1 The Ferris State Torch NINETY YEARS OF ILLUMINATING THE TRUTH Big Rapids, Michigan Week of Feb. 17 - 23, 2021 www.fsutorch.com From students to financial coaches Going back to normal University plans to go back to “pre-COVID” classes in fall semester Alyssa Hubbard News Reporter Ferris currently plans on returning to in-person classes as normal for the fall of 2021 semester. According to the FSU Re-entry Committee, "the university is actively planning to return to pre- COVID level in-person operations next fall should pandemic conditions, vaccine rollout, and other factors allow. Along with these plans, the univer- sity will remain ready, flexible and nimble with Photo courtesy of Dylan Bowden variety of academic and operational options that will allow it to pivot in any direction necessary to Finance senior Jared Prevost started his own financial coaching company after he realized there was very little financial education resources for students. continue safeguarding the health and safety of everyone at Ferris while allowing students to con- Between student loans and retirement, senior aims to help students tinue actively pursuing their education." As the fall 2020 semester began, Ferris was undergoing Phase 3 of its re-entry Plan. The goal Madison Kettlewell “The student loan crisis is a compli- veloping a strategy for how it is you’re go- of Phase 3 was to return to full in-person uni- Freelance Reporter cated issue, but I will say from a financial ing to get to that life that you want to live.” versity functions. Some responsibilities during coach perspective, there are a variety of Dime Financial services include one Phase 3 included practicing good hand washing, With a lack of courses on handling per- ways to minimize the loans you need to free preliminary consultation and three wearing face coverings and completing the daily sonal finances, it’s common for students take out and avoid the ‘bad’ loans that following sessions. The sessions are one- COVID-19 Symptom Checker. to feel underprepared when entering the have higher rates,” Prevost said. “The big- on-one consultations, currently being de- Ferris announced the decision to have a nor- financial world after graduation. gest thing that scares me is very few peo- livered over the phone. The sessions take mal return on Feb. 8, 2021, for the fall 2021 se- Keeping these issues in mind, finance ple know who their loan servicer is--many place over 5 - 6 weeks and are anywhere mester. This left many in the Ferris community feeling a mix of worry and relief. senior Jared Prevost set out to create a people have not even made an account-- from an hour to two hours each. Once Many students were excited by the news. financial coaching application to help stu- and do not know how to make payments the three sessions are finished, cli- Pre-pharmacy freshman Rebecca Bovee was one dents and young professionals answer toward their loans or really understand ents can schedule additional coaching student who felt comfortable with the idea of hav- some of these questions. what they are signing up for.” sessions. ing in-person classes again. After his sophomore year, Prevost With the help of computer information A handful of recent Ferris graduates "As long as there isn’t a health and safety decided to get serious about his own fi- systems senior Jacob Ernst and graphic have already started using the program. threat, I feel that having in-person classes next nances. But he realized along the way design sophomore Sienna Parmelee, Pre- “When I graduated, I had just started a fall is a good idea," Bovee said. "Hopefully by that there were very few resources for vost watched his vision become reality. new job. I had to figure out how I wanted then most staff members will be vaccinated, and students. The Dime Financial website, dimefinanc- to frame my benefits for that job. I’d never the university will do its best to protect everyone with the proper safety measures." “Most of my peers recognized that per- es.com, was launched on Dec. 28. had a situation where I had to think about It's still unknown whether or not everyone on sonal finance is important, but lacked the "It was a lot of research starting out a 401k, so it was all new,” marketing campus will be able to receive the vaccine be- basic financial skills and education, and and a lot of trial and error," Ernst said. graduate Emily Charles said. “He called fore the semester starts. According to the latest more importantly, didn’t have a reliable "We're currently looking at ways and strat- me and talked me through each thing.” schedule projected by the Michigan Department place to get these skills and education,” egies that we can scale up preparing for “The biggest thing I’ve liked about the of Health and Human Services, the last phase Prevost said. “I decided I wanted to cre- the future. I definitely see it potentially program so far is just how customized it of people over the age of 16 who are not at risk ate the solution, and that would be why I growing into something where we hire is,” Charles said. “It’s not really gener- won’t begin until the middle or end of August. started Dime.” more people onto our team and start to al or a one-size-fits-all approach. He really Though, others remained hopeful for the up- Dime Financial has the mission of build up a growing company that really listens to what I want to accomplish. He coming semester, including Ferris employees. "I have been looking at summer (and later fall) helping students start building wealth helps people reach their goals." keeps that in mind with the resources as the light at the end of a really long tumultuous and coaching them in the steps to do so. Dime Financial services offers two dif- that he shares with me and the advice tunnel," biology professor Karen Barkel said. "If “It’s a focus on financial education and ferent price points. The services within that he gives me.” we have learned anything this year, I would guess financial skill-building,” Prevost said. “We the two price points are the same, but Business administration graduate it is that we have to be prepared for anything. We really educate people on the important the company does provide a student dis- Cody Peterson was the first Ferris student now know we have the capacity to find solutions parts about finance, and direct them to- count. The price for students is one pay- to complete the program. to problems quickly, the smallest of a silver lining wards resources that can help them start ment of $149, or 12 monthly payments “I learned about robo-advisors, mutual for all of this." investing.” of $14.99. For professionals, the price is funds, and index funds. All things I want- There have been seemingly never-ending Another aspect of Prevost’s coach- one payment of $249, or 12 monthly pay- ed to get into but didn’t know how – Jared changes, adjustments and adapting this school year, but the university feels it's the right time for ing is helping students understand and ments of $24.99. gave me a good understanding of what all students, staff and faculty to slowly shift back to navigate student loan debt. At the end “The single best investment you can of those were and also pointed me in the the every day life they were used to. of 2020, Americans have amassed over make into your future, right alongside direction of additional resources I could "If everyone does their part to stay safe and $1.7 trillion of student loan debt, accord- with getting your college degree, is getting use to learn more,” Peterson said. “The be smart, having classes in person will surely ing to research done by the Federal Re- financial education,” Prevost said. “Get program has helped me a lot. I have start- make the semester more fun and students will serve Bank of St. Louis. started right now with investing and de- ed investing into assets that are going to feel more connected than this past school year," work for me and build my wealth.” Bovee said. Got news? Let us know. Like us on facebook Follow us on Twitter Add us on instagram Watch us on youtube Email: [email protected] Ferris state Torch @fsutorch fsutorch Fsu Torch Phone: 231.591.5978 Connect with us on social media - Read articles online at www.fsutorch.com 2 2 News Week of Feb. 17 - 23,2021 Ferris State Torch NEWS Ry Rodriguez| News Editor | [email protected] The ins and outs of Delta 8 One carbon bond away from governmental regulation Noah Kurkjian “When we found out it [Delta 8] was legal, News Reporter it has such great properties that are stronger than CBD and give you more of an immediate In the last year, Delta 8 has taken off and effect than CBD does. So that’s how we mi- most people don’t even know what it is, if it’s grated to that,” Wasilewski said. legal or what it can do. Wasilewski still sells his CBD products but It has taken off so much so that Tom says that Delta 8 products have quickly sur- Wasilewski, owner of E-Cig Outlet in Big Rapids passed it in sales. who sells a variety of Delta 8 and CBD prod- “Delta 8 took a minute to take a foothold ucts, went from making 3,000 Delta 8 chews here because I think people had a lot of ques- a week for his stores to 190,000 a week that tions like ‘what will it do to me?’ ‘how many he’s selling throughout the world.