Alcorn State University’s (ASU) Student Engagement collaborated with Mississippi State University’s (MSU) Extension Program to host “The Real World” teaching financial literacy in the Campus Ballroom on February 4th from 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm.
Instead of a traditional lecture, students were able to visit different tables that had common expenses displayed, such as groceries, a phone bill, insurance and more. Students were given random careers with different educational levels and factors such as children along with a monthly budget to pay bills and track their expenses. There was also a station that had side jobs for students to pick up in the event that they run out of money.
“This is a hands-on activity that teaches students to balance the money that they have and use a checkbook register,” says Casnacita Gray, County Coordinator and Extension Agent at MSU. “Financial literacy is so important in the likes of young people, and they need to have the basic fundamentals when they graduate from college.”
Attendees were required to dress business casual for the event. Students that completed the program received a certificate of completion and community service hours.
