Michael Sun, SEAS & WH ’24, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This summer, I had the honor of serving as the Business Development Team Supervisor at the Common Cents Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) organization aiming to make personal finance education more interesting, innovative, and inclusive.
This summer, a central part of my role was to work with the amazing intern team to establish partnerships with schools, other nonprofits, and financial services companies. But this wasn’t just about finding sponsors; it was about finding the right sponsors, those who genuinely shared our mission to make personal finance education accessible to everyone. Every partnership began with a conversation. Instead of leading with what we needed, we started with why our work mattered. We shared stories of the students we’re helping—real people who are learning to take control of their financial future because of the education we’re providing.
I quickly learned that forming these partnerships wasn’t just about crafting the perfect pitch. It was about listening—really listening—to what potential sponsors were looking for in a partnership and showing them how supporting our cause could align with their company’s values and goals.
One of these partners was The Financial Literacy Group. From our initial conversation, it was clear that their mission resonated deeply with ours. They, too, were enthusiastic about empowering individuals with the knowledge to take control of their financial futures. But as we continued our dialogue, we realized that they were looking for more than just a one-off speaker event; they wanted a true partnership where they could be actively involved in our initiatives and to bring the mission of financial wellness to other places at Penn and beyond.
In response to this, we developed a unique engagement plan that went beyond one-off events. We proposed more regular collaborations, such as a speaker series where experts from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Treasury could share their consumer advocacy insights with our students. Additionally, we discussed the development of a financial literacy symposium in the Spring. This symposium would gather experts from each domain of personal finance, creating a comprehensive platform for discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions. It would provide students, educators, and community members the opportunity to dive deep into various financial topics, from basic budgeting and savings strategies to understanding the complexities of investments and loans. The idea was to not just inform but to empower and equip attendees with actionable knowledge and tools they can apply in their everyday lives. The enthusiasm from The Financial Literacy Group in supporting these initiatives reaffirmed our belief in the importance and impact of our work.
Doing this well meant doing our homework. Before each meeting, our team dove into learning about the potential partner: What were their past philanthropic efforts? What were their corporate social responsibility goals? What kind of partnerships had they engaged in before? This background knowledge allowed us to have meaningful, productive conversations where we could show how a partnership with Common Cents could help them advance their own mission, while also making a significant positive impact on the communities we serve.
These weren’t one-sided conversations. They were dialogues where both sides were heard, and from which real, genuine relationships could form. We weren’t just looking for funding; we were looking for partners who were as excited about our mission as we were. By the end of the summer, I was proud to see that we had not only secured funding, but formed real partnerships. These are companies that are now invested not just in our organization, but in the future financial health of the students we’re reaching.
My work with Common Cents has solidified my passion for social impact and has been the perfect precursor to my future goals. I am aiming to go to graduate school to study applied economics and public policy. This summer, I honed my skills in teaching and mentorship and made meaningful steps toward creating a world where personal finance education is not just a privilege, but a right that is accessible and inclusive for all.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2023 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
