Financial Planning ranked as 2nd Fastest Growing job field by B.L.S.

CNN Money and Yahoo! Finance report that Financial Planning is tied for 2nd in terms of job growth over the next 10 years... with an astounding 30% job growth in the field!  For a career in financial planning they posit that you'll need to have BOTH financial competence as well as interpersonal relationship skills (i.e., be good with both money and people).

To see the full article, click here.

WPU wins silver at the 2011 National Financial Planning Challenge in San Diego

For the 2nd year in a row -- WPU placed in the National Financial Planning Challenge.  The students tied for 2nd with Kansas State, and placed ahead of VCU, Texas Tech, Missouri, Georgia, Metro State College of Denver.  

Congratulations to Claudia, Nick, and Mike for representing WPU well, and their success is well deserved after all the time and effort they put into preparing for this competition.

Claudia Capilla, Nick Bowman & Mike Walsh

The National Financial Planning Challenge is sponsored by the FPA, CFP(r) Board, Ameriprise, and the Academy of Financial Services (AFS).  Students compete in 3 events:  Creating a financial plan for a sample client, Presenting the case to the client, and a Knowledge Bowl.

Claudia, Nick & Mike placed 2nd in the Knowledge Bowl, as well as tying for 2nd place overall.  They earned $5,000 in scholarship money for the university.

Cindy Mota receives $1,000 scholarship from Arthur N. Caple Foundation

Congratulations to Cindy Mota who was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to attend the NAGDCA retirement industry conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Cindy was 1 of 5 students in the U.S. selected for this award.  The other recipients were from Texas Tech & the University of Georgia.

Cindy Mota of WPU receives $1,000 scholarship
from Arthur N. Caple Foundation

The ANC scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance as well as an understanding of issues facing public sector retirement plans.  Info about the ANC scholarship 2011 winners can be found by clicking here.

WPU students attend NAGDCA 2011 conference in Albuquerque

Financial planning majors Cindy Mota & Natalie Manzi were selected to represent WPU at the 2011 National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) conference in Albuquerque.  Cindy & Natalie were able to learn firsthand about the retirement industry from DC plan administrators as well as from retirement industry representatives from companies like Fidelity, ING, T. Rowe Price, ICMA-RC, Great West, BlackRock, and Nationwide.

The students met with NAGDCA leadership, as well as the head DC plan administrators from the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Arizona and the Assistant Secretary of Employee Benefits for the Dept of Labor.  They had 2 professional mentors to guide them at the conference, and they were also able to take a quick hot air balloon ride, take a quick tour of Albuquerque.

WPU students meet with NAGDCA President, Gay Lynn Bath of Oregon

WPU students and faculty meet with Ed Lilly, Executive Director of New York State
Deferred Compensation plan.  The largest DC plan in the U.S.

WPU students enjoy a social event at Case Rondena Winery in Albuquerque