Projects
Financial Planning Project
As the final project for my Fundamentals fo Financial Planning class, I got to create a financial plan for myself pretending that it is five years after I graduate from college. This project was completed during the Fall 2020 semester, which was my first semester of freshman year. To read about my current reflections on this project, scroll below the Projects to "Reflections on Financial Planning Project."
Retirement Planning Project
As the final project for my Retirement Planning class, I conducted a retirement analysis for myself as well as for another person who has children. I studied different possible scenarios and how these scenarios would impact outcomes. I also discuss retirement philosophy from a biblical perspective.
Girl Scout Gold Award
In high school, I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award, which is an 80-hour sustainable service project. For my project, I developed and taught curriculum to kindergarten students about the importance of kindness. I also trained middle school students to teach with me. This project developed my communication skills, leadership skills, and teaching abilities. It also taught me the value of serving, and that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Reflections on Financial Planning Project
During my first semester of my freshman year of college I enrolled in a Fundamentals of Financial Planning class, not knowing at the time that this class would end up kindling a passion for financial planning and biblical stewardship that would lead to the career I would end up choosing. All of the assignments in the class culminated in a final project in which we created a comprehensive financial plan for ourselves, imagining we were five years post-graduation. This project taught me many skills, especially related to the practical application of financial planning. It’s one thing to learn that it’s important to save for a house, but this project had us actually research houses in an area we were interested in living in and estimate prices. We also did this for cars and education expenses. This future thinking grew my ability to plan for the future and also prepared me to help others do the same in my future career. A part of financial planning is detailed work in looking at the specific websites and sources that are then compiled to make a holistic plan for clients, such as Zillow for housing information, research on investment pages, and comparing different online savings accounts. This researching skill will help me as I prepare to serve future clients. I also am deeply thankful for how this project gave me a biblical foundation for my understanding of financial planning and resource stewardship. I believe that the Bible is our ultimate source of wisdom, so it was immensely impactful for me to be able to look to it as the main inspiration for the project. I have already begun using this foundation in my internships, and will continue to use this in my interactions with future clients.
This project was completed during the fall of my freshman year, so there are things that I would change if I could do the project again. The spending and analysis would change as a result of stricter budgeting and implementing an envelope system since completing this project. I also would place a higher priority on giving. Since completing this project, I have been more challenged in my understanding of generosity, and have found great joy in giving to God’s purposes. Giving was a final thought in completing this assignment. If I were to do it again, I believe that, as a Christian, giving should be my first use of money.
Looking back on this project was encouraging; I am able to see how I have achieved specific goals I made then, such as creating an emergency savings account or having a certain amount saved. Also, I am closer now to five years post-graduation than I was when I completed the project. I am better able to visualize what my life might look like then, and I have a clearer sense of my career path. I also see a lot of personal growth since I first completed this project. For example, in the “Money Scripts & Personality” section, I discuss how I struggled with impulse buying and overspending. This is no longer something I struggle with like I did then, and it was encouraging to see how my mindset has grown since completing this project. It was encouraging to reread the “How the Bible Influences Your Goals'' section, and be reminded of how scripture talks about money, and the wisdom it offers for us as stewards. I can see how the research I did for this assignment has provided me with a strong foundation that I have used in my internships, in my personal life, and will continue to use in my career.