Smart About Money at UMass Amherst

At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, there are many resources to support student success. UMass Smart About Money, or SAM, is a peer-to-peer financial wellness program hosted in the Student Success Office, and designed to help students make informed decisions about their finances. I personally work on the SAM team, and I want to tell you all about what they have to offer!

SAM Services

For the fall 2021 semester, SAM offers virtual and in-person office hours with peer financial coaches. These coaching sessions assist students in taking charge of their personal finances, learning about financial literacy, and achieving their goals. It’s important to note that no set goal is necessary to meet with a peer financial coach, as they understand that talking about finances can be confusing. They are here to help educate UMass Amherst students on banking, budgeting, credit, intro to investing, student loan management, and so much more!

Students schedule a coaching session with a peer financial coach through Navigate (the student success system at UMass Amherst), or visit the peer financial coaches during their drop-in hours at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library Learning Commons from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. every Thursday!

Other SAM services include educational outreach through class presentations, workshops, and signature events such as Family Feud during Family Weekend, and Cash Cab in the spring. Incoming or new first-year students can also get involved with SAM by participating in the three-day Power Up course, or by winning prizes at UFest during Fall New Student Orientation.

Representatives for SAM at the University of Massachusetts with a game show wheel and with a screen reading Family Feud, and text reading: Campus Partnerships, The SAM team has partnerships with the Dean of Students Office, UMass Financial Aid Office, UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, Student Legal Services, the International Programs Office, the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success, and the Off-Campus Student Life Office

Campus Partnerships

One thing I really love about working for SAM is the relationships the team builds with different campus partners, thus broadening the network of resources that we can refer to students. My campus partner is the UMass Dean of Students Office (DOSO), which strives to meet the various academic, financial, social, medical, mental health, or otherwise personal needs of students. When it comes to various challenges like food or housing insecurity, or the need for short-term loans or microgrants — DOSO is definitely the place to go! Many times, the office will assign you to a case manager to help you develop a tangible action plan for success.

The SAM team also has partnerships with the UMass Financial Aid Office, UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, Student Legal Services, the International Programs Office, the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success, and the Off-Campus Student Life Office. Read more about our campus partnerships on the SAM blog.

My Role

I am not a peer financial coach. In fact, I work indirectly with students as a member of the SAM communications team, but the experience has taught me invaluable lessons about what it really means to make a commitment to helping students succeed. This can be seen all the way down to the way we make our Instagram posts. By translating what could be dense financial information into digestible Instagram tiles, paying close attention to fonts and colors to keep readability central to our work, reiterating main points from the tiles in our captions, and capitalizing each word of a hashtag to make it compatible with screen readers — we make financial literacy accessible and shareable. All of the tiny details in our efforts show the dedication we make to student success and financial wellness.

Representatives for SAM at the University of Massachusetts in a golf cart, with text reading: Financial Advice, “Talk to your bank about the resources they offer and how they can help you manage your money!”, Lana Sadok, Peer Financial Coach, Class of 2023, “Don't hesitate to ask! No matter where you come from and what your circumstances are, UMass has the most amazing and reliable resources you can rely on as you enter your first year of college.", Van Le, Peer Financial Coach, Class of 2024

Financial Advice Time

Finally, here are some financial wellness words of wisdom from members of the team!

“Talk to your bank about the resources they offer and how they can help you manage your money!”

-Lana Sadok, Peer Financial Coach, Class of 2023

“Don't hesitate to ask! No matter where you come from and what your circumstances are, UMass has the most amazing and reliable resources you can rely on as you enter your first year of college. Need direct and personal financial support? Schedule an appointment with SAM and we will make sure you get the resources and support you need”

-Van Le, Peer Financial Coach, Class of 2024

“Prospective and newly admitted students can try to understand their personal finances even before arriving at UMass. Students can set up checking and savings accounts and begin learning to manage their money. There can be a lot of expenses that occur during freshman year, whether it be from dorm supplies, textbooks, or trips home. In line with understanding your personal finances, having a conversation about paying for school is absolutely necessary. It is extremely important to talk with your parents or guardians about how to pay for school. Understanding if you are taking student loans (private or public) is important to setting yourself up for financial success.”

- Bill Wright, Peer Financial Coach, Class of 2022

For more information and to see some of the important work that the communications team and I do, please visit the SAM Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.