Being a college student is tough. Students have a lot on their minds — handling coursework, managing time, and taking on new responsibilities. Having the right people and tools along the way can make a significant impact, especially when navigating personal finances. 

UNLV sophomore Micaah Douglas found this out firsthand when he received an unexpected grant from the university’s Rebel Success Scholars program. 

The program helps students with tuition costs. But beyond that, it also provides critical skills and experience to help ensure the future success of the grant recipients. Students who receive a grant participate in skills workshops and are matched with a U.S. Bank goals coach to help them succeed.

“The support I’ve received has been incredible,” Douglas said. Studying psychology and neurobiology, he plans to go into the medical field following graduation. He said that the grant couldn’t have come at a better time. “It was a huge relief to know I wouldn’t have to drop any of my needed classes.” 

Jeffrey Orgera, associate vice provost for student success at UNLV, said “Students have a lot going on in their lives, and dealing with finances can be an added challenge. Grant aid, coupled with skills workshops such as financial literacy, is one way we’re helping equip students to stay on their educational paths and achieve their goals.”

After attending financial workshops presented by the on-campus branch, Douglas connected with U.S. Bank goals coach John Hirano. “John helped me focus on setting goals for the things I want to achieve both personally and financially,” Douglas said. “It goes beyond the financial knowledge — he genuinely cares for me as a person and follows up to make sure I’m progressing.” 

U.S. bank goals coaches provide free, personalized guidance to anyone — not just students — looking to explore what truly matters in life, financial or not. Individuals and small business owners in any location can set up a virtual session with a coach to identify goals and what it takes to reach them. 

UNLV has a dedicated goals coach available on campus. In addition to coaching students, they work closely with the campus bank branch to provide financial wellness and education, as well as working with university staff and faculty to provide guest-speaker lectures, facilitate classroom learning engagements, and support like the Rebels Scholars Success. 

“We help students navigate some of their beginning ‘adulting’ decisions such as establishing a budget, pursuing a passion, and building credit,” said Hirano. “Providing students with financial literacy and coaching is an important aspect of powering the human potential of young adults toward their goals.”

Financial Literacy Tips for Students

Hirano has tips for those who have thought about goal setting and planning but don’t know where to start:

• Just get started — Take your big goals and break them down into smaller, more manageable goals. Often, starting with a goal that is easier to achieve will help to start building the momentum needed to reach the larger and more challenging aspect of the goal. 
• Reduce as much friction as possible. Make the behaviors and habits that you are developing as easy as possible to complete. For example, setting up automatic transfers into savings accounts makes it easier to put money away toward a savings goal.
• Have an accountability partner who will help you to keep to your goal. Have someone you can be honest with. Check in with them regularly to make sure you’re staying on track, and ask them to hold you accountable if you aren’t.

“Having access to the goals coaches and other financial resources at U.S. Bank is pretty amazing,” said Douglas. “The fact that I have a whole team to support me is not something I ever expected I would have in college, and it’s helping me take my next steps as a young adult.”

About the Partnership

U.S. Bank has had a campus branch at UNLV for nearly a decade, and the partnership to provide deeper financial well-being is making an impact on students. The UNLV branch is part of the U.S. Bank Campus Banking program, which includes partnerships with over 40 colleges and universities and provides financial education, resources, and banking services designed for students, faculty, and alumni. 

To learn more, visit  the U.S. Bank Goals Coaching program page.