As assistant director of the Money Education Center and lecturer for AGEC 235, Foundations of Money Education, Nick Kilmer has his hands full helping current and former students learn how to handle their expenses.
Kilmer works with three other full-time employees and five student workers in the Money Education Center, which is located on the first floor of The Pavilion. The Money Education Center first opened its doors in August of 2016. It offers financial advising free of charge for current and former students, faculty and staff.
 In a given year, the Money Education Center connects with around 10,000 students, Kilmer said. Despite this constant business, he still exhibits a passion for his work.
 “I love people, and I love working with money,” Kilmer said. “If you can help people be less stressed about money, that’s a fun job to have.”
One of the other full-time employees at the Money Education Center, David Roach, has worked under Kilmer since the center opened and praised the assistant director’s work and leadership.
“Mr. Kilmer can never not do anything 110 percent,” Roach said. “He’s extremely passionate about financial literacy. … He’s very much a servant leader.”
In addition to his role as assistant director, Kilmer also teaches AGEC 235, Foundations of Money Education. The class is a three-credit elective that covers the basics of managing money, covering topics like budgeting and building credit to buying a home and car. The course was first offered in fall of 2017.
Kilmer said the idea for starting up the class came from students saying they did not have enough time to visit the Money Education Center. The course presented a solution by letting students earn academic credit while still learning about managing their finances.
“We started with 23 students,” Kilmer said. “The next semester it tripled to 70, then the next semester it hit 101.”
The class now is made up of two 100-student sections.
Plant and environmental soil science senior Nick Frisbee is currently enrolled in the class and said he is taking it to prepare himself for life after college.
“I really just wanted to set myself up for the future so that I could better manage my finances,” Frisbee said. “I know that is such a big part of being an adult.”
Roach, who teaches one of the class sections, says that AGEC 235 gives the students knowledge that they will use often.
“This is life knowledge,” Roach said. “I want it to be something that you remember for the rest of your life and allows you to have the skills to go out and be successful.”
The work that Kilmer and his team do through the Money Education Center and AGEC 235 has helped many current and former students have peace of mind regarding their finances.
“Being able to take these people and take some of the stress of their plate by teaching them a few things, telling them ‘you’re doing good,’ it’s extremely rewarding,” Kilmer said.