On Friday, Feb. 16th from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 17th from 9 a.m. to noon, the Freeman College of Management will be hosting the 13th annual “Beyond the Bucknell Bubble: Personal Finances in the Real World” seminars. 

Though geared specifically towards the senior graduating class, students of all class years are welcome to attend one or both of the sessions, where time-of-day appropriate meals will be provided. Professors from the accounting and financial management departments of the Freeman school will be presenting on everything from budgeting to investing to deciding between a credit vs debit account; it’s a realistic dive into the ins and outs of independent adult living, designed to help give Bucknellians a leg up as they transition out of college and into the working world. 

Accounting professor Curtis Nicholls is one of the leaders and presenters of this program, and cannot overemphasize the “financial launchpad [and] understanding” soon-to-be graduates can gain from attending the seminar. Past student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive: students had “no clue” about how taxes would impact their paycheck, how to “decipher [their health plan] at post-graduation employers,” or what the true impact of credit card interest rates can snowball into. After attending “Beyond the Bucknell Bubble,” nearly every student in attendance reported a boost in their confidence. A new ability to make informed financial decisions is infinitely valuable—and its impact is immediate! 

This seminar series was born from an original lunchtime series thirteen years ago, hosted initially by the Career Advancement Center and only targeting seniors. Since its inception, “Beyond the Bucknell Bubble” has gained generous sponsorship from the Boyer Family Fund and grown to accommodate new faculty, a diverse array of finance-related topics, and participants from every current class. 

Each seminar session includes about 5 hours of instruction, as students and faculty work together to answer common financial questions. To the Bucknellian who isn’t quite sure what a 401(k) is, or has never seen their credit score, or is overwhelmed by the mere idea of choosing an insurance plan: this seminar is for you. 

Registration is free and can be completed at https://management.blogs.bucknell.edu. The seminar is held in Academic West, and more specific information can be found at the above link.