The Elon University Bateman Team hosted the Financial Friday Festival on March 4 outside Moseley Center, a culminating event for the group after a month of promoting financial literacy on the campus and in the community through its "Better Luck with Your Buck" public relations campaign.
As part of the Bateman Case Study Competition, four strategic communications students – Molly Cox, Alex Harrington, Annie Hellweg and Liz Moy – created the initiative “Better Luck with Your Buck” to share the importance of credit, budgeting and saving.
At Friday’s festival, the focus was more on sharing knowledge in a fun way, Cox said.
“Win Stuff” host Jay Light emceed the event, with musical performances by the student band Black and Blue. Twelve campus organizations took part in the festival, which included a competition around different financial challenges.
Senior Ashley Kieley attended the event and said she considers college the most important time to learn about financial literacy. “You’re not with your parents anymore and you have to think about how important spending and saving are once you are out of college,” she said. “This competition makes students think about it.”
Freshman Eric Dinkins said he doesn’t know many details concerning his own finances, a problem he thinks many college-aged students face.
“My parents know a lot more about it and handle it for me, generally, but I think it’s important stuff to know once you graduate and are on your own.”
The festival was not the first event hosted by Elon’s Bateman team. The team has held training sessions at the Allied Churches, Boys and Girls Club, Eastern High School, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Loaves and Fishes, May Memorial Library, Thataways Youth Center and on Elon’s campus. In addition to training sessions, the team has brought speakers to campus on financial literacy, hosted a financial trivia night at Fat Frogg and sponsored a banner competition for Greek Life.
The competition ends March 8.
“The students have been working very hard on this campaign and are gaining valuable experience,” said associate professor Frances Ward-Johnson, the adviser to Elon’s team. “They do not just simply draft a proposal but are required to research, plan, implement and evaluate an extensive public relations campaign.”
The Public Relations Student Society of America hosts the national Bateman competition each year. Ally Financial, an automotive financial services company, was this year’s client and asked students to improve financial education in their local communities.
– Written by Caitlin O’Donnell ‘13