FALL 2021
WHAT'S NEXT FOR
Janae Hindsman Jeffrey Lowe & Hannah Gaston Also Inside:
Jump Start Recipients How To: Find a Financial Advisor A Credit Union vs. a Bank 5 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a House GE O RGI ASO W N . O RG/ B LO G
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IN THIS ISSUE From the Editor 03 What's Ne[x]t Winners 04 Jump Start Scholarship Winners 08 Do You Need a Financial Advisor? 09 Credit Union vs. a Bank 11 5 Things to Keep in Mind 12 14 Top Financial Podcasts Notes from our editor, Brianne Heape
We always want to hear from you! Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, or what topic you want to see us cover. Send your comments and questions to bjheape@georgiasown.org and we’ll see what we can do!
Interview with scholarship recipients
Meet the recipients of this award
Let's find out
Want to know more about what’s going on with Georgia’s Own or Ne[x]t? Like us on Facebook (facebook.com/ georgiasown) and follow us on Twitter (@georgiasown) and Instagram (@georgiasowncu)! You can also visit the blog at georgiasown.org/blog to find money-related articles and tips. We want you to be a part of the conversation, so let us know what you’re thinking!
Learn what makes them different
When buying a house
On iTunes and worth listening to
FROM THE COVER
What's Next Winners FROM THE EDITOR Just call me basic, because I’m here for the cooler temps, football, and PSL every day. Do you get as excited for fall as I do? When the leaves start changing colors, I can’t help but re-read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby for the 100th time. Reading a novel with a PSL or cider on a cool, autumn day is what fall dreams in the south are made of. The quote, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” rings so true as the seasons change. There is something refreshing about a new season. New season = new academic year. Each year, Georgia’s Own awards more than $20,000 in scholarships. Flip the page to meet our 2021 recipients of the What’s Ne[x]t and Jump Start scholarships. These students are outstanding and demonstrate exceptional commitment to others, academia, and their future. You can view their video submissions at georgiasown.org/ blog.
Do you have a financial advisor? Do you need one? Find out by answering a few questions and learn how to choose the right advisor for you on page 9. We’ve also got a list of iTunes top financial podcasts, that we think are a great listen. Check them out and let us know what you think! If you’re reading this, you’re likely a credit union member already. However, do you know the difference between a credit union and a bank? While they are both financial institutions, there are several things that make them very different from one another. We’re breaking it down for you on page 11. Buying a house can be overwhelming, so we’ve compiled a list of things to keep in mind when purchasing a home. We think these five things will make the buying process less stressful. Be sure to reach out to your local Georgia’s Own loan officer to determine a house buying budget for you. GO EO R GASO IASOWN. R G /BBLO GE RGI W N . OORG/ LO G
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find out
What's Next for scholarship winners Earlier this summer, we announced our 2021 What's Ne[x]t Scholarship winners. In addition to our Jump Start Scholarship, we awarded a total of $8,500 to three deserving students. Congratulations to Janae, Jeffrey, and Hannah. Each of these students demonstrated an exceptional commitment to others, a strong academic background, and a bright vision for their future. We are beyond proud to have them in the Georgia's Own community and excited to introduce you to each of them.
meet
Janae
School Psychology, Georgia State University
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How did you decide to major in school psychology?
Have your personal life experiences affected your major?
School Psychology was not my first choice as a career, but I knew that I was passionate about education. After months of contemplating about what’s next, I shadowed several school psychologists and I immediately knew it was the career for me! School Psychologists support students' ability to learn and educators' ability to teach through psychoeducational assessments, consultations, interventions, etc., to create conducive learning environments. I love the field of School Psychology because I am able to be an advocate for students and educators while making a change in the school systems and communities.
My personal life had a major impact on my decision to get my master's in School Psychology. I grew up in a singleparent household where my mom worked multiple jobs to care for me and my brother. I noticed that the lack of parent involvement was a reoccurring theme amongst my peers and community as a whole. I also noticed the excessive amount of students who were suspended, expelled, and/or middle school to high school dropouts because they did not receive the appropriate support and services. As a future school psychologist, my role is to help students inside and outside of the classroom to be successful academically, socially, and emotionally. As
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a result of my personal life and experiencing firsthand the problems that students face, specifically minorities, a career as a school psychologist will allow me the opportunity to assist those students in need.
Share more about the tutoring resource center and how you plan on implementing it. The Tutoring Resource Center idea came about as I reflected on my personal life as a child and my passion for education. I experienced firsthand the flaws in the education system and community as a whole as a major reason why students were not academically successful. The Tutoring Resource Center will be a one-stop shop for students and parents. I plan to offer tutoring, counseling, affordable afterschool programs, college/career prep, and support for parents who want to return to school. My goal is to make the Tutoring Resource Center a safe space for the community by offering additional support and services.
