The Big Plan on Campus - A BerganKDV Podcast: Recent Episodes
BerganKDV, Thomas Pargett
Join Thomas Pargett as he sits down with leaders in higher education and related industries to discuss the strategy, opportunities and growth in the world of education.
On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Alex Watters, the Director of Alumni Engagement at Morningside University.
Alex shares his unique journey with the world of education, beginning with his dreams of being a pro-golfer. After an unfortunate accident, his plans changed. Alex received a degree in political science and global history from Morningside and saw himself instead going into politics. He went on to get his masters in negotiation and dispute resolution and had the opportunity to intern at the US Department of Education. Through his intern experience, he found himself wanting to be part of the Morningside campus environment, so he pursued a career there. He’s been working at Morningside now since 2013.
Thomas asks Alex about how universities can create effective alumni engagement. Alex says there’s a common phrase with engaging alumni: time, talent and treasure. Some universities will focus on one component, but he believes in taking a balanced approach. Alex goes on to give numerous examples of ways to engage alumni with their time and talent.
The two then discuss where some universities miss the mark on alumni engagement. Alex talks about how key it is to compare your program to others and regularly evaluate it to see what’s working and not working. Sometimes alumni programs get caught up in tradition, which can be a good thing but oftentimes can hold programs back from evolving. Aspects of a program may be broken, and need changed. Being open to change and intentional with your engagement is key to avoiding a stale program.
On this week’s episode for the financial planning educational opportunity, Thomas talks about an upcoming webinar that he is hosting with two of his team members at the end of March on recent market volatility. BerganKDV’s Chief Investment Officer, Derek Hoyt and Portfolio Analyst, David Peyton will be presenting “Keeping Market Volatility in Perspective” on March 30th at 2pm CST. Click here to register!
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Todd Henningsen and Becca Oelrich, fellow advisors at BerganKDV Wealth Management. Becca is a wealth advisor out of St. Cloud, MN and Todd is a wealth advisor out of Waterloo, IA. The three advisors reflect back on key financial planning events of 2021 and give some insight of what’s to come in 2022.
Todd begins the conversations by sharing an overview on stocks and the all-time highs for 2021. He also reviews the year it has been for bonds and how the 10-year treasury is used to measure what has happened and what will happen in the future. Thomas then asks Todd, if the yield is so low, wouldn’t that future take away from the demand? Todd discusses the different components to that, how it works, and how it affects your portfolio.
Thomas and Todd then transition to the topic of what they believe to be areas of opportunities from an investment standpoint. Todd speaks about companies of value and areas of growth to consider in your portfolio and how large US Growth companies have been winners over the last 5+ years. He also shares how valuations are more attractive in small/mid cap and emerging markets and recommends rebalancing to those who want to incorporate these opportunities in their financial plans.
The advisors shift to discuss the hot topic of inflation. Todd shares how inflation impacts investments and what clients can do to combat or adapt with it. Becca explains how she describes the connection between inflation and investments to her clients. They then talk about how the market is expecting inflation to decrease and run normal for the next few years.
After inflation, Becca dives into the impact roll bonds and fixed income have in a portfolio even if they haven’t been doing well recently. She emphasizes that financial strategies are specific to each client’s situation and how she determines a client’s risk based of that strategy to decide if bonds are appropriate for their portfolio.
With the new year ringing in a few days away, the three advisors wrap up their time together by talking about what financial planning considerations clients should be making into 2022. They discuss what recommendations they are offering to clients, including the new IRS contribution limits to IRAs.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Dr. Courtney Haun, assistant professor in Samford University's School of Public Health and director of the health care administration undergraduate program.
To begin their conversation, Dr. Haun talks to Thomas about her educational journey and career path as a first-generation college graduate from a small town in Tennessee. She shares with Thomas that she knew after finishing high school that she loved education and attended college because of that. She graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, community health, and marketing. That wasn’t her first chosen route.. She originally wanted to be Miss Tennessee, but when that didn’t pan out, she flipped a coin and pursued her degree in healthcare.
