Financial Planning Internship
Position Description

U-ACCESS Background:

U-ACCESS (Office of Urban and Off-Campus Support Services) was established since 2012 to provide comprehensive support and advocacy services to UMass Boston students who may be experiencing homelessness, emancipation from foster care, parental neglect, chronic or persistent poverty, domestic violence, legal issues, financial emergencies, or other unanticipated events in their lives. The office employs a multi-disciplinary approach to assist students who are dealing with a multitude of issues. The office collaborates with other campus units and programs, such as Academic Support Services, the Campus Kitchen at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the College of Public and Community Services, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Public Safety, and University Health Services. In addition, U-ACCESS coordinates efforts with off-campus service providers and organizations around the Greater Boston area. Community partners provide students with available resources and services beyond what the campus may offer.

The ultimate goal of the U-ACCESS is to support students so that they can achieve academic success without being derailed by complex non-academic issues in their lives. Hopefully, with such support, these students will successfully complete their degrees at UMass Boston, stop the cycle of poverty and educational attrition, and improve their life choices and opportunities.

The Office of U-ACCESS is collaborating with the College of Management seeking a part time, 9-month (fall and spring semesters) volunteer/intern to work in creating a financial management curriculum and to provide 1 on 1 services with U-ACCESS student clients on an as-needed basis.  This position consists of two parts: volunteering in the fall semester and an internship in the spring semester. This partnership will give the student intern the opportunity to develop a pilot project with the office of U-ACCESS and individualize financial plans for student clients in a variety of financial hardships, and counsel clients on how to best budget and manage their limited financial means.

Description:

Fall semester training/volunteering responsibilities:

The U-ACCESS Financial Planning volunteer will:

• Research existing financial literacy or financial management curriculum suitable for college students population.
• Modify and/or create a U-ACCESS financial planning curriculum for UMass Boston students.
• Test the curriculum with pilot student participants.

Spring semester internship responsibilities:

The U-ACCESS Financial Planning Intern will:

• Develop client centered financial plans based on individual needs and goals of the client.
• Encourage money consciousness habits for clients by developing budgets, setting goals, and establishing check-ins for clients to assess their progress.
• Meet with clients on a bi-weekly basis.
• Develop financial counseling portfolio, (program) and train subsequent interns.
• Maintain confidentiality of client information throughout the process and after counseling has concluded.
• Ensure secure storage of all client data, and follow best practices for timely destruction of sensitive materials.
• Interns will be under the supervision of the Director of U-ACCESS, and report weekly on the status and outcomes of client meetings.
• Interns will also be expected to attend short orientation session prior to starting internship.
  

Duration: This is a 9 month, UMass Boston Academic Year, internship

Application Deadline: October 31^st , 2014

Qualifications:

• Management Major–Concentration in Finance; or related major/field
• Completed 60 credit hours
• Completion of AF 201 and/or AF 301 highly recommended
• Cumulative UMass Boston GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Availability to meet with clients up to 15 hours per week
• Students who have the desire to work in Financial Planning industry after graduation are highly encouraged to apply
• Desire to help clients in dire financial circumstances
• Demonstrated ability to manage personal finances
• Effective written and oral communication skills

To Apply:

Email your resume to Shirley Fan-Chan, Director of U-ACCESS at: shirleyfanchan@umb.edu.  This position is posted in My Career Online as job order ID # 22052.

Contact Information:

Please Contact Shirley Fan-Chan at U-ACCESS by email shirleyfanchan@umb.edu or by phone 617-287-3195 if you have further questions about the volunteer/internship opportunity.

Notes:

Management majors may earn MAP miles for this experience, please contact mapcm@umb.edu for more details.  If applicant wishes to use this internship for academic credit in their Management Major for the Spring 2015, students must also complete the Internship for Academic Credit process located in the CM Student Resources Page of the College of Management’s Website.  Contact upo@umb.edu for more information.