Join us as we talk to Personna about her strengths in the Finances & Employment Domain! Click here to download and listen.

Meet Personna H!!

Academic Degrees and Affiliations:

I attended The University of Michigan as a Blavin Scholar. This program provided me with a mentor and resources on campus for every office through on campus liaisons. The liaison in CAPS and Financial Aid were the most resources I had in college. They helped me navigate my whole college journey.

What you are studying? What is your anticipated degree?

I have a bachelors degree in psychology but I am now pursing my Masters in Health Education. This program will allow me to explore health issues that impact disadvantaged communities and to do outreach or teach the community how to be healthier overall.

I am also a part of a muticultural sorority that is founded on health, education and community building. We do volunteer work, outreach, and we also put on events that celebrate diversity.

Tell us about your strength in this domain related to your college experience...

While in college, I learned budgeting from my campus based program. They held workshops explaining financial aid and how to budget for school. This included managing income checks and refund checks for school. College can be very expensive so it is important to calculate your bills, set a budget and have a safety net in case of emergencies.

What do you think are the biggest obstacles in this domain?

I think the biggest obstacle is learning how to save for college and while your in college. College is such a hard thing to budget for because as a Freshman you don't know what to expect. I had to learn how to set aside money for unexpected expenses. I also had to learn how to take advantage of free resources on campus. Overall, when funds are tight students need to have quick ways to make extra cash. Students can have a work study job, work the polls for elections, do surveys on campus, and even have a part time job to make extra cash.

What do you think the most important resource is in this domain?

I think utilizing every resource on college campus is the most important thing to do as a student. Students can get jobs on campus, they can attend resume workshops, and budgeting classes. Everything is right at your fingertips. I know all of the jobs I have had have been due to my networking and making good impressions on people on campus. Finding a job or learning how to budget is all something the university can help students with. I would encourage all students to go to the events and offices on campus to get to know what they can offer.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

I want to continue to help students after graduation. I want to be a resource to help students who are just starting out. My work will be in health education. However, I will always be a volunteer for student success topics because I know being new student can be a difficult journey. I want to put on budgeting and financial aid workshops in the future to help students learn how to navigate the financial side of college better.

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