Dr. Haun tells Thomas how her passion for healthcare grew during an “ah-ha” moment she had as an intern where she shadowed the CEO and CFO at a large hospital in Tennessee. She was watching an open gall bladder removal and became sick, eventually having to leave the room. This caused her to doubt whether the clinical side of healthcare was right for her. After this, she went on to get her masters and PhD at Auburn. At Auburn, she began teaching and realized she found a role where she could combine her two passions for education and healthcare.
Thomas and Dr. Haun go on to discuss what the pandemic has taught her as an educator in the field of public health. She explains the need for preventative care and what preventative care really is. They then transition their conversation to “The Fauci effect” and the increase in students wanting to enter the healthcare field since the pandemic and the publicity around Dr. Fauci. Healthcare programs and admissions to higher education in general are growing. What can educators do to prepare themselves for the influx of students? Lastly, Thomas and Dr. Haun discuss how the pandemic effected higher education for better and for worse. Tune in to hear their take.
On this week’s financial planning educational opportunity, Thomas talks about how the retirement plan contribution limits have changed for 2022. There are new limits for the total amount you can contribute to your 401k each year, taking into account COLA (cost of living adjustments). There is also an additional catch-up amount for those over 50 years of age and those who have been with their employer for 15+ years and have a 403b. Listen in to hear the details!
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Sundance Wicks, the assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Wyoming and founder of the Arizona Power Basketball Academy.
Growing up in Gillette, Wyoming with his family (Tom, John, Mark, Barbara, Luke, and Kelsey), Sundance explains how he got his unique name. “With a name like Sundance, you can’t be boring,” he says. He is a passionate person who loves helping others find their passion. He had a challenging road to becoming a college basketball coach for 15 years. There were times when he was living in his car and wondering how he was going to get his next meal. He tells Thomas how he went from almost experiencing homelessness to now being the assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Wyoming. It’s an incredible story.
“Bring your own juice.” That’s Sundance’s personal mantra and a mantra he is known for. Are you able to get up every day when it doesn’t feel promising? You could be living out of your car or just don’t want to do life, but every day you should show up, do your job, and help others.
Thomas and Sundance then go on to discuss the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) officially changing its rules, now allowing college athletes to receive benefits from their name, image, and likeness. What does this mean and how is this going to change the shape of collegiate athletics? It might be a wait and see game. There are some no brainers and trailblazers out there, but a lot of it will be athletes testing out the waters. There are going to be a lot of things to figure out in the next few years, because clearly this rule is here to stay for a while.
Does that put a school at a disadvantage if they don’t have a good-looking NIL (name, image, likeness) package? Sundance doesn’t think that it is a big selling point right now, but speculates what it might mean in the future for student athletes who are selecting a school. He also goes on to discuss how he thinks this ruling will change and evolve.
This episode is nothing short of entertaining. Sundance has a great story and positive energy. I’m sure you will be a University of Wyoming Basketball fan by the end of the episode. Tune in to get your “juice” for the week!
On this week’s episode for the financial planning educational opportunity, Thomas talks about why you should own fixed income in your portfolio with interest rates are so low. Tune in to get Thomas’ rebuttal to this common question.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Ian O’Brien who is the Education Specialist here at BerganKDV in our retirement plan solution.
Ian kicks off the conversation by sharing his career journey. He started in financial planning services and worked in retirement plan services while going to school and getting his masters to be an English teacher at night. He then began a career as a middle school English teacher. After seven years of doing that, he wanted more time with his kids and moved into his current role of an Education Specialist for retirement plan services. He works with clients on an annual and recurring basis to helping them with their 401(k) plan.
After discussing Ian’s professional and educational background, he and Thomas talk about what a client can expect when they partner with Ian and the multiple educational services we provide. They then discuss how Ian advises and educates on the allocation of a client’s investments. Everyone has an investment profile which is specific to them. He evaluates this specific investment profile and then guides the employee to match their risk and investment profile. Diversification is also a big topic of conversation and Ian talks about the Enron scandal that happened 20 years ago and how we can learn from something like that and what diversifying means for a retirement fund.
