As Director of Educational Initiatives for REGIONAL Federal Credit Union, Sara Meyer-Zasada leads several student-centered educational programs designed to help young people discover financial responsibility and future careers in finance.
Meyer-Zasada supervises the operation of the ten Student Credit Unions REGIONAL maintains in area schools. Alongside our Student Credit Union Specialists, who work directly with the students to prepare them for future careers, Meyer-Zasada ensures the Student Credit Unions offer the same excellent, professional service provided in our branch offices. She also develops, schedules and conducts presentations to educate students about personal finance. REGIONAL’s presentations meet Indiana State Standards, and supplement classroom instruction with a presentation library filled with visual and hands-on activities.
“I believe REGIONAL has taken the lead in developing our youth program to train students not only for careers, but in achieving financial success when they become adults.”
Meyer-Zasada demonstrates that educating students about financial topics fits with REGIONAL Federal Credit Union’s primary value – people helping people. “Since Personal Finance is not a required course in the state of Indiana, our CEO, Jill Banning, wanted to take our education program one step further.” Together, they created the Insight Program for schools – “a free 8-week program that covers topics such as financial psychology, budgeting, and credit, to name a few.”
Schools interested in learning more about how REGIONAL Federal Credit Union can help educate their students about finances can contact Meyer-Zasada at SMeyerZasada@regionalfcu.org.
“REGIONAL is leading the way in Northwest Indiana with our Youth Financial Literacy Program, but I would love to see more financial organizations become involved.” She also encourages parents to talk with their children about money, and REGIONAL Federal Credit Union can provide materials to make that easier.
