This year, a new student-run organization called Calvin NEXUS Peer Financial Coaching has started on campus. Currently, there are four student coaches, a staff program manager, Misty Wondergem, and a faculty advisor, Dirk Pruis.

“[The coaches] are men and women with good hearts who are focused on helping others. They are eager to serve their fellow students and increase the level of financial literacy and good stewardship on campus,” said Pruis.

The NEXUS program was introduced to Calvin College as a fit to the mission statement of equipping students to be “agents of renewal in the world.” It is also a complement to the Calvin LifeWork program. Pruis learned about NEXUS through Calvin’s partnership with Ron Blue Institute (RBI), where the program had been designed.

“As the program began [about three years ago] and then became highly successful, it became clear it would be a good fit for Calvin,” said Pruis. “We’ve continued to see the demand grow for students to be prepared for their financial lives upon graduation [through the personal finance course I have taught at Calvin].”

One of the core values of NEXUS is that it is a Christ-centered program. NEXUS integrates biblical principles and a scriptural foundation for student coaches to help their peers become more equipped to manage all aspects of their finances. It is also discipleship-based with a financial coaching combination to help students learn how to live their lives as God’s stewards in all areas of life, especially with finances.

“God owns all our resources, so we are called to live with open hands and hearts to seek his wisdom on how we use our money, and the Bible has much to say about how we are to use our financial resources,” said Pruis.

The NEXUS program aims to help students tackle financial concerns such as filling out their taxes or finding their credit score. They offer numerous resources to students. Coaches can help their peers with topics such as the ones aforementioned, budgeting, giving, managing debt, taxes and the list goes on. Students can schedule one-on-one coaching sessions and ask any financial questions they may have.

“My favorite aspect of the program is the flexibility of it and how we truly cater to everyone’s needs on an individualized basis. I am so excited that this program allows us to get to know so many new people and grow relationally with them,” said Kaitlin Terschak, a student coach for NEXUS.

Students can also schedule a presentation for any group of interested people (student orgs, friends, staff, etc.), acquire access to biblically-based tools and resources and also have accountability with their coach.

“One of my main responsibilities within the program is holding people accountable for their own finances. We want to do everything to help them reach what they are striving for by giving them essential tools and resources to do so,” stated student coach Zach Kammeraad.

Another student coach, Nate DeWindt, added, “The program is free. How can you beat that?”

This year, the NEXUS team hopes to get the program off to a successful start. They also want to raise the program’s awareness and meet Calvin students’ needs. For the long-term, NEXUS will strive to “raise the broader level of financial literacy and awareness and to better equip Calvin students with the knowledge and tools they need to equip them to be good stewards as they leave this place,” stated Pruis and Wondergem.

The NEXUS program is for any and every kind of student. Regardless of whether you have a financial concern or have a general question, anyone is able to use the NEXUS program’s resources.

“This is not just for students with [financial] problems. Perhaps you’re someone who is simply curious about investing or some other topic, and you just want to pick somebody else’s brain. We are here to help,” said DeWindt.

Sign up for a coaching session at calvin.edu/go/nexus to get answers to all your unanswered financial questions before graduation.