Zoom Workshops Help Students Keep Their Financial Lives Healthy

Pitt-Greensburg and Pitt-Johnstown are partnering to provide a series of free Financial Wellness workshops designed to help students understand everything from credit scores to investing.

The workshops are being held via Zoom throughout February. Here’s the schedule: 

• Understanding Credit and Credit Reports: Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
• Intro to Credit Cards: Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
• Basics of Investing/Investing in the Digital Age: Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

B.J. Sarneso, assistant director of Pitt-Greensburg’s Financial Aid office, said many students can benefit from the workshops. 

“Often times, students will simply leave all of the details to the parents and not really be an active participant in the process. If a student had a better grasp of the kind of aid they receive, where that funding comes from, and what may be required of them to maintain that aid, it would make them a better consumer of the aid.”

Sarneso does admit that not every student will benefit.

“To be honest, it may not be important for EVERY student to attend these or similar programs.  Some families have been through the financial aid process before and have a solid understanding of what is required.  But in other cases, these are new concepts and with them, new rules and conditions.”

These workshops are not the only way for students to learn more about their financial options. Pitt also has a resource called Pitt Fund$ Me where students can discover scholarships by filling out a questionnaire.

“These programs are just one additional option open to us to try and engage with students and their families as they engage with the financial aid process.  Any connection point is useful because it gives them a chance to ask questions and we can then try to explain the reasons behind their particular answers. “
For more information, or to register for the workshops, go to University of Pittsburgh Events Calendar