Financial wellness webinars
No matter where you are on your educational path, we have the tools to help you achieve success. Catch our live webinars or watch a recording of a prior webinar. We discuss planning for school, financial aid, how to search for scholarships and more.
Upcoming professional development series
Resources, tools, and best practices to help you assist students and families on their higher education journey. Attend a free, live webinar, or watch a recording of a prior webinar. Together we can help students make informed decisions and pursue their education with confidence.
New webinars will be scheduled later this summer. In the meantime, consider watching some of our past webinars.
Watch our past webinars
Facing the Unknown with Confidence; Tips for Transitioning to College Life
May 2023
Heading off to college soon? It’s such an exciting time! But college brings lots of new challenges, and it can be overwhelming. Let’s help you feel ready—join our virtual event to hear from university experts on overcoming common challenges, mental health, all the resources available to help you at college. The goal? Helping you succeed on campus and make it through to graduation.
Panelists Include:
- Corey Farris, Dean of Students, West Virginia University
- Darrius Mooney, Financial Aid Counselor, MSW, MPS, Howard University
- Kevin Sutton, former Assistant Director of Financial Wellness, Virginia Tech
Hosted by Maureen Fagen, Director of Relationship Management and Sales Training.
Options to pay a remaining balance
April 2023
Many students and families will consider financing a portion of their college education. This session will focus on encouraging responsible borrowing and what students and families can do to find the right solution for their borrowing needs.
March 2023
During this virtual event we’ll demystify the admissions process, and you’ll gain valuable insights directly from admission professionals.
Topics will include:
- Importance of high school academic and extracurricular choices
- Standardized tests (ACT and SAT)
- Applying to colleges and the different admission types
- Essays and letters of recommendation
- Your online presence
- Panelists include:
- Mark Cortez, Director of Outreach and Recruitment at The Ohio State University
- Chelsea Holley, Director of Admissions at Spelman College
- James (Jim) Rawlins, AVP for Enrollment Management at The University of California – San Diego
Helping Black Families Navigate the Admissions Process
February 2023
Join us for a discussion with Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown, authors of “The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions.” Fields and Herndon-Brown are experts with extensive experience in college admissions. We’ll discuss everything you need to know to navigate college admissions, including important factors Black students should consider when choosing a college.
Panelists include:
- Timothy L. Fields, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Emory University
- Shereem Herndon-Brown, Founder and Chief Education Officer, Strategic Admissions Advice
Navigating Financial Aid Offers
February 2023
After being accepted to college, you’ll receive a financial aid offer that outlines your financial aid eligibility at that specific school. Each financial aid offer will contain similar overall information but since there’s no standard format, they can be difficult to interpret. In the session you will learn how to decipher each financial aid offer so you can confidently determine which college is the best fit.
Navigating College Admissions & Financial Aid for First Generation Students
November 2022
College students often face many firsts that begin well before they step foot on a college campus. The entire college admissions and financial aid process can seem overwhelming for most students, but especially for students who will be the first in their family to consider going to college. We will be hosting a live event with panelists from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, On Point for College, and a Sallie Mae Bridging the Dream Scholarship winner.
Scholarships: Finding Free Money for College
November 2022
Scholarships can be a huge help to college-bound students and their families, but many don’t know where to find them, or how to apply. During this session students and families will learn key tips on applying for scholarships, how to create a winning scholarship essay, and more.
The first step to finding the money you need for college: Completing the FAFSA®
October 2022
Join our experts for a discussion on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). We’ll share helpful tips and information to help you complete your FAFSA® and find the money you need to pay for college.
What is the real cost of college? How to plan now
September 2022
If college is in your future, you will want to join this webinar to help you plan and pay for college. You will learn about:
- Saving for college – it is never too late!
- How to select a college and how much it will cost
- FAFSA® - what, why and how
- Understanding a financial aid offer
- How to find and apply for scholarships and grants – FREE $$$
- Education loan options
- Free tools and resources to make the process easier.
How to Pay the Balance
April 2022
Many students and families will consider financing a portion of their college education. This session will focus on encouraging responsible borrowing and what students and families can do to find the right solution for their borrowing needs.
Parenting Gen Z Hits Different
April 2023
Discover how Gen X and our world is influencing a generation of radically unique students. Join our panel as we discuss exciting approaches to better support Gen Z students and their parents when it comes to higher education. By exploring the relationship of Gen Z and Gen X, you will learn about the similarities and differences between these two generations, and how these impact their thoughts and behaviors around culture and finances, and how they work together when making higher education and career decisions.
Moderator:
Annat Shrabstein , Director II - Consumer Research, Sallie Mae
Panelists:
Andrea Ruth, Director of Financial Aid, Eastern University
Bethany Perkins, Assistant Vice President, Miami University of Ohio
Dawn Coleman-Glenn, Training Specialist, Scholarships and Financial Aid, Texas A&M University
Creating an Inclusive Financial Wellness Program on Your Campus.
March 2023
Our “College Confidence: What America knows about paying for college” study showed that students and their families crave more financial education information and material. During this virtual event, we will share insights from our study on the topics students want to hear more about, discuss obstacles some students face in the world of finance, and experts will discuss real world wellness programs wins.
Join our panelists for a discussion about building an inclusive financial wellness program on campus. Greg Spadea, Director of Retail Deposits at Sallie Mae®, will share insights from the banking industry and our university experts will share strategies for having meaningful financial wellness programs that help all students grow their financial savvy.
Panelists include:
- Greg Spadea, Director of Retail Deposits, Sallie Mae
- Rhoda Posey, MPA, Financial Literacy and Loan Default Coordinator, Financial Aid Office at California State University, Dominquez Hills
- Dr. Gilbert Rogers, Assistant Director of Financial Wellness, University of Oregon
- LaKesha Landers, Director of Financial Literacy, Clark Atlanta University
Paying for College: Expectations & Reality
February 2023
While most families agree that college is an investment in their student’s future, many are confused and stressed about paying for that education. Join this session where we explore what college-bound high school families know and expect about paying for college, and how that compares to the realities experienced by currently enrolled undergraduates. We will investigate how families’ understanding of available funding sources, attitudes and behaviors change as families begin and follow their higher education journey. The insights shared are based on two new research studies by Sallie Mae and Ipsos, College Confidence: What America Knows About Paying for College and How America Pays for College 2022.
The Student Experience: Strategies for Driving Student Engagement
December 2022
Delivering a positive student experience relies on understanding their service expectations. This session will focus on distancing yourself from previously held expectations and exercising empathy in your student services role. Sallie Mae and a panel of college and university colleagues will discuss strategies for increasing the engagement with the students you serve.
How America Pays for College 2022
October 2022
Join us for a discussion of findings of “How America Pays for College 2022” - Sallie Mae’s annual national research study. We’ll discuss the range of funding sources families rely on to pay for college--from scholarships to 529s, and from federal grants to private student loans, evaluate trends that impact families’ strategies and uncover misconceptions that prevent some families from making college more affordable.
Join the conversation: Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education
September 2022
Higher education advances us as a society, opening doors, increasing lifetime earnings, and enabling economic mobility. Join our panel as we discuss how to prepare the next generation of leaders.
How America Completes College
April 2022
Four out of 10 U.S. undergraduates never finish college. Join us for a discussion of findings from a new research study by Sallie Mae and Ipsos on the factors that impact a student’s journey to college graduation. We’ll explore high school and college support systems, education motivations and perceptions, and more to identify barriers and opportunities to support students and families as they work toward achieving a college degree.