As part of Middle Tennessee State University‘s observance of the state’s Financial Literacy Week, national bestselling author Anthony O’Neal will be sharing his financial literacy program with both area high school and MTSU students in separate talks Wednesday, April 5, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. 

In a presentation titled “Mo’ Money, Less Problems: The Importance of Planning for Your Financial Future Now!”, O’Neal will speak to high school students around midday Wednesday while the MTSU event will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

O’Neal has helped over 250,000 people set out on a path toward a debt-free life with his book “Debt-Free Degree.” He’s reached over 15 million people in 15 different countries through his podcast “The Table” where he “always keeps it real, relevant and relatable.”

O’Neal went from being 19 years old and $35,000 in debt to a bestselling author, course creator, host, speaker and educator. Through his presentations, he takes his audience on a journey through their expenses and shows them how to make it work with their lifestyles, discipline spending habits and help build financial wealth. 

Stuart Fowler, finance professor and chair of the Department of Economics and Finance, said O’Neal’s visit and the week’s activities are designed to help students better navigate their present and future financial situations.

“Our plan is to promote awareness to our students about the importance of being financially literate. It’s extremely important in these days and times when students are possibly spending a lot to fund their educational dreams,” Fowler said. “The purpose of this is to give them the tools to make sound financial decisions … and position them when they graduate to be in a more financially stable situation.

“We feel like if they take (O’Neal’s) advice to heart, that our students will be in a better place to utilize their educations and to take off and have a great future.”

Activities began Monday, April 3, with speaker Jody Partin, director of employee financial wellness for the Morrow Group, followed by a Financial Data Analysis Workshop by finance professor Keith Gamble at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in Room S324 of the Business and Aerospace Building. Gamble will introduce an application “for quickly generating insights from financial data.”

“Financial Simulation—The Game of Life” is slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 6, in the gymnasium of the Campus Recreation Center. This hands-on event will provide students with perspective on how their future salary would match up with their monthly expenses.

Participating students will navigate through nine stations, coping with student loans, unexpected life events and various types of month expenses as they try to stay within their post-graduation budgets.

Also as part of the week, multiple $1,000 scholarships will be available to students who attend Financial Literacy Week events and submit a one- to two-minute video stating what they learned and how they will apply it in their lives. Students should email their scholarship video submission to Keith.Gamble@mtsu.edu by 5 p.m. Friday, April 7, to be eligible.

Tennessee’s Financial Literacy Week is designated annually by the Tennessee General Assembly. MTSU’s events are being presented in conjunction with the Jennings A. Jones College of Business and the Department of Economics and Finance with support from Ascend Federal Credit Union. O’Neal’s presentation is also part of the MT Alumni Spring Showcase.

An MTSU parking map is available at https://bit.ly/MTSUParking. Off-campus visitors can get a one-day permit at https://mtsu.edu/parking/visit.php or from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation at 205 City View Drive. Free parking is available in the Rutherford Boulevard lot with shuttle service into the campus interior.

For more information, email Stuart.Fowler@mtsu.edu or visit www.mtsu.edu/econfin/tnfinlitweek.php.