MADISON, Wis. — “You never know where an opportunity will arise to share the credit union difference, including your alma mater,” said Kim Sponem, CEO/President of Summit Credit Union. As an alumna of the University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology (SoHE), Sponem was recently asked to speak at the closing of a summer gallery exhibit that included a display of two of Summit’s financial education innovations: Project Money, the reality-based financial education challenge, and STAR Credit Union, the first youth-chartered credit union in the world.
In her speech Sponem shared background on the two programs in the display as well as Summit’s exclusive Red SHOES program for financial wellness based on a Weight Watchers model of information and support for financial change as well as Summit’s high school branches and the impacts of their Project Teen Money scholarship challenge in which students, competing for a scholarship, learn and create videos for their peers about saving, spending and giving.
“Understanding how consumers think and looking at problems from the consumer point of view has been invaluable throughout my career. The personal finance class helped develop my passion around financial literacy and the combination of these insights really came from my time here at SoHE.", said Sponem.
The exhibit, “Building Bridges: Our SoHE in the Real World” at the school’s Ruth Davis Design gallery ran most of the summer to showcase how a SoHE education helps to make real impacts in the world. Sponem was invited to be featured when exhibit organizers learned she co-founded STAR Credit Union, and the impact of STAR on giving students at the Boys and Girls club hands-on financial education to understand both money management and credit unions. Through the exhibit and speech, future SoHE students, university staff and various groups from the community learned about and were inspired by Summit’s financial education innovations.
Academic Curator of the gallery, Liese Pfeifer, said the Summit display created excitement and added, “We had a tour this week with College for Kids. These 6th graders were excited to see Daysha's picture on the Star Credit Union panel and then to see her actual shadow box on display.”
“This was one unique way for Summit to share our story of leadership in financial education and for me to thank those who had a part in shaping our approach,” said Sponem.