SUNY Canton Unveils Financial Literacy Center

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CANTON, NY (09/20/2016)(readMedia)-- SUNY Canton held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 15 to celebrate the establishment of the college's Financial Literacy Center.

In operation for nearly a year, the center is located in Cook Hall and has been the site of numerous no-cost financial seminars and counseling services for community members, as well as high school and college students.

"This center fills a critical need, given the economic challenges of our region," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "We now have a place where business leaders, educators and professionals can come together to provide a resource that serves the people of St. Lawrence County."

Szafran also acknowledged the significant contributions from the center's financial sponsors: Alesco Advisors, Daniel G. and Linda L. Fay, North Country Savings Bank, SeaComm Federal Credit Union, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, and the SUNY Canton College Foundation.

"Their incredible support has made the Financial Literacy Center and Trading Lab possible," he said.

Dean of the School of Business and Liberal Arts Jondavid S. DeLong highlighted the programs the center has hosted during the past year, including free tax-preparation assistance and money management guidance for low-income community members; a financial literacy presentation for high school students in conjunction with BOCES; retirement seminars; and loan repayment advice for college students.

To date, the programs have served more than 120 community members, 500 high school students and 100 college students.

Another unique benefit of the center, DeLong added, is its value to augment classroom learning for SUNY Canton students. Those who have completed a tax preparation course in the fall semester assist community members with filing their income taxes in the spring.

"Our students will gain the practical experience they'll need to get a job after they've graduated," he said. "And at the same time help the community."

Upcoming Financial Literacy Center programs include a "Mad City Money" experience in April 2017, where every high school student in St. Lawrence County will converge on SUNY Canton's campus to participate in an education simulation game that gives them the opportunity to make adult financial decisions based on fictitious scenarios.

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Caption:

After a grand opening ceremony in SUNY Canton's new Financial Literacy Center, President Zvi Szafran invited all the donors who made the project possible for a photograph. Pictured are (l to r) Jonathan Eng, North Country Savings Bank retail banking specialist; Todd R. Mashaw, a 1988 SUNY Canton alumnus and St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union president and CEO; Todd D. Green, Alesco Advisors chief investment officer; Elizabeth A. Pier, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union business and development manager; Linda L. Fay, SUNY Canton professor emeritus; Szafran; and Scott A. Wilson, SeaComm president and CEO.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service and recently received number one rankings in library resources, library services and tutoring services in the SUNY Student Opinion Survey. The college's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as ten exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 15 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III.

-www.canton.edu-