STCC receives grant for financial literacy

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College received a grant from Guardian Life Insurance Company to support a free personal finance course for students and help students who complete the course to pay off debt to the college.

The grant also supports the hiring of a new financial literacy coordinator, Brendon Pohner, of Westfield, who will coach students to make smart financial choices.

Through the grant, STCC offers a free three-credit course to students called BUS-105 - Introduction to Personal Finance. Students learn foundations of financial planning and how to identify and evaluate choices and understand the consequences of their decisions. Once they complete the course, they can pay off any debt owed to the college, up to $1,000.

Pohner said he will be available for one-on-one counseling to help students with personal financial problems. He will coordinate workshops for students and the general Springfield community that address a range of financial literacy topics, from credit and debt management to creating a budget and investing.

Additionally, he will work with agencies such as the Valley Opportunity Council on community college affordability and help incoming students apply for financial aid.

The Guardian grant will make a meaningful difference for our students who may be struggling financially as they pursue their degree at STCC. Richard Greco, Dean, School of Liberal Arts, Professional Studies

“Some students might not go to college because they have trouble getting financial aid,” Pohner said. “In many cases, they can get the aid. They just need someone to help them through the process.”

While STCC is the most affordable college in Springfield, nearly 80 percent of STCC students receive some form of financial aid.

Richard Greco, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at STCC, said he was thrilled to receive the grant.

“The Guardian grant will make a meaningful difference for our students who may be struggling financially as they pursue their degree at STCC,” Greco said. “This program is a win for our students and the community, who can take advantage of the financial literacy workshops facilitated by our new financial literacy coordinator, Brendon Pohner.”

Pohner, who started in the position Dec. 16, came to STCC from Educational Opportunity Center at the Valley Opportunity Council. In his previous position, he visited STCC once a week to assist students through the financial aid process.

Pohner, who grew up in Agawam, earned a master’s degree in education from American International College in Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in English from Wheaton College in Norton.

If you have questions, please call Brendon Pohner at (413) 755-4455 or email bxpohner@stcc.edu.

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, liberal arts, and STEM fields continue to provide the most affordable options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of about 7,000 day, evening, weekend, and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.

For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@S_T_C_C) and Instagram (@stccpics).

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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