5,000
$
Scholarship Winner
What is your favorite thing to do in the Atlanta? Although I am from Atlanta, I have so much more to explore! When I am not in school, I love to try out new restaurants or go on new adventures. There are several great brunch spots in Atlanta that I would love to try because I am a foodie! I also enjoy nature (Sweetwater Creek State Park), escape rooms, and shopping in my free time.
What advice would you give young college students?
2,500
$
This may sound cliché, but the advice I would give young college students is to never give up and remember your purpose. As a first generation college student, I felt so alone and confused when I entered college. I changed my major several times and I even considered dropping out. I also felt a lot of pressure from my parents by being the first to go to college. While in school, I focused on my academics and cofounded a non-profit organization to assist homeless individuals in Atlanta. I also plan to open a Tutoring Resource Center in disadvantaged communities. Despite the factors that were pushing me to give up, I never gave up on my dreams and my purpose to be an advocate for students.
Scholarship Winner
1,000
$ Visit georgiasown.org/blog to view the winners' video submissions!
Scholarship Winner
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meet
Jeffrey Music Management, Georgia State University
AS a musician, what instruments do you play and which one is your favorite? I play the piano, trumpet, and melodica. My favorite is definitely the piano. The piano gives me room, literally as it has 88 keys, to express musical ideas. In fact, a majority of my songs start out with me messing around on the keys.
Share more with us about your alias: DREAM As I mentioned in my video (visit georgiasown.org/blog to view), my alias DREAM is an acronym that stands for "Don't Reject Emotional Activity in your Mind." This name is a reminder to myself to fully experience the waves of life instead of compressing down my emotions. However, it's also a movement that defines my brand. With my music and video content, I push to exemplify emotional expression and exploration. The DREAM brand was created with the intention of helping others become more emotionally intelligent because truthfully, that's what our world needs.
You mentioned releasing something this summer. Can you tell us more? Yes. During the application process I was working on an Extended Play (EP) now called "The Xpeeriment." This project features songs I made when I deleted social media during quarantine isolating myself from my peers. Since the application, I have released "Masks on Masks" and "Homeostasis", two songs that share honest perspectives of experiences in my life. You can find these songs on your favorite streaming platform Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Additionally, you can find the "Masks on Masks" music video on YouTube. As for the rest of the project, I am looking forward to releasing it within the last quarter of this year! You can stay updated with the content 6
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and project via YouTube and Instagram.
Where do you plan on attending college and Have you decided your major? I attend Georgia State University as a Music Management major. However, I have been considering switching to either Psychology or Music Therapy because those majors may be more beneficial to my long term goals.
What do you like to do in your free time? I love spending time with my friends, watching YouTube videos, watching anime, skateboarding, and just about anything that involves being outside. I rarely find myself bored.
Tell us a fun fact that most people would not know about you. I represented Georgia at an international robotics competition in eighth grade. I didn't win nor did I stay on the engineering path, but it was a fun experience I'll never forget.
What advice would you give young college students? Learn to manage your time and you will have the best experience of your life.
meet
Hannah biochemistry, Georgia Institute of technology
Where do you plan on attending college and What is your decided major? I am currently a first-year student at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. I am enrolled as a biochemistry major on the pre-health track.
What do you plan on doing with your college degree? By earning a degree in biochemistry and specifically on the pre-health track, I can ensure that I am taking the required courses for medical school. My plan after graduating from Georgia Tech is to pursue medicine at a medical school. I am still undecided where I would like to go, but I will figure this out as I research the numerous schools across the country and within the state. If I decide that medicine is not for me, I intend to use my degree to get a job doing research.
Your passion for children is evident. Can you tell us more about how you discovered this? Growing up, my mother worked in fields of nursing involving mothers and children. In hearing her stories about the people she helps as a nurse in the motherbaby, neonatology intensive care, and delivery units, I have adopted her passion for taking care of young children. I realize how innocent children are and how little
control they have over their circumstances, and I wish to be a resource to guide them into being healthy and happy adults.
in your video, you mentioned wanting to travel the world. Where would be your top 3 destinations? Picking just three is difficult, but my top three destinations as of right now would have to be Iceland, Italy, and Japan. I would love to visit Iceland, because I recently read a book where a woman traveled there and the way she described the scenery and the culture made me fall in love with the country. I want to go to Italy simply due to the endless beauty and fascinating history of the country. Lastly, I would love to visit Japan to see the many tourist destinations as well as experience an exciting and vastly different culture than my own.
where do you see yourself in 10 years? While I certainly have a direction that I would like my life to go, I mostly hope that in ten years I am proud of the person I have evolved into. I hope that I am happy and that I spend my efforts making others happy as well. In ten years, I expect myself to be recently graduated from medical school and working as a pediatrician. I hope that I have contributed to research by this time and that I have experienced new parts of the world as well.
