ASU Barrett Honors College events welcome students, build community connections


August 18, 2023

Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus took on a carnival atmosphere as hundreds of first-year students converged for the 2023 Barrett Bash welcome event.

A rotating photo booth, a prize wheel, snow cones, lawn games and Barrett swag giveaways added to the fun. But, in addition to welcoming students back to campus, the main thrust of the event on Aug. 14 was to encourage them to get involved, build community and connections among their peers, and find opportunities to be of service. Students tabling at an event. Members of the board game club No Missing Pieces, including co-founder Dylan Rose (center), shared information about their organization at the 2023 Barrett Bash. Photo courtesy Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University Download Full Image

Barrett Bash, which drew more than 800 students, was one of two honors community events held in the days leading up to the start of the fall semester. The other was Fall Welcome on Aug. 15, which brought together first-year Barrett students from all four ASU campuses.

Representatives of more than a dozen student-led organizations and clubs — including the No Missing Pieces board game club, All Walks Project, Arizona Microcredit Initiative, Sustainability Club at Barrett, Honors Devils, Refugee Education and Clinic Team (REACT), Women’s League at Barrett, First Generation Students at Barrett, Leadership and Service Team at Barrett, Normal Noise magazine, Black Student Association at Barrett, Sun Devil Mock Trial, Page Turners, the LGBTQIA+ Club at Barrett and Honors College Council at Barrett — were on hand at Barrett Bash to share information and sign up new members.

“It is always exciting to see the energy of first-year students learning about Barrett, meeting each other for the first time, and feeling the sense of community and belonging Barrett is known for,” said Barrett Vice Dean Kristen Hermann.

“Hello, do you guys play board games?” Dylan Rose, a Barrett student and co-founder of No Missing Pieces, called out to students passing by his information table on the lawn of the Great Court, a large gathering space in the center of the Barrett Tempe complex.

Rose, a Barrett student majoring in supply chain management and data analysis, said the group sprang from a simple premise: to bring students together for a fun activity so they could get to know one another and find their community. The club meets one evening a week to play board games and socialize.

Casey Ratigan, a first-year Barrett student who is leaning toward majoring in urban planning, moved to Arizona from Japan. He stopped at the No Missing Pieces table to see what the group is all about.

He said Barrett and ASU are welcoming, but making friends at such a large university is challenging.

“I would welcome the opportunity to meet new people. Joining the board game club might be a good option to make new friends, and I can play new games while I’m at it,” he said.

Riya Garg, a Barrett junior majoring in biological sciences, staffed the table for the Refugee Education and Clinic Team (REACT), which was established by Barrett students in 2017.

REACT is a collaboration between ASU and Mayo Clinic medical students that provides education, empowerment and health care to refugees and asylees in Arizona, Garg said.

“We’re looking for students who are passionate about helping people,” she said, adding that students with any major, whether in Barrett or not, are welcome to join the organization.

Lea Coronado, a Barrett junior studying industrial engineering, is the outreach director for the First Generation Students at Barrett, an organization for students who are the first in their families to attend college.

She said the club focuses on building connections among first-generation students and providing practical skills training like resume writing, as well as helpful information about financial aid, scholarships and other resources.

Photo of Black Student Association at Barrett members.

Members of the Black Student Association at Barrett, including the group's president Aaliyah Herndon (center), were at Barrett Bash to promote their organization and encourage membership. Photo courtesy Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University

Aaliyah Herndon, a Barrett junior majoring in psychology, is president of the Black Student Association at Barrett, which was established in 2022.

“We provide a safe space for Black students to build a community in Barrett. Being able to know you’re a part of an inclusive community is integral to the Barrett experience,” Herndon said, adding that her organization hosts social, academic and informational events for students.

“Hopefully we can have an impact on the experience of Black students in Barrett, where they feel they belong because Barrett is a place for everyone,” she said.

Emma Mast, a Barrett first-year student majoring in environmental engineering, said she appreciated learning about opportunities for involvement that could lead to useful connections.

“What really helps is to meet people and build a network that will set you up for success in the future,” she said.

The theme of Barrett Honors College as a place for students from all walks of life was emphasized at Fall Welcome, held inside Gammage Auditorium.

“The values that inspire all that we do as a college are community and belonging, leadership and agency, and courage and curiosity. We hope each one of you has an opportunity to build each of those throughout your journey in Barrett,” Dean Tara Williams said.

A video of the Barrett Honors Fall Welcome event can be viewed here.

Nicole Greason

Director of Marketing and Public Relations , Barrett, The Honors College

480-965-8415

W. P. Carey School of Business, Phoenix Union launch financial literacy partnership

Program to focus on improving financial decision-making for high school students


August 18, 2023

As Camelback High School students return to school this fall, 150 of them will complete a new program focused on improving financial literacy.

A new partnership between Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) and the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University hopes to boost practical financial knowledge in young people, leading toward better financial outcomes for students and their communities. Small wooden house next to stacks of coins. A new partnership between Phoenix Union High School District and the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University hopes to boost practical financial knowledge in young people, leading toward better financial outcomes for students and their communities. Photo credit Shutterstock Download Full Image

Laura Lindsey, chair of the Department of Finance at W. P. Carey, explains, “We hope to empower young people to take control of their financial lives at an earlier age, reducing barriers to financial well-being.” Lindsey and Atif Ikram, clinical associate professor of finance and faculty director in the MBA program, worked to develop the course curriculum with a team of faculty from the finance department, alongside administrators and teachers at PXU.

Incorporating new financial literacy components into an economics class that already exists, students will tackle topics such as budgeting, taxes, debt management, retirement, insurance and more. Students who earn a "C" or above have the option to earn college credit through dual enrollment in ASU's universal learner courses, which are offered via ASU's Learning Enterprise, the university's unit for advancing universal access to learning at all stages in life.

W. P. Carey School alumnus and Dean’s Council member Bart Faber, '69 BS in finance, first proposed the idea and is financially supporting the program through its first iteration. Thanks to Faber’s support, the W. P. Carey School plans to fully scholarship the credits so financial barriers do not interfere with a student’s ability to take advantage of the program.

“I’m honored to be a part of this new program bringing quality financial education to young people in the Valley,” Faber says. “Over 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. We hope early financial literacy education can play a role in breaking that cycle and teaching students sound financial habits.”

“This new program is an excellent way for our students to not only learn vital life skills, but also a way to introduce them to college and show them they are capable of earning college credits,” says Tony Camp, executive director for teaching and learning at PXU.

James Arndt, principal of Camelback High School, is thrilled to launch a program with such potential for impact. “We greatly appreciate W. P. Carey’s partnership on this effort. We commit to our students ‘achieving readiness in college, career and life,’ and this program helps make that promise a reality.”

The program is one key way the W. P. Carey School of Business is honoring its mission to take responsibility for the well-being of the communities it serves. Financial literacy is also an area of strategic focus for the school. A separate program offering graduate courses to K–12 teachers on personal finance topics is also launching this fall.

“W. P. Carey recognizes financial inclusion as a key enabler for economic empowerment and future prosperity. It can be a valuable cornerstone to driving student success while in school, and to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives,” says Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business. “As a business school, we not only need to engage with banks and corporations, but also in helping individuals make better financial decisions. Through the financial literacy program and our partnership with Phoenix Union High School District, we are investing in Arizona students and families.”

Those interested in contributing to the program can do so via the Department of Finance Development Fund.

Emily Beach

Director of Communications, W. P. Carey School of Business

(602) 543-3296