Thomas and Ian transition into talking about life events and how they correlate with a retirement plan. Ian discusses the importance of checking beneficiaries and what life events can affect who your beneficiaries are. Ian mentions how savings rates are another aspect of account management and the amount you need to save to replace 70-85% of your income in retirement. Other common questions Ian gets during his meetings with employees are on budgeting, withdrawals, social security, Medicare, and lately crypto currency. Why can’t I put bitcoin in my 401(k) plan? Ian explains why.
To wrap up their discussion, Ian emphasizes his passion for his role and being an educator. He loves that he is able to equip his clients with the skills and knowledge they need to take control of their financial and retirement planning decisions for their employees.
On this week’s episode for the financial planning educational opportunity Thomas talks about double checking your beneficiaries! For more details, listen until the end of the episode!
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To start their conversation, Sam shares a bit about his back story and how he earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Michigan. From there, Thomas and Sam dive into the main discussion topic of the episode. Sam talks about the various challenges that specialized physicians who own their own clinics may have when it comes to financial planning and how he works with them to meet their financial goals. To Sam, it’s all about achieving a balance of developing a solid plan that accounts for the future, while allowing clients to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Sam then goes on to talk about the importance of cash flow planning and the specific tools, measures, objections that he has found are successful in building a plan for physicians. Thomas and Sam then go on to talk about retirement plans and Sam outlines plan options that physicians may consider to achieve their desired retirement lifestyle.
After discussing retirement planning, Thomas and Sam discuss tax planning practices and what physicians can do to prepare for tax law changes and how they can maximize their tax benefits through tax diversifying.
At the end of their discussion, Sam and Thomas emphasize the importance of partnering with a Certified Financial Planner to work through your financial planning needs, especially for those like physicians who tend to experience more complex financial scenarios. They make the equation of opting to see a physician who is board-certified, over one who is not and how CFPs are equipped with the knowledge and tools to handle most financial situations.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To start their conversation, Abby shares a bit about her educational background and how she attended the University of Minnesota. Abby and Thomas then go on to talk about the many kinds of retirement accounts you may have as an educator and how distributions are taxed as income. Their discussion then transitions to W2s and retirement planning for educators. A lot of educators take on part-time work while they are working or after they are retired. So, Thomas and Abby address the difference between a W2 employee verses a consultant who is considered self-employed and therefore would not receive a W2.
Another big piece of retirement is social security and Medicare. Abby talks about how much of your social security is taxed and the formula that is used to determine what is taxed as income. Then she goes on to address how Medicare determines your premium, adjustments and the impact your taxes have on your potential Medicare premiums. Lastly, Thomas and Abby address qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) and Roth conversions. They talk about how to utilize these tactics for your retirement planning and how they are an essential part of a retirement tax strategy.
On this week’s episode for the financial planning educational opportunity, Thomas talks about the biggest question he gets around Medicare. “I plan to work past age 65, do I need to sign up for Medicare?” Check out this week’s episode to find out!
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To begin their conversation, Dr. Burns shares her educational background with Thomas. She discusses growing up in Topeka, Kansas and being a first-generation graduate. Dr. Burns then talks about a scholarship mishap which caused her to pivot and led her to attending Emporia State University, focusing on psychology and music. Dr. Burns touches on the importance of mentorship and how her mentor encouraged her to pursue a master’s degree, which is when she discovered her love for teaching. Through her passion of teaching and mentorship, she grew her career in the field.
After talking about Dr. Burn’s career path, Thomas asks her about what her interview process looked like for her current position during COVID-19. She goes on to share how long and detailed the interview process was—taking nearly 8 months. Once she accepted the offer, she describes what her role has looked like taking on the position of President of a university in the midst of a global pandemic. Dr. Burns gives insight on her leadership style and how she holds strong beliefs in collaborative efforts, which with everyone coming together led to the institution being able to maintain safe and successful in-person learning.
She then goes on to talk about how she communicated what their plan was for learning during a pandemic and how she handled communicating other major social issues that transpired during that time, like the insurrection of the Capitol. To conclude their conversation, Thomas and Dr. Burns highlight what they believe to be the positive and negative impacts that the pandemic had to the field of higher education. Thomas wraps up the episode by sharing his financial planning educational opportunity. This time, he shares the difference between a will and a trust. Check out the episode to hear his insights!