Jayden Mauney Madison Blackmon Kennedy Williams Austin Reid Jazmyn Dydell Kendall Rosenberger Mary Taylor Emma Barrett Ansley Reich Drew Reich Ari Patterson Adrianna Huckaby Andrew Davis Zuri Hightower Mary Walton Leah Jackson Elijah John Cho Alicia Lewis Chelsea Beauford Kaimet Haile
Jump Start SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
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Q A
Do yo u n e e d a financial advisor? L e t's fi n d out.
Th ere i s n o be tter time to think about yo ur f inancial f ut ure t h an righ t now. Wh et h er yo u a re l iv i n g p ayc h e c k t o paycheck or well on yo ur way t o a so l id ret irem ent , anyo ne can b en e f i t f ro m t h e a id an d adv i ce of a financial planner. L et ’s st art by ask ing a few q uest io ns t o d et e r m i n e i f yo u ne e d a fi n ancial advisor.
Do you have a budget? Are planning retirement? Do you have an emergency fund? Are you investing? Do you feel confident in your knowledge of all of these areas? I f yo u a n swe re d yes to any or all of these q uest io ns, t h en yo u m ay no t need an advisor. Howeve r, i f yo u answered no to any of t h o se q uest io ns, yo u m ay b enef it f ro m t h e aid o f a fi n a n c i a l p l a n n e r. Th ere are l i ke ly a ton of options for adviso rs in yo ur area. Find ing t h e adviso r wh o is p e r fe c t fo r yo u i s th e key. You’re going to want som eo ne wh o is k nowl ed geab l e and can aid in yo u r s av i n g , b u dge ti n g , a n d i nvesting. Finding a cert if ied adviso r can h el p yo u ch o o se so m eo ne t ru s t wo r t hy, a s m o s t are h e l d to certain ethical stand ard s. Yo u sh o ul d al so feel co m fo rt ab l e t al k ing a n d s h a r i ng s e n s i tive, financial information wit h t h is perso n. To fi n d th e adv i sor for you visit your local G eo rgia’s O wn b ranch o r geo rgiasown. o rg.
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Lower Interest Rates on Higher Education
Whether you’re just starting college, need to refinance existing student loans, or considering graduate school, Georgia’s Own can help you achieve your educational goals. Because we are a not-for-profit credit union, we offer competitive interest rates, flexible repayment options, 24/7 support, and more. To learn more about our Student Choice options and to apply online, visit georgiasown.org.
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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? A CREDIT UNION VS. A BANK
NOT-FOR-PROFIT
FOR-PROFIT
NCUA INSURED (UP TO $250,000)
FDIC INSURED (UP TO $250,000)
FEWER FEES
MORE FEES
HIGHER SAVINGS RATES, LOWER LOAN RATES
LOWER SAVINGS RATES, HIGHER LOAN RATES
MEMBER OWNED
SHAREHOLDER OWNED
AFFILIATION REQUIRED
ANYONE CAN JOIN
VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PAID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN
Buying a House 1
Build a healthy savings account 2
Strengthen your credit score 3
Consider closing costs 4
Contact your credit union to see what you can afford 5
Find home insurance that fits your budget
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Enjoy Purchase Power with Plenty of Perks
The road to strong credit and financial flexibility starts with the Georgia’s Own Student Visa®. In addition to enjoying low interest rates and no annual fee*, you also earn reward points that can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, and more! If you love mobile wallet options such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay, no worries, our card works with those, too. To learn more about our Student Visa credit card, visit georgiasown.org.
*Purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances subject to the standard variable APR of 12.99% for Student Visa Credit Cards, based on your creditworthiness and qualifications. Penalty APR is 17.99%. Rates valid as of 10/01/21 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Fee for cash advance is 3% of advance amount. Fee for balance transfer is 3% of transfer amount or $10, whichever is greater. Fee for foreign transactions is 2% of each currency transaction in U.S. dollars. Subject to credit approval. Other limitations may apply.
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FINANCIAL PODCASTS WORTH LISTENING TO
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Connect with Georgia’s Own!
facebook.com/georgiasown | @georgiasown | youtube.com/georgiasowncu | @georgiasowncu
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