This article, written by Christy Selagy, was published in UDaily. It is reprinted with permission.
In the world of business, change is the only constant. To prepare students to excel in this dynamic environment, the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics is partnering with the Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation to establish a new, state-of-the-art Financial Planning Center.
Thanks to Charles Schwab’s multi-year commitment, the Center will create opportunities for UD students to receive peer-to-peer financial coaching from upperclassmen majoring in financial planning. Advisees will learn strategies that can set them up for long-term financial success, while their peer advisors will gain relevant hands-on experience for their future careers in financial services.
Through these efforts, UD and Charles Schwab are aiming to advance their shared goal of training the next generation of financial services leaders.
“We are honored to partner with UD’s Lerner College to launch the Financial Planning Center,” said Jon Beatty, head of Schwab Advisor Services. “We see this Center as a way to create meaningful opportunities for students while also forging a talent pipeline for our industry. We’re excited to work with UD to bring this vision to life.”
Lerner College faculty share in this excitement.
“The impact the Center will have on our students can’t be overestimated,” said Richard Jakotowicz, associate instructor of finance and director of the financial planning and wealth management program. “Working in this industry requires exceptional interpersonal skills, and the only way to hone those is by working with clients. By coaching their peers, our financial planning students will get important hands-on experience that gives them a head start when they enter the workforce.”
Located in the FinTech Innovation Hub on UD’s STAR campus, the Center will open its doors in fall 2025. By the end of the semester, Blue Hens will be able to make an appointment with a senior financial planning major for coaching on financial topics like repaying student loan debt; investing in a 401k; healthcare, life and disability insurance; and budgeting.
“Experiential learning through strong industry partnerships is a vital part of our mission to prepare students to succeed in their careers,” said Oliver Yao, dean of the Lerner College. “As one of the largest financial services companies in the country, Charles Schwab is perfectly poised to help our Blue Hens explore the nuances of working in financial planning.”
For more information, please contact Angelica Howard, Sr. Director of Development, at ayhoward@udel.edu or 302-831-3816.