A new community partnership will help ensure the continuation of a program offering peer-to-peer financial coaching for West Texas A&M University students.

Education Credit Union has made a significant donation to WT’s Student Success Center to support what is now known as the Education Credit Union Buff $mart Program.

The program helps students improve their understanding of financial literacy and empowers them to make informed choices to improve their financial well-being.

“I have had the privilege of working with ECU since we started the program back in 2017,” Buff $mart coordinator Meghan Williams said. “They have been great to work with, whether it was helping train our team or coming to give financial presentations to students. This gift will further help provide financial education to students so they can graduate without owing a fortune and become financially independent.”

Buff $mart is a good fit for the Education Credit Union, said Eric Jenkins, president and CEO of Education Credit Union.

“We are so honored to partner with WT to enhance students’ ability to achieve financial success through the Education Credit Union Buff $mart Program,” Jenkins said. “Students are receiving a remarkable education that will lead them to careers of their choice, but if they make poor financial decisions, their futures can be negatively impacted for years. Our goal is to equip them with the essential life skill of managing their finances.”

Buff $mart offers:

One-on-one coaching sessions with trained peer financial coaches via webinar or in person;
Classroom and organizational presentations on money management, budgeting, planning to pay for college and more; and
Outreach programs and money management workshops on credit cards, credit scores, identity theft, budgeting and more

Partnering with community entities throughout the region is a key tenet of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

-West Texas A&M University