With the academic year underway, San Diego State University’s Cal Coast Student Financial Center celebrated the grand opening of its expanded facility in August. 

Announced last spring, the center now offers financial literacy programs to equip students with essential money-management skills.

Located in Student Services West 3615, the Cal Coast Student Financial Center — primarily virtual — symbolizes California Coast Credit Union’s $3 million commitment to SDSU students. 

The center’s core offerings include financial counseling, scholarship information and student loans, further emphasizing Cal Coast’s long-standing partnership with SDSU to enhance student financial literacy.

On Mondays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., services are also available at the Basic Needs Resource in Calpulli Center, third floor, Suite 3201, according to its website. The center also has a space for document drop-offs and one-on-one meetings.

Services are available at the Basic Needs Resource in Calpulli Center, third floor, Suite 3201, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays. The center also offers a space for document drop-offs and one-on-one meetings.

Building on this, Cal Coast introduced the iGrad platform, giving students and staff access to personalized financial tools and courses to enhance financial decision-making.

Rose Pasenelli, associate vice president for Student Financial Resources, shed light on the pressing need for such a center. 

“August last year saw almost 15,000 students coming to us. That’s the sheer volume we’re addressing,” Pasenelli said. “With these services, SDSU hopes to better serve its student population, approximately 70% of whom receive financial aid, and to equip them with the tools they need for a financially secure future.”

Pasenelli also emphasized the contribution of the Cal Coast Credit Union.

“Cal Coast Credit Union gave us a generous donation to offer financial literacy programming and debt counseling to our students free of charge,” Pasenelli said. 

This partnership doesn’t dive into the logistics of financial aid or scholarships but zeroes in on financial literacy and management. 

“We’re finding that our students are having trouble budgeting,” Pasenelli said. “(Students) receive large sums of financial aid, and two months later, they can’t meet their basic needs because all the money’s gone.” 

Recognizing this challenge, the partnership with Cal Coast Credit Union was important, according to Pasenelli. 

“Our Cal Coast partner recognized the need just as we did. We wanted to offer this resource, but with our budgets being tight, we couldn’t do it alone,” Pasenelli said. “They offered to donate so we could provide these services to our students.”

In light of frequent student inquiries about scholarships and billing, Shira Scott, director of the Student Financial Management Center, emphasized the center’s evolving capacity. 

“We see far more students than we were able to before the center existed,” Scott said. “Some days we exceed 1,000 students per day.”

Since adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic, the center has continued to use Zoom, allowing students and families to connect from different locations.

“If the parent is in New York and the student is in San Diego, we can meet with both to ensure we’re on the same page. It was only a few months ago that we fully cross-trained our staff,” Scott said in response to addressing student financial needs.

Pasenelli also highlighted the center’s commitment to treating every student uniquely, drawing attention to their tailored approach to specific challenges.

“After the Maui fires, a freshman arrived with only her clothes and a laptop,” Pasenelli said, emphasizing that their resources aren’t just for emergencies.“Whether it’s a car breakdown or more pressing crises, we first consider available financial aid and then our diverse resources.”

Pasenelli further emphasized that the center, with programs like Project Rebound, Guardian Scholars and resources such as on-campus food banks, stands are ready to aid students through both major challenges and everyday hurdles.

Beyond the regular services provided by the center, collaborative events and programs further enhance the resources available to students. 

Basic Needs Lead Program Coordinator Kashmone Hamilton discussed the recent “Money Movie Night” as part of their ongoing efforts. 

The event sought to guide students on managing their financial aid and adopting sound financial habits. Guest speakers from Cal Coast Credit Union participated, and the event concluded with a screening of the Netflix financial documentary “Get Smart With Money.”

“We’re also collaborating with various departments on campus and have events lined up for the semester, including our CalFresh day, focusing on budget-friendly grocery shopping,” Hamilton said.

For more information about the Cal Coast Student Financial Center and related resources, visit the Cal Coast Student Financial Center’s website.