Campaign Programming for Uniting Hearts: Paving the way to Financial Freedom

November 10 - 18, 2021

Campaign Overview: In an effort to to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy for first generation college students, undergraduate students in Dr. Mark Congdon Jr.’s Advertising & PR Writing and Advertising & PR Campaigns courses at Sacred Heart University (SHU) and students in Dr. Robert Chatt’s Financial Management course at Westfield State University (WSU), plus graduate students in the strategic communication and public relations (SCPR) program, are collaborating on a multi-institutional public awareness campaign under the School of Communication, Media and the Arts’ (SCMA) recently launched Uniting Hearts initiative.The campaign, “Uniting Hearts: Paving the way to Financial Freedom'' occurring November 10th-18th, 2021, directs initiatives to foster dialogue about how to become financially responsible, and encourage putting those ideas into action. The events are broken down into three categories: educate, motivate and participate. The goal is to bring communities together, examine what are financially responsible behaviors, challenge systemic classism, racism, and sexism embedded in our society that contribute to financial illiteracy, and acknowledge the need for individual and collective change. For more information on the Campaign and the events, visit SHU’s Pioneer Planner calendar, follow the SHU Multicultural Center on Instagram, SHU Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter on Instagram and LinkedIn, SHU’s Office of Volunteer Programming & Service Learning on Instagram, and SCMA on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Paving the way to Financial Freedom campaign is part of SCMA’s newly launched community engagement initiative started by Dr. Mark Congdon Jr., called Uniting Hearts, geared towards service-learning courses in the undergraduate Strategic Communication, Public Relations, and Advertising (SCPRA) major. Starting in the spring 2021 semester, SCMA launched the Uniting Hearts initiative via a public awareness campaign promoting the importance of allyship and how to be an effective ally. The Uniting Hearts initiative provides students across certain SCPRA courses opportunities to collaborate with on-and-off campus community partners around different social justice issues each semester and unite in working to address the defined issue through educating, motivating, and encouraging action. The Uniting Hearts initiative centers relational and strategic communication as vehicles for positive social and community change.

Fall 2021 Campaign Community Partners: SHU’s Multicultural Center, SHU’s PRSSA chapter, SHU’s Office of Volunteer Programming & Service Learning (VP&SL), SHU’s Office of Graduate Student Affiars, SHU’s MBA Program, WSU’s TRIO Support Services Program, and The Hord Foundation

Fall 2021 Campaign Coordinated by: SCPR Graduate Students & SCMA Undergraduate Students in Dr. Mark Congdon Jr.’s CM 227: Advertising & PR Writing and CM 356: Advertising & PR Campaigns courses at SHU and students in Dr. Robert Chatt’s Financial Management course at WSU

Financial Literacy Campaign Events: November 10-18, 2021

• Wednesday, November 10th at 1pm: Wisdom Wednesday 

• Engage in conversation and advice around topics related to DEI, financial literacy, and student-experiences at SHU
• Moderated by: Robert Johnson, Director of Multicultural Affairs
• Location: SHU’s Multicultural Center, Academic Center HC111
• Event Sponsored by: Multicultural Center

• Wednesday, November 10th at 7pm: Food For Thought: A Cultural Kickback and Discussion on Food Insecurity and Food Budgeting

• Join our Food for Thought event, as we examine how food insecurity impacts college students, how students can buy food on a budget, and learn how to cook delicious cultural recipes
• Event Sponsored By: Multicultural Center, Chartwell, SHU PRSSA, SCMA  
• Location: SHU’s campus at Thea’s Abbey and also live-streamed on SHU’s Multicultural Center’s Instagram

• Thursday, November 11th at 8pm: The Bankers: Watch Party & Discussion

• Join our educational discussion as we watch the movie The Bankers and discuss the film as it relates to institutionalized racism within the American financial system  
• Location: SHU’s campus in Maritre Building, room W114
• Moderated by: CM 356 students
• Event sponsored by: SHU PRSSA, Multicultural Center, Campus Ministry, ResLife, MBA Program, & WSU’s TRIO Support Services Program

• Monday, November 15th @ 7pm: Virtual Panel The Domino Effect Examining the $1.7 Trillion Student Loan Crisis

• Join our virtual panel discussion that examines the U.S. student loan crisis  and how it impacts students from historically marginalized groups (i.e., first generation, low-income, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, dis/ability, etc.). Panelists will also discuss tips and resources available to students that they can take advantage of to help them manage their student loans.
• Location : Zoom

1. Zoom Link info: https://bit.ly/StudentLoanPanel; Meeting ID: 96932322336 ; Passcode: 412016

• Panelists:

1. Dr. Robert Chatt, Assistant Professor of Finance, Westfield State University
2. Dr. Ross Riskin, Associate Professor of Taxation and the Director of the CFP and ChFC Education Programs, The American College of Financial Services
3. Christian Sherrill, Director - Partnerships & Advocacy, Next Gen Personal Finance
4. Miranda R. Velez, Associate Director of Student Financial Assistance, Sacred Heart University

• Event Sponsored by: Multicultural Center, SHU PRSSA, SCMA, SHU’s MBA Program, The Spectrum Newspaper, WSU TRIO, & The Hord Foundation

• Wednesday, November 17th at 1pm: Wisdom Wednesday 

• Engage in conversation and advice around topics related to DEI, financial literacy, and student-experiences at SHU
• Moderated by: Robert Johnson, Director of Multicultural Affairs
• Location: SHU’s Multicultural Center, Academic Center HC111
• Event Sponsored by: Multicultural Center

• Wednesday, November 17, at 8pm: Saving Capitalism: Watch Party & Discussion

• Join our educational discussion as we watch the documentary Saving Capitalism and discuss the documentary as it relates to how our economic and financial systems may be more equitable
• Location: Hybrid - On SHU’s campus in Martire Building, room W120 and on Zoom

1. Join the Zoom Watch Party Discussion of Saving Capitalism

1. Zoom Link info: https://bit.ly/Zoom-SavingCapitalism; Meeting ID: 99048175027; Passcode: 909210

• Moderated by: CM 356 students
• Event sponsored by: SHU PRSSA, Multicultural Center, Campus Ministry, ResLife, MBA Program, and Westfield State University’s TRIO Support Services Program

• Thursday, November 18, at 8pm: Financial Literacy Trivia Night

• Join our fun night of virtual trivia to test your knowledge of financial literacy topics to help you gain financial freedom!
• Prizes Awarded!!!!
• Location : Zoom

1. Zoom Link info: https://bit.ly/FinancialLiteracyTrivia; Meeting ID: 92220779555; Passcode: 273940

• Event sponsored by: SHU PRSSA, Multicultural Center, SCMA, SHU’s MBA Program, SHU’s Office of Volunteer Programming & Service Learning, WSU’s TRIO Support Services Program, & The Hord Foundation