Financial literacy peer educators from UH Manoa receive national recognition

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Stacy Miyashiro, (808) 956-6572
Program Coordinator, Financial Literacy Program
Posted: Dec 8, 2016

From left, Allysen Manding, Arlene Colis, Paula Mao-Tamasese and team captain Cautchy Bailly.
From left, Allysen Manding, Arlene Colis, Paula Mao-Tamasese and team captain Cautchy Bailly.

A team of undergraduate students from the UH Mānoa Financial Literacy Program placed second at the national 2016 AFCPE Financial Counseling Knowledge Bowl held recently in Louisville, Kentucky. 

AFCPE, the acronym for the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, is a nonprofit, professional organization dedicated to educating, training and certifying financial counselors and educators. Its annual Financial Counseling Knowledge Bowl is held to promote the field of financial counseling and education by empowering people to achieve lasting financial well-being.

The four UH Mānoa team members were Arlene Colis, Allysen Manding, Paula Mao-Tamasese and team captain Cautchy Bailly.  They competed against other teams in a gameshow-style competition by answering questions similar to those on the Association for Financial Counseling exam.

“To have actually placed second was overwhelming for all of us," said Mao-Tamasese. "I am proud to be one of the students chosen to represent our university's Financial Literacy Program in nationwide competition.”

Other teams in the final round of competition at the Financial Counseling Knowledge Bowl represented Utah Valley University, University of Utah, Kansas State University and Texas Tech.

The UH Mānoa Financial Literacy Program began in 2006 with the research findings from a 2005 assessment of student financial interests and preferred methods of delivery that led to having student peer educators teaching incoming students about financial literacy at New Student Orientation (NSO). The program has since expanded its presentations from NSO to other campus programs as well as sponsoring events including the annual UH Saves Day.

The Financial Literacy Program has been part of the Office of the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education since 2011. UH Mānoa staff member Stacy Miyashiro serves as program coordinator.

For more information, visit: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/finlit/