The University of Colorado System is comprised of four campuses: Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Anschutz Medical. The University of Colorado is augmented its existing programs with innovative multimedia approaches to engage graduate and undergraduate students.

Project plan and activities:

Overall, the University of Colorado System created targeted communications to individual students that better inform them of their current debt load, estimated loan repayment amounts, and repayment options, as well as augment campuses’ initiatives by software and communications support, particularly with the design and production of financial education game(s) for mobile devices.

Every campus promoted the Financial Awareness Counseling that is provided by StudentLoans.gov; focused on increasing an understanding of loans; partnered with the credit unions with which the campuses have relationships to present timely and effective topics; helped students with credit, budgeting, financing a career, privacy protection, identity theft, and applying for financial aid and scholarships; and educated international students with and introduction to money and banking in the US.

Campus-specific plans include:

Anschutz Medical/Denver Campuses used several media outlets and campus programs (such as the First Year Seminar, Lynx Center, TRiO Program, CU Peer Advocate Program, CU Career Center, CU Experiential Learning Center, and Office of Student Life) in the project to:

• Create new financial literacy content on topics such as credit and budgeting, financing a career, applying for financial aid and scholarships, understanding taxes for students, privacy protection and identity theft, and introduction to money and banking in the US for international students
• Expand “Money Matter$”
• Partner with student groups in innovative ways to engage students

More information on the project can be found here.

The Boulder campus partnered with several student organizations including Greek Life, Student Government Finance Board, Hall Councils, New Student Orientation, among others, to:

• Incorporate extensive materials including CGS developed programs, websites, calculators, surveys, and data into Education Cents program
• Develop a mobile application for student financial education to focus on money management, financing a degree, return on investment, long-term planning and troubleshooting, and excessive debt prevention

More information on the project can be found here.

The Colorado Springs Campus involved the Graduate School, Career Center, Multicultural Office for Student Access, Inclusiveness and Community, and the Office of Financial aid, Student Employment, and Scholarships to:

• Create a financial education website which will incorporate existing content from various websites
• Integrate materials and financial awareness into existing counseling processes        

More information on the project can be found here.