aid office will share on student borrowing trends and snapshots of the financial aid office.

At 12:25 p.m., ISU Credit Union will discuss tips from the VP of lending. At 1:25 p.m., D. J. Wasmer, director of the Master of Leadership Development program at SMWC, Frank Whittle, SMWC professor of business, and Darrel Gosse, SMWC visiting professor, will present a discussion entitled “The Current Economy - Dialogue with the Gurus.” The day will conclude with a student panel on money issues.

“College students need to see what is out there after graduation,” McCracken said. “It's not all just about being able to say they're now an adult. It's responsibilities, bills, families, and a very competitive job marketplace. That just begins to skim the surface of what being an adult in today's society is really about.”

McCracken said the Financial Sustainability Conference is designed for college students and high school juniors and seniors who are thinking about college, but the sessions include important information that would be beneficial to all.

“Anyone attending the event will come away with something valuable to them, whether its advice on financing your education, finding a job after college, establishing or reestablishing credit, or having a better understanding of the current economy, to name a few,” McCracken said.

This event at SMWC is sponsored in part by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and its Detroit Branch as part of Money Smart Week (MSW) Indiana, which is designated for October 10–17. More than 75 events are going on throughout Indiana during this week to help support financial literacy.

For more information about Money Smart Week Indiana, please visit the FRB's website, http://www.chicagofed.org/education/msw/in_index.cfm. For more information about the Financial Sustainability Conference at SMWC, visit http://www.smwc.edu/moneysmart or contact Dr. Jennie Mitchell at jmitchell@smwc.edu, Jim Tanoos at jtanoos@smwc.edu, or Jamie McCracken at jmccracken@smwc.edu or 812-535-5260.