Tag Archive for: my classroom economy
One million. That is the number of students Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy (MyCE) program has reached since its launch just under a decade ago. My Classroom Economy is a free financial literacy program and classroom management system for teachers that allows students to learn financial responsibility through hands-on learning. My Classroom Economy, and its sister program My Home Economy (for parents and guardians), are entirely powered by volunteers across Vanguard. These crew dedicate time and talent outside of their “day jobs” to fuel a “passion project” that is part of Vanguard’s suite of community programs. For me, my “day job” is in our business that serves financial advisors, specifically Registered Investment Advisors. In my role as Channel Lead, my team works with our sales group and clients to develop and execute strategy for how we can best serve this important client base. Within MyCE, I’ve volunteered in a number of roles and am proud to currently serve as the Program Chair.
Anyone that knows me has heard me say that MyCE is the perfect marriage of two of my passions- education and personal finance. Before I came to Vanguard I completed the Teach for America program, teaching seventh grade math at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina. I found my way to Vanguard by following a tip received from teammates on an intramural kickball team and channeling my finance degree. I started at Vanguard in Client Services, helping clients meet their investment needs. I remember a colleague leaning over my desk and making the connection that as a former teacher, I might want to learn about this financial literacy program Vanguard offered. I went to an information session and was hooked. My Classroom Economy linked what I loved about my pre-Vanguard career with my current one, allowing me to stay deeply connected to the education community, while growing professionally with a company I love.
I’m exceptionally proud of our recent milestone of reaching one million students. But to me, it is more than just a milestone. It is a million lives impacted and put on a more responsible financial trajectory because of the dedication of their teachers and the passion of a volunteer team. In pausing to celebrate this manifestation of how volunteer hours have made a real difference, I also was struck not only by what I’ve given to the program over the years, but what it has given me. My time with MyCE not only helped me continue to feel fulfilled professionally, but it also has played a pivotal role in driving my career at Vanguard. My peers in the program would say the same about their own experiences. Again, more than just a milestone.
After seven and a half years and several different “day jobs” at Vanguard, I’ve realized that my volunteer roles allowed me to learn new skillsets and pursue interests before making career leaps. I took on a strategic assignment with MyCE, analyzing options for a potential program expansion before joining Vanguard’s Corporate Strategy group as an analyst. MyCE helped me learn how to be a people leader, first by leading the MyCE team in North Carolina and then stepping into the Program Chair seat, leading the full volunteer team of roughly 150 crew. Along the way I’ve had the chance to sharpen skills in public speaking, stakeholder management and even sales, all of which have translated to my “day jobs”.
As I think about the next million kids that My Classroom and My Home Economy will impact, I’m confident that impact will continue to extend to those volunteers behind the scenes who power the program. I think it is so important to find a place to give back that allows you to pursue a passion. That passion will be what keeps you coming back to give your time year after year. And while you’re there, embrace the opportunities to sharpen your skills and learn new things. You might not realize it at the time (I certainly didn’t), but you might just be laying the foundation for your next career move.
-Meg T.
One million. That is the number of students Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy (MyCE) program has reached since its launch just under a decade ago. My Classroom Economy is a free financial literacy program and classroom management system for teachers that allows students to learn financial responsibility through hands-on learning. My Classroom Economy, and its sister program My Home Economy (for parents and guardians), are entirely powered by volunteers across Vanguard. These crew dedicate time and talent outside of their “day jobs” to fuel a “passion project” that is part of Vanguard’s suite of community programs. For me, my “day job” is in our business that serves financial advisors, specifically Registered Investment Advisors. In my role as Channel Lead, my team works with our sales group and clients to develop and execute strategy for how we can best serve this important client base. Within MyCE, I’ve volunteered in a number of roles and am proud to currently serve as the Program Chair.
Anyone that knows me has heard me say that MyCE is the perfect marriage of two of my passions- education and personal finance. Before I came to Vanguard I completed the Teach for America program, teaching seventh grade math at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina. I found my way to Vanguard by following a tip received from teammates on an intramural kickball team and channeling my finance degree. I started at Vanguard in Client Services, helping clients meet their investment needs. I remember a colleague leaning over my desk and making the connection that as a former teacher, I might want to learn about this financial literacy program Vanguard offered. I went to an information session and was hooked. My Classroom Economy linked what I loved about my pre-Vanguard career with my current one, allowing me to stay deeply connected to the education community, while growing professionally with a company I love.