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To begin their conversation, Amanda shares her educational background. She talks about how she began to pursue a career in human resources with a degree from the University of Kansas. While in college, Amanda was having a hard time coping with her stress and discovered new stress management techniques such as taking a stretching class through the recommendation of her brother and found great success.
After obtaining her degree, Amanda discusses her career path and the journey that led her to starting her business Mako Mindfulness in 2015. This path included becoming a recruiter out of college and then transitioning to being a substitute teacher and using that role to share her stress management techniques she learned in college. Once seeing the positive impact her tactics had in her environment, she knew she had to share it with others, especially in the field of education.
Amanda goes on to talk about the most common stressor for educators like lack of resources and financial stress. It is common for teachers to not have the budget to provide things for their students and therefore they purchase these things out of their own pocket. How do you address these stressors? Amanda shares how she teaches educators individual skills for resilience. By creating awareness around stress, teachers can understand how they react to it and the warning signs. She provides the resources and plan to help combat stress before it happens. Amanda emphasizes that being proactive about stress and practicing stress management BEFORE you get stressed is key.
Thomas and Amanda then touch on gratitude. Gratitude is a big part of what Amanda teaches. Gratitude has many health benefits and gets easier as you practice it. You should practice it often by just saying “thank you.” What are other ways to implement gratitude? Amanda has curated the MAKO Method which is a combination of breathing, stretching, gratitude, and journaling. Write gratitude lists, have a gratitude partner, and talk about the peak and pit of the day.
Lastly, Amanda talks about her specific process she often utilizes when she is hired by a school or district to develop a stress management strategy. This includes the structure of her stress management sessions, and the specific ways she helps their educators to combat the stress they feel on a daily basis.
To conclude the episode, talks about free guide he wrote “The Five Gaps and Five Solutions in Financial Planning for Leaders in Higher Education”. You can find that essay here.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
Dr. Paustian began his career as a pilot in the Air Force, which eventually led him to working with leading aerospace companies on their brand development. With expertise in many areas of technology and innovation, Dr. Paustian was brought in to build the Des Moines Area Community College.
The first step Paustian took, in 1999, when he began the journey of building the Des Moines Area Community College, was identifying the opportunities on the horizon in the technology and innovation spaces. Through collaborative conversations with leaders in those industries, Paustian formed a launch plan that included the evolving technology of handheld technology and mobility.
The number one goal that Paustian had was to inspire students and one of the ways he did this was through using technology in cool and innovative ways. This directly led to robust fundraising efforts with partners whose mission and values aligned with the college.
The rest of the episode includes Thomas and Dr. Paustian detailing the additional curriculum and paths that were added to the college to support enrollment and the needs of students. This journey involved numerous pivots as technology, interests, and communities changed.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
David shares his educational background and career path with listeners, discussing where he went to university and law school and why he changed his role from practicing corporate law to teaching students about the art and design of negotiation. After discussing his background, David shares about his experience working in in-house legal teams at varying companies in Silicon Valley. He talks about the strategies, culture and mind-sets he picked up on from working at start-ups and technology companies and how he applies these lessons and skills learned to his classroom today.
Thomas then transitions the conversation and asks David about the subject matter he teaches, negotiation. David shares some real-life examples of some of the methodologies he teaches his students and the importance of learning negotiation, giving and accepting effective feedback, and persuasion. Thomas and David then dive into the various challenges being faced by higher education institutions and law schools, what they believe to be the root causes and how these establishments can address the challenges. At the conclusion of the episode, Thomas gives an update on the current state of the market and what this past quarter’s numbers look like for reference.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To begin their conversation, Dr. Klontz shares his educational career path, listing the various institutions of where he completed his studies. He talks about how the world of investing became appealing to him after his studies due to seeing his peers who traded stocks earn a good chunk of money in a short amount of time. Dr. Klontz mentions growing up in a low-income family as well as the amount of debt he had accumulated, that he knew he wanted to learn more about investing and trading to help tackle his debt. He discusses how he put everything he had into the market, and that it worked well for him for the short-term but due to a market drop he ended up losing everything, which made him wonder why he made his financial decisions to begin with. This curiosity led him down the career path of combining the fields of psychology and finance in the pursuit to understand what leads people to make their financial decisions to eventually becoming an Associate Professor who teaches behavioral finance.
