A&M-Texarkana Officially Opens Center for Financial Literacy and Investment

TEXARKANA, Texas – Texas A&M University-Texarkana has announced the official opening of the new Center for Financial Literacy and Investment (CFLI). A part of the university’s Better East Texas Initiative, Phase Two, the center was originally funded in 2021 by the 87^th Texas Legislature. The center, housed in the university’s Science and Technology building, is a hub for providing students, faculty, staff, and the community at large the tools necessary for basic financial and investment training.

Included in the center is an installation of 16 Bloomberg Terminals, which will provide students with the same platform used by the world’s leading banks, corporations, and government agencies. The Bloomberg Terminal enables faculty to bring an interactive teaching tool into the classroom. The Terminal features real-time data and analytics on global markets and industries, leading news coverage, proprietary research, and provides access to a global network of financial professionals.

A primary goal of the Center is to enhance and improve the standard of living across the region. A critical factor impacting social mobility is a lack of knowledge about basic personal financial and personal free market economic principles. This lack of knowledge often leads to poor financial decisions. One of the most significant efforts of the CFLI is to change behaviors related to personal money management to become better fiscal managers and encourage savings for personal wealth. Opportunities within the CFLI include:

• Education Programs.The CFLI will provide financial literacy programs online and face-to-face workshops and classes on campus and at various locations throughout the community.
• Financial Planning Clubs. Students, faculty, and university staff, as well as business and community organizations will be able to create their own financial planning clubs to learn about financial literacy, retirement, and personal investments. A unique activity is a trading simulation using virtual money to train users to enter various types of trades in financial assets. 
• Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). Participating students will manage investment portfolios using real money and collaborate closely with finance faculty and financial professionals.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance(VITA). Trained volunteers assist students, faculty, staff, and the larger community and region with tax preparation.
• Research. TAMUT faculty will collaborate on research related to financial literacy, economics, and banking focused on the East Texas region.

The vision of the CFLI is to be the preeminent conduit for financial literacy and investment knowledge in East Texas by providing learning and teaching resources to enrich lives and advance the financial expertise of local businesses in the region.

The mission of the center is to provide students, local businesses, and the community in East Texas with innovative financial literacy tools and education in investment to prepare them to make wise financial decisions and improve their lives.

For additional information about the A&M-Texarkana Center for Financial Literacy and Investment please contact Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Alan Blaylock at cblaylock@tamut.edu.