Keeping track of one’s monthly expenses can perhaps seem a fruitless task in light of the often meager incomes that college students receive. But it is during those college years when mastering one’s finances is so crucial, both because it enables them to spread those meager incomes farther and to learn and implement money management skills that will provide the basis for a happy family life after college. Whether you are an FHSS student, faculty, or alumni, financial awareness is crucial to your peace and security, now and in the future. On October 13th, alum Brigitte Madrian will be speaking on how to make smart financial decisions, and how to avoid common financial mistakes. All are invited.

Who is Brigitte Madrian?

Doctor Madrian is respected as an authority on the matter of household finances. She graduated from BYU with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics, and went on to obtain a PhD in the same subject from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has since been on the faculty of several universities and authored a book, as well as a plethora of studies in peer-reviewed academic journals. Madrian co-directs the Household Finance working group of the National Bureau of Economic Research.  Today, she is the Aetna Professor of Public Policy and Corporate Management at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Legislation regarding employer-sponsored 401(k) plans been impacted because of Madrian’s research, according to Ideas42, a nonprofit working to apply cutting-edge behavioral insights to some of the world’s toughest social problems. Since her days as a cougar, Madrian used skills gained from her education and research to help many people make smarter financial decisions. Whether you are an E-con major, or just trying to be the master of your money, there is something in her lecture for you.

Are you in control of your money, or is your money in control of you?