After talking about Dr. Klontz’s background, the two shift their conversation to money scripts. Dr. Klontz defines money scripts and the power they hold over people when it comes to their financial beliefs. He shares how he identified the four types of money scripts through finding patterns in thousands of survey and interview responses from people when asked about their financial beliefs. Within those four types, he says how one of them tends to lead to positive outcomes and the other three are financially unhealthy.
Thomas and Dr. Klontz shift to discuss potential money scripts outside the main four and the importance of evolving your relationship with money. Dr. Klontz talks about how people often transition between money scripts and that a lot of the financial stress of conflict is often mentally and socially driven. To conclude the episode, Thomas emphasizes that for those in retirement, it’s perfectly normal to spend the money that you have spent your life accumulating. He talks about how it’s understandable to have anxiety about withdrawing money for vacations or enjoyment, but that’s what retirement is for, to eat the “pie” that you have been saving your whole career.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To begin their conversation, Jarrett shares the journey of his educational career graduating from a small liberal arts school, Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He then shares how he transitioned from being a public-school science teacher to a corporate trainer at a large-scale grocery store company, to then finding his passion in marketing. Jarrett discusses his role at Echo Delta and how they help schools with recruitment marketing and research, as well as forming effective enrollment strategies. Thomas and Jarrett then dive into differentiation, which Jarrett defines as the competitive strategy schools use to set themselves apart. Jarrett describes some of the various strategies that schools utilize, whether that’s through highlighting cost leadership, particular niches or study focuses and more. Thomas asks Jarrett how differentiation was impacted by COVID-19 as colleges transitioned online to keep students safe and how bigger schools lost students who turned to local community colleges who offered the same remote experience at a much smaller price tag.
Thomas then asks Jarrett about what tactics schools who consider themselves as undifferentiated can do to help them recruit. Jarrett shares his insight about the balance of developing into a well-differentiated school while keeping your door open to other students who may not fit the mold the school has created to target specific students. He then talks about what makes higher education institutions like colleges so unique to advertise and create marketing strategies for since they don’t have a similar structure to other businesses. Jarrett shifts to discuss marketing strategies that some of his current clients utilize to stand out, including focusing on core STEM students and using narrative evaluations instead of standard grades and how differentiation isn’t just one tactic, it’s a series of methods that work together.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches, or schedule an introduction call with Thomas!
To begin their conversation, Paul talks about his educational history from undergrad through law school and how he transitioned from working at a law firm to the field of education as a professor. After discussing his career, Thomas asks Paul about his role as Director of the MBT Program at the University of Minnesota and what types of characteristics they target in students applying for the program. Paul shares his insight on their targeting tactics and how their program has had a 100% employment rate the past few years due to high demands in the accounting and business tax job space.
Thomas and Paul then dive into the value-add of obtaining a master’s degree and what makes the MBT Program at the University of Minnesota stand out from similar programs at other institutions. Paul discusses what strategies the program has undergone to compete with other universities. He also talks about updating the format of the program by breaking down course material into smaller pieces to encourage those to apply who wouldn’t consider it before due to the cost and high level of commitment.
Thomas then asks Paul about what changes and trends he sees in the near future of the MBT program, including the switch from in-person programs to all online due to ease of access. For the rest of the episode, Paul emphasizes the irreplaceable skills learned in the program that will greatly prepare students for their careers and help them build their confidence, no matter how the learning environment has changed.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the field of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches.
John shares his educational career journey of where he studied and played basketball at St. Joe’s University and how he transitioned from a player to a college coach. He then shares his definition of what leadership means to him and the evolution of his definition, from prioritizing being competitive to more about the importance of authenticity. John also discusses how crucial it is to be structured when trying to achieve excellence in your endeavors, both on and off the basketball court. He shares his thoughts on the difference between commitments and goals and how he prefers his team members to focus on the commitments in front of them instead of putting importance on goals that are far in the future.
