On Monday Sept. 12, a survey to gather information on the financial literacy rate for Dickinsonians was sent out to all students by Director of Institutional Research Jason Rivera. The survey asked Dickinson students how comfortable they are with their own financial literacy and how they would like to see their understanding increase.

Financial Aid Counselor Rebecca Schreiber-Reis said that so far there has been “a great response [to the survey].” While Rivera sent out the email about participation, Schreiber-Reis heads the new initiative.

The main goal, Schreiber-Reis said, was to ask the student body, “How much do you know, how much do you think you know, how comfortable are you talking about financial literacy, what do you want to know more about and what are the best ways that we can convey that information to you?”

After they gather the information needed from the survey, Schreiber-Reis and others from the Office of Financial Aid will begin to form a practical plan surrounding Dickinson students and their path to financial literacy.

“When I arrived [at Dickinson] there was talk about ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we could have a financial literacy program’…. I really wanted to see if we could make this a formal program,” stated Schreiber-Reis.

Over the last few years, different departments have hosted isolated life skills and financial literacy events in an attempt to educate students about the world they will face outside of Dickinson. But, this will be the first effort made to get the whole of Dickinson’s student body onto their own path to financial literacy and responsibility.

The hope, Schreiber-Reis said, is that most students will get an account with the organization Salt online. Salt is an association that was created by the American Student Assistance (ASA) organization. According to the ASA website, after the group noticed that their counseling efforts were successful in educating students on their financial responsibilities, they created Salt. A self-described “nonprofit-backed resource with “simple, smart, and personal financial solutions,” the website gives quick lessons on financial literacy, and educates college students on anything from credit scores to textbook payment strategies.

For the next few months the efforts of the Office of Finanicial Aid will be focused on evaluating how effective the Salt program is for Dickinsonians. Schreiber-Reis hopes that this will someday become a part of the orientation program for first-years so that students can get a jump start on their financial education. For now, Schreiber-Reis and the rest of the team are hoping for support from the students and faculty. If any groups on campus would like to join the effort, she adds, her door (and email) are always open.