As students walked through Harper’s Quad, they encountered rows of tables offering treats, the smell of pizza, and a live performance by rising country artist Angie K at this year’s Fall Fest on October 14. 

The annual event featured pumpkin carving, a photo opportunity, a goat petting zoo, and free food.

Among the various tables, one table stood out: the Student Wellness table.

At the Student Wellness table, students had the chance to pick up the Financial Wellness Scavenger Hunt pamphlet. Using the scavenger hunt, they were guided through the tables, each containing a detailed question or financial lesson.

In addition to the scavenger hunt, students received a mini brochure with commonly asked finance questions.

Some questions on the pamphlet included: What options do I have to help pay for Harper College? What is a budget, and why is it important? Are there specific credit cards designed for students?

Financial illiteracy has long been a concern among students, as described in this editorial by former Harbinger editor Adriana Briscoe.

Beth McPartlin, Manager of Harper Wellness, states that the primary goal is to help students become financially aware.

“Our job is to help educate, not just about our financial resources here at Harper, but to really make our students successful at Harper and throughout their collegiate endeavors and beyond,” McPartlin stated.

While some of the questions seemed basic, the pamphlet provided valuable information for students eager to learn.

“Some of the questions on there [Financial Awareness Scavenger Hunt] are kind of your basic needs of financial wellness. Questions like, ‘How do I open a credit card?’ or ‘What is interest?’” McPartlin said. “Some things that seem like a no-brainer for some, sometimes people haven’t been introduced to financial wellness at all in their lives.”

As McPartlin noted, although not everyone grows up knowing financial wellness, students like Cris Watson believe the information is great to have, regardless.

Cris Watson, a sophomore at Harper, passed through Fall Fest and reflected on the financial literacy lessons being taught at the event.

“I haven’t really struggled with that [financial help] just yet, but I think it’s nice that they have those resources for people who need them or just in general,” Watson said. “I think even if you aren’t struggling with it, it’s still good to have that kind of information.”

Melanie Duchaj, Coordinator of Student Engagement, and Erin Graff, Manager of Student Involvement, reflected on how Fall Fest served both as a fun celebration and an educational experience.

For Duchaj, the large turnout reflected not only the event’s popularity but also how it has grown from last year.

“This year we estimate to have seen 2500 students and employees based on pumpkin and food numbers,” Duchaj noted. “Last year we had estimated to have seen 2000 students and employees.”

Beyond the celebration, Graff says that the event is to keep the community educated while having fun doing so.

“We want our students to be informed and educated about the choices they make because that can have long-term implications for students,” Graff said. “That’s something really important to us as an institution is not that we can have fun, but we can also use this opportunity to gather so many people together.”

For a link to the wellness resources, click here.