Q&A: Saraiha Rossi leads the financial wellness charge at Penn State Hazleton

HAZLETON, Pa. - At Penn State Hazleton, one student is pioneering efforts to help guide members of her community on the path to financial stability.

Saraiha Rossi, a fourth-year student majoring in management and marketing, serves as a student financial ambassador for the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center, an initiative with the mission to provide students with the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial wellbeing. Powered by five staff members, a graduate assistant and 18 student ambassadors, the center offers presentations and workshops, self-study modules, bimonthly webinars and confidential one-on-one coaching for Penn State students, faculty, staff and alumni.

While the center's staff and other 17 student ambassadors are based at University Park, Rossi is "single-handedly leading the financial wellness charge at Hazleton," according to Sarah DeWolfe, assistant director of outreach and special programs for the center.

"Essentially, the center exists as a service to students to serve them in areas the title implies: financial and life skills," DeWolfe said. "We provide a lot of financial wellness education services but mixed in with that are a lot of life skills, from teaching about budgeting tools and methods to helping students compare job offers, negotiate their salaries and understand benefits packages. Our biggest service is providing presentations in classrooms - nearly 300 a year - at University Park and via Zoom to Commonwealth Campuses. Our student financial ambassadors play a key role in helping us reach as many students as possible through these presentations, and Saraiha is helping us to expand our in-person presence and resources to the Penn State Hazleton community."

Rossi talks more about her position as a student financial ambassador and her overall Penn State experience in the Q&A below.

Q: Why did you choose to attend Penn State?

Rossi: I chose Penn State, and specifically the Hazleton campus, because I grew up in the area. It was always right there. Before Penn State I attended a community college, where I earned an associate's degree. I wanted to keep learning. Penn State Hazleton was a good option; it was close to home and something I knew I could easily do and enjoy.

Hazleton is a beautiful campus. We're up on top of a hill; I love it. Because it is a smaller campus, you can have close relationships with professors, staff members and other students. I can walk through campus and know most of the people I see - even if I don't know them by name, I recognize them. There are also so many opportunities to get involved. I went to a small high school, which didn't offer many opportunities for involvement, so once I got to Penn State I got involved in as much as I could. It's especially exciting now because we are working to rebuild student organizations that became dormant during the pandemic. I am currently head of Senate in student government and president of the Business Club. I'm also president of the True Crime Club, through which members watch true crime documentaries and work on unsolved case files.

Q: You also serve as a financial ambassador for the Hazleton campus. Before we talk about the work you do, can you describe what financial literacy is and why it is important?

Rossi: Financial literacy is really having a good understanding of not only your finances, but also the topics and concepts that are being thrown at you. It is so important, because having that understanding early will set you up for the rest of your life. Finances is a big topic, and, for many people (me included!), a scary topic. So, by building a good understanding and a solid foundation, the better off a person will be. It's really important to get that message out, especially to younger people, to give them the opportunity to set themselves up for their best future.

Q: As a financial ambassador, how do you help get that message out to students at the Hazleton campus?

Rossi: This is a relatively new position at Hazleton, so I am helping to build it up and make sure students know about the resources available to them through the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center. I do a lot of campus outreach; I talk about the center all the time. I also give financial literacy overview presentations in classes, helping students to understand the basics.

Q: In your opinion, what are some of the top resources that you'd recommend students take advantage of?

Rossi: The biggest one, I would say, is our one-on-one financial counseling sessions. They're completely free to all Penn State students and recent alumni. It is invaluable that there are people out there who, for free, will offer help with any question you may have and guide you through reviewing and understanding your finances - which is often a daunting process to begin!

Honestly, all of our services are great, but I like the fact that we have different options. While financial counseling sessions are confidential, some people may not feel comfortable talking about their finances with someone one on one. So, we also have online Canvas course modules people can take at their own pace.

Q: You are the only student financial ambassador who is currently working at a Commonwealth Campus - all others are at University Park. Tell us about that dynamic and what it means to you to be pioneering at Hazleton.

Rossi: I think it's really cool that out of all of Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses, Hazleton was chosen as a pilot and will hopefully open the doors for other campuses to do this. It's been such a rewarding experience to help students at Hazleton know the Financial Literacy Center is available to them. As I mentioned before, having an early understanding and solid foundation of finances can set people up for the rest of their lives. I get to be the person that can guide them.

[Editor's note: Since Rossi's interview was conducted, the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center has also established a student financial ambassador presence at Penn State Abington.]

-Saraiha Rossi , Student Financial Ambassador

Q: Have you ever witnessed a moment when the financial information you've sharee with someone "clicks" with them?

Rossi: One of the most exciting moments I've had was earlier this semester, when I gave a financial presentation to my business club. It was one member's first time in attendance. As I was giving my presentation, I saw this student getting more and more interested. They started taking pictures of my slides, writing down notes and just interacting more and more. I could see them getting drawn in and witnessed the moment they realized "Oh, this is actually important and this is good information." I got to see it all happen from the podium. And that's the most rewarding thing - seeing people get excited over it and start taking it seriously.

Q: What is the impact you hope to leave for your peers at Hazleton through your work?

Rossi: I want people to know that the Financial Literacy Center is here for them as a resource. I want them to feel empowered to ask questions. And I hope that some students follow my lead and not only utilize the center's resources but possibly consider becoming financial ambassadors themselves. When I first started, I did not see myself being able to stand in front of classrooms and give presentations. But I've grown to love it. It's been so exciting to watch the growth in myself and in other people.

Q: How have your Penn State education and experiences helped you in your work as a financial ambassador?

Rossi: A lot of my classes are very hands on. We learn about a topic, then we apply it and use it. This has helped many topics of my classes change from being far-off concepts to things I can actually use and almost feel. That has been really helpful when it comes to my work as a financial ambassador because it's helped me push myself out of my comfort zone and grow and change into someone who is comfortable speaking in front of others. I really love helping people. Being able to help people in my field is really exciting, because you might not equate business with helping people. But I think that it's important that we start bridging the gap between them, because as businesspeople we are in a unique position to help others.

My work as an ambassador has benefited me in my education, too. Since I started at the center, I have felt myself become more outgoing and more willing to go up and talk to people I don't know. That's been really beneficial in the classroom, both in working with other students and in presenting a project to the class. I'm also more comfortable introducing myself to people and starting conversations with them. That's a big thing.

Q: What is one piece of financial advice you'd like to share with fellow Penn State students?

Rossi: This is a common tip, but it's an important one: Start early. The earlier you start to get a grasp on your finances, the better off you're going to be. You don't have to aim to save a lot in a short amount of time. Rather, just start by building a nest egg little by little and building those steps toward lifelong financial wellness and stability.

Learn more about the Penn State Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center at financialliteracy.psu.edu.