I’m exceptionally proud of our recent milestone of reaching one million students. But to me, it is more than just a milestone. It is a million lives impacted and put on a more responsible financial trajectory because of the dedication of their teachers and the passion of a volunteer team. In pausing to celebrate this manifestation of how volunteer hours have made a real difference, I also was struck not only by what I’ve given to the program over the years, but what it has given me. My time with MyCE not only helped me continue to feel fulfilled professionally, but it also has played a pivotal role in driving my career at Vanguard. My peers in the program would say the same about their own experiences. Again, more than just a milestone.
After seven and a half years and several different “day jobs” at Vanguard, I’ve realized that my volunteer roles allowed me to learn new skillsets and pursue interests before making career leaps. I took on a strategic assignment with MyCE, analyzing options for a potential program expansion before joining Vanguard’s Corporate Strategy group as an analyst. MyCE helped me learn how to be a people leader, first by leading the MyCE team in North Carolina and then stepping into the Program Chair seat, leading the full volunteer team of roughly 150 crew. Along the way I’ve had the chance to sharpen skills in public speaking, stakeholder management and even sales, all of which have translated to my “day jobs”.
As I think about the next million kids that My Classroom and My Home Economy will impact, I’m confident that impact will continue to extend to those volunteers behind the scenes who power the program. I think it is so important to find a place to give back that allows you to pursue a passion. That passion will be what keeps you coming back to give your time year after year. And while you’re there, embrace the opportunities to sharpen your skills and learn new things. You might not realize it at the time (I certainly didn’t), but you might just be laying the foundation for your next career move.
-Meg T.
I come from a service-oriented family. From teachers and nurses to law enforcement and the military, my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even in-laws have all fields covered. So you can imagine how much of an oddball I was when I decided to pursue a career in finance after really enjoying my business classes in college. I had a personal dilemma of feeling like I needed to choose a career path that either put me or put others first. I graduated college in the midst of the global financial crisis, during which the reputation for most firms in the industry was at an all-time low. I pictured my future self sitting at a family dinner and talking about my day working with investments, and then hearing about family members saving lives or risking theirs for complete strangers. Talk about humbling.
Doing well while doing good
In researching companies with whom I wanted to work, Vanguard rose to the top after I spoke with a few crew members through mutual college friends. The biggest thing that struck me was the way they spoke about helping investors, genuinely putting others first, and the client and community-centered culture. I had a flashback to interviewing for another financial services firm where I was asked how many wealthy people I knew so that I could begin selling them products (Answer: Not many, and no thank you). At Vanguard, there seemed to be an opportunity to mix both ‘doing well’ in building a great career and ‘doing good’ for others through service.
My ‘day job’: Serving our clients
Fast forward eight years and Vanguard has given me the opportunity to help serve in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs. In my ‘day job’, I lead a team of investment analysts in our Personal Advisor Services group, where my team is responsible for building out the methodology used to construct and manage our clients’ portfolios. Each day, we work to solve complex issues that will ultimately impact our clients’ ability to reach their financial goals. Knowing what is riding on our success is a terrific motivating factor and our entire team is focused on the collective goal of doing the right thing for our clients.
I also get to see Vanguard’s financial advisors helping clients that need it most: those that don’t have the time, willingness, or ability to manage their money. I get to hear real stories about our crew making a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve a goal or giving them peace of mind in volatile markets.
My ‘night job’: Serving the community
In my ‘night job’, I am a member of the leadership team for My Classroom Economy, a completely free financial literacy program that enables educators to teach children financial responsibility. The program was developed by an incredible group of volunteers, many of whom were educators prior to working at Vanguard, and has reached over 800,000 students. I lead a team focused on building partnerships at the state and federal level, and pushing for district, county, and state-wide adoption of financial responsibility programs. Our ultimate goal is to ensure children receive the basic financial responsibility education they need, as having this skill has been proven to play such an important role in their lives.
Earlier this year, two peers and I went to Washington D.C. to meet with staff members in the Treasury Department, House, and Senate, in an effort to promote the importance of teaching financial literacy at an early age. We were frequently asked how much the program costs and, after saying it is 100% free, are asked “What’s in it for Vanguard, then?” The truth is that the program is powered completely by Vanguard volunteers, each and every one of us are driven to serve and make a positive difference in the community for no other reason than that it is the right thing to do.
If you’re currently seeking a job or choosing a career path, my advice would be don’t compromise on what is most important to you (your ‘non-negotiables’) and find a company you would be proud to represent. Doing this requires that you take the time to reflect on what you won’t compromise and do your due diligence to learn about the culture at prospective employers. My non-negotiables were working for an organization with a service mindset and for which there would be no conflict of interest between our success and our client’s success. I’m incredibly proud to represent Vanguard in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs, and I now have great stories to tell at the dinner table!
-Nick L.