After discussing leadership and commitments, the conversation transitions to the hot topic of more and more players utilizing the transfer portal and how John and his staff have handled this change in popularity. For the remainder of the episode, Thomas asks John about his experience playing the Baylor Bears in the first round of the 2021 tournament, the evolution of the Baylor basketball program and how John would rank Baylor as compared to other NCAA champions. After discussing basketball, Thomas shares insight on long-term care insurance coverage and how important is to have a financial plan in place to ensure you have the means to a long and happy life.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the world of education? Subscribe to Thomas’s podcast to be first in the know when a new episode launches.
To begin the episode, Jeana gives an overview of what advanced estate planning is and explains what type of individual would want to consider advanced estate planning instead of opting for a more basic approach. She shares how often times, high net worth educators will want to use advanced planning and what factors go into it such as probate avoidance, trust creation, increased privacy and more. Jeana talks about how estate planning can get really complicated for those who climb the ladder of education and have property in different states and how if issues arise, it can take multiple attorney teams and court cases that can potentially turn sour. Jeana recommends taking a holistic approach to estate planning in this case and shares advice for combatting this issue for educators. She discusses asset protection and the varying trusts available for educators to utilize and how it’s crucial to plan these things before you are in a potential lawsuit.
Thomas and Jeana then dive into estate taxes and how it’s been a hot topic of discussion with the new presidential administration coming in and how her team partners with clients to pay down their estate taxes. Jeana talks about the tactics educators can use to assist in paying estate taxes including gifting, life insurance, charitable planning and more. She urges people to be proactive with their estate taxes and to work with professionals to get a proper plan in place to avoid paying the government more than needed. Similar to the first episode, Thomas then asks Jeana to highlight common mistakes that she sees in advanced planning. To conclude, Jeana talks about the time commitment required to work with an attorney on estate planning and what the overall process looks and feels like.
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For the first part of the episode, Jeana shares her educational career, her experience in law school as well as the origin story of starting her own law firm. She also discusses the importance of finding a specialist attorney depending on what legal issues you are dealing with so they can provide the best expertise to guide you through your legal situation. Jeana then outlines what an essentials plan is when it comes to estate planning and how it’s crucial for those in education to be sure they have a plan in place, so they have control over their estate instead of the government making those decisions for you. She dives into the other estate planning documents to have in place and how these documents become very relevant when you become an adult, whether you are a out of state student or later down the road when you start a family.
Jeana encourages those in education to have their estate planning documents reviewed after a major life event, like moving educational institutions across states to be sure their documents are still valid and how it’s important to partner with an attorney in the state you reside. For the remainder of this part, Jeana covers common mistakes she sees with essential estate planning and other factors educators should consider to best plan for their future. In the next part, Jeana and Thomas talk about more complex situations as it relates to estate planning and those in education.
Interested in learning more about financial planning in the world of education? Subscribe to be first in the know when a new episode launches and stay tuned for part two of this series.
Dr. Neuman shares the story of how he transitioned his career path as a software engineer into one centered around people, management, and his passion for education. He also educates listeners on the purpose of an MBA, not only on the credentials it provides but and the numerous skills it teaches you, whether it’s extensive problem solving, collaboration or leadership skills. Dr. Neuman then describes the various communication tactics universities like Creighton are utilizing to target potential MBA students and what considerations students should make to determine if an MBA is a good investment for their future. To wrap up, Thomas dives into the definition of opportunity costs and how it relates both to education and financial planning.
John tells the story of his educational career and his instinct decision to leave his home state of Pennsylvania to help run a small college in Iowa, an institution at the time that was struggling to land on its feet. He then dives into the factors that go into the process of transitioning from a college to a university, such as a growing graduate student program, the marketing strategies required, and more. Finally, he discusses why this is the right path for Morningside and how other colleges should evaluate themselves to see if they should consider the transition.