Classification: Private career school.

Modules Used:

• Module 1: Get a Grip on Your Finances: Smart Spending for Students.
• Module 3: Work Hard but Smart: How to Be Successful in School and Graduate on Time.
• Module 4: Take Control of Your Future: Finishing School and Repaying Your Loans.
• Module 5: Now That You Are About to Graduate: Taking Control of Your Life.

How Used:

• Orientation class.
• Career-development class.

Program Description: At the invitation of a USA Funds representative, the dean of student finance at DeVry University, Phoenix campus, attended a workshop where she was introduced to USA Funds^® Life Skills^®. After returning to campus, she invited representatives from various departments to attend an on-campus train-the-trainer workshop on the program. Campus administrators decided to use USA Funds Life Skills as "bookends" for entering and departing students.

Two of the modules, Module 1: Get a Grip on Your Finances: Smart Spending for Students and Module 3: Work Hard but Smart: How to Be Successful in School and Graduate on Time, were incorporated in orientation classes that are conducted for new students during the first term of enrollment. The budgeting game, discussion of credit-card use and abuse, as well as needs versus wants are popular topics with these students. The dean stresses the importance of personalizing the information and encouraging students to become involved in the discussions.

Two additional modules, Module 4: Take Control of Your Future: Finishing School and Repaying Your Loans and Module 5: Now That You Are About to Graduate: Taking Control of Your Life, were integrated into career-development classes during the last term before students leave campus. These sessions focus on helping students prepare for employment and manage their financial responsibilities, including loan repayment.

Recently another USA Funds Life Skills train-the-trainer session was held on campus for academic, student-services and student-finance support staff to explore a potential retention initiative using the materials. The dean emphasizes that, while structured programs are available for using the USA Funds Life Skills modules, staff members also share the information informally in their discussions with students.

Staffing Requirements: The financial-aid staff delivers parts of Modules 1 and 3 to entering students, and the career-services staff delivers parts of Modules 4 and 5 to students who are nearing graduation.

Recommendations: Inviting a broad range of representatives from across campus to attend a train-the-trainer workshop on campus was a turning point when USA Funds Life Skills was reviewed initially. The dean of student finance emphasizes the importance of having buy-in from her colleagues, even before identifying implementation strategies. She notes that it was advantageous for DeVry to use existing programs for the delivery of USA Funds Life Skills. The dean also advises that having a "refresher" training session is necessary after a year or two to renew campus commitment to the program and to identify other opportunities for using the program, for example, in promoting student retention.

Campus Contact:
Kathy Wyse, Dean of Student Finance
Phone: (602) 870-9222, Ext. 511
E-mail: kwyse@phx.devry.edu