Major: Education & Child Study

Minor: Psychology

Projected Loan Balance: $15,000

Hello! My name is Julie Destine, but you can call me Julie, and I am a senior at Smith College, where I study Education & Child Study and Psychology! I love to learning and sharing resources to me, and as a future counselor, I believe that this is something that I will be able to do with my students. Being a part of this program has provided numerous opportunities to learn, where 1) I grew in the skill of site development, 2) I grew in knowledge about financial literacy, and 3) I shared my experiences with those in my community.

Being a part of the program helped me realize how much I can learn from being financially literate at a young age. Learning from the mistakes and experiences of others allows me to navigate my finances as we speak! I learned about the impact of community with those who have achieved financial freedom and the role I have in obtaining that for myself.

Upon graduation, I should have $15,000 as an outstanding balance for loans, and being in this program will assist in paying back the loan in a reasonable time frame. With your help in aiding me to pay off my loans quickly, not only will I pay this forward, but I will also serve my community by teaching them about financial literacy and providing opportunities for them to grow as well. Thank you again! Enjoy your day!

Majors: Criminal Justice & Psychology

Projected Loan Balance: $80,000

My name is Gabrielle Rodriguez and I am extremely excited to participate in the Adopt-a-DAP Program. To be sponsored is an awesome opportunity which is much needed. It would definitely help defray the cost of my college education. My total college debt upon graduation will be 80,000. I am majoring in Criminal Justice with a certificate in Forensic Science and minoring Psychology. Also, I will be graduating with the class of 2022. I am a rising junior, attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I will continue on to graduate school to obtain my master’s and then, my PhD. My goal is to start making a difference in the world. I will continue to put God first and help as many people as possible along the way.

As I get older, I know that financial literacy is extremely important. Between the knowledge I’ve acquired in school, my mother and asking questions, I learned and am happy to say that I am financially literate. I know that I still have a lot to learn; but I’m well on my way. To me, there are three main aspects of financial literacy. The first is budgeting. As college students, we have a pretty good idea of how much money we receive each month. Create a budget of your income and expenses and STICK TO IT; that way, you know where every penny of your money goes. The second aspect is to save. Every month, a portion of the income you receive should be saved AND NOT TOUCHED. You would be amazed at how fast your account grows if you never withdraw from your account. Of course, there are many different savings/investment options to choose from. The last aspect is to minimize or eliminate debt. I have one credit card which I make a small purchase every three month to help build up my credit. It would be ridiculous to charge items on a credit card and not be able to pay the full balance when it’s due. Paying interest is throwing away money. I have learned a lot over the last few years about financial literacy and I intend to continue soaking up as much information as possible. CORESSWC is a tremendous organization which does so much for so many. I know that Financial Literacy is extremely important to this organization. I thank everyone who played a role in making this opportunity possible.