CPFM 5-year anniversary dinner

The Nielsen College of Business hosted a five-year Anniversary Celebration Dinner for the Center for Personal Financial Management (CPFM), in late October. The CPFM was started by Professor Boyce Smith and Dr. Heather Chadwick in the fall of 2019, in partnership with the Ron Blue Institute. 

The CPFM at Charleston Southern University trains and equips CSU students and the campus family with biblical principles of financial wisdom and money management. The Nielsen College of Business teaches topics such as the biblical view of money, stewardship, budgeting, debt management, investing, charitable giving and wealth management.

In the past five years, the CPFM has had a huge impact on students not only in the Nielsen College of Business but also across campus. Since the beginning, the program has had nearly 40 students become peer-coaches and has influenced the lives of more than 2,500  students through the Personal Financial Management class and Peer-to-Peer meetings, teaching students to view money from a biblical perspective. 

One peer coach, Maddie Gainey, said coming into college she was lost and without purpose, but the Lord used CPFM to give her purpose and direction. 

Michael Blue, the keynote speaker for the evening, highlighted the dangers of pursuing money as an idol and applauded CSU and the CPFM program for their work in teaching students a biblical approach to money. He reminded attendees, “we have an opportunity to teach students that they have a choice to not bow down to the idol of money… this is a battle worth the fight.”

President Keith Faulkner said, “What we do here makes a difference in this world. We are doing something counter cultural in the best way possible.”

Many of the past and present peer coaches expressed their appreciation for Professor Smith and his love for the program. They explained how he recognized their potential and that his impact changed their lives for the better. At the dinner, Smith was awarded with the first lighthouse award for his commitment to CPFM and dedication to helping students find their purpose. 

Do you want to join the journey and make a difference that will impact generations to come? You can learn more about the program and future opportunities by reaching out to Chris Holdorf at tholdorf@csuniv.edu or Heather Chadwick hchadwick@csuniv.edu or you can donate here.

Related Stories