Thanks to a five-year federal Title V grant Guttman received in 2021, Project Adelante’s third arm of programming recently rolled out on 3/10 with the energy and expertise of nationally recognized millennial money expert Tonya Rapley. Gaining the money management tools and strategies from Rapley’s award-winning site, My Fab Finance, students learned about the psychology behind spending and how to tackle college costs. The workshop is followed by a multi-week virtual “Empowered Financial Futures” course, wherein students gain in-depth coaching to elevate their financial planning skills, develop smart digital budgets and build greater understanding of credit, debt, loans and interest rates.
In April, the financial educator is teaming up with Guttman’s Connect Center and student organizations United Men of Color and Women of GRIT to offer additional workshops on real-life “Savvy Spending” and “Finance 101” to grow students’ long-term financial confidence.
“I’m so proud to partner with CUNY-Guttman to launch the Empowered Futures Financial Literacy Certificate Program,” said Rapley. “College students often make real-life financial decisions like taking on debt, opening credit cards, or managing refund checks—with little formal knowledge to guide them. This program is designed to bridge that gap, giving students practical, relatable tools they can apply today and tomorrow to build healthy financial habits that support their long-term goals.”
Errol Olton, who serves as director of learning innovation with the College’s Office of Academic Affairs and is also a workforce strategist and organizational development consultant, is enthusiastic about bringing forward the financial literacy component of the Title V Adelante grant. The first two implementation phases of the grant equip students to garner knowledge and experience to transfer to a four-year institution and prepare them to enter a career of their choice. Fortifying Guttman’s student transfer success outcomes and expanding the College’s career and workforce learning, the grant has helped to infuse National Association of Colleges and Employers competencies throughout the curriculum and increase Guttman’s ability to serve more students with its personnel and programs.
“We’re really excited to introduce Tonya’s dynamic, engaging approach to money management,” said Olton. “All Guttman students can take advantage of this opportunity and earn a certificate of completion demonstrating the financial literacy skills they learn. We’re offering the free ‘Empowered Financial Futures’ course again during the month of May in a hybrid mode, followed by an all-campus event on June 2 to strengthen students’ ability to move forward with an informed money mindset.”
