The Point Loma Nazarene University Finance Investment Society collaborated with the Women In Business club (WIB) to hold a “Bouquets and Budgeting” event in the Fermanian Conference Center from 7-8 p.m. on Feb. 18.
As the event started, students were given a variety of flowers, newspapers and ties to create a bouquet. Tables were set up for bouquet-making, and snacks such as bottled water, popcorn, Starbursts and Skittles were offered for students to enjoy. The atmosphere was lively and energetic as students worked on their bouquets and chatted with one another.
After a few minutes, Leah Boles, a second-year business management major and president of WIB, made a few quick announcements. Afterward, she introduced the main speaker, Jalyn Lupo, a financial advisor at Westpac Wealth Partners Firm.
Lupo covered a variety of topics surrounding the idea of how to build wealth and make smart financial decisions. She stressed the importance of investing early in life and how that sets someone up for financial success in the future. She integrated three main ideas into her talk: savings plans, retirement and investing. The common theme throughout her speech was the importance of being in charge of your financial future, and how crucial it is to start immediately.
According to Avery Hsu, a second-year finance major and president of the Finance Investment Society, the inspiration for “Bouquets and Budgeting” was Valentine’s Day.
“With the holiday being the face of February, we thought floral arrangements would be a unique way to get people’s attention,” Hsu said.
She also said she wanted to showcase the club to women on campus to gather new members. The collaboration with WIB posed an opportunity to widen the scope of Finance Investment Society members and engage membership for both clubs.
Hsu’s hopes for the event were that students had a good time and wanted to continue attending future club events. She also hoped students could take away key pieces of valuable advice and gain empowerment.
“Although it is never too late to start something, it is so necessary for students to understand what financial habits will ultimately allow them to achieve their goals,” Hsu said. “As any finance professor will say, your biggest asset is your youth because the value of time is in your hands. Let compound interest work for you and build your empire now.”
Hsu said that having an understanding of what works in college is essential before students enter the real world. Issues of budgeting are present in many aspects of a person’s everyday life, and it’s essential to have a good understanding of one’s finances, she said.
“I don’t think I could even count the amount of times finances get brought up in conversations at this stage of life,” Hsu said. “Whether it is your friend saying they can’t go to dinner because they need to save, or your bank asking how you are going to make your car payments this year, learning about your budget honestly shapes your whole life.”
According to Boles, the vision of her newly formed club is to provide a setting where students can gain empowerment through areas like mentorship, professional development and networking.
“By bringing in guest speakers, hosting fun events and hosting workshops, we aim to give students, not just female business students, an opportunity to get to know one another and learn from other strong female business leaders,” Boles said. “We’re hoping to give the students the opportunity to network with each other and professionals who are already out in the business world.”
Boles said it is important to have women within the business world. She said it is essential because the empowerment of women in business careers allows companies to gain diverse ideas and perspectives.
Boles said the goal of “Bouquets and Budgeting” was to get students engaged with the Finance Investment Society.
“We’re hoping that students can learn how to budget and manage their finances along with learning about the finance club,” she said. “We also hope students have a better understanding of how to succeed financially.”
Ava Morrow, a first-year accounting major who attended the event, said she has had a desire to gain a deeper understanding of investing and that Lupo’s talk was useful.
“She gave a really good plan and she made it seem very achievable to get your foot in the door,” Morrow said. “Because, as she says, [finances] are not just a boy thing – women can do it too, and I thought the same thing.”
Tessa Balc