CREDIT: ENRICHED ACADEMY
Bruce Coxon will be at the launch event alongside co-owner Kevin Cochran.

The Financial Aid office, Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) and LEAP Junction have come together to make Enriched Academy available to Fanshawe students.

The launch event will be held on Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. in Forwell Hall.

The online module was featured on the seventh season of Dragons’ Den. FSU’s VP finance Carlie Forsythe said the online tool is great for students, especially those who have little knowledge on how to manage their money.

“It helps students understand how to use their money, how to save it, how to graduate debt free… basically how to be smart with your money,” Forsythe said.

Forsythe said the module teaches users about personal finance in short videos, with lessons on things such as understanding credit and how to save.

According to the Enriched Academy website, 84 per cent of post-secondary graduates want more financial education.

The Financial Aid office led the way and purchased access to the module for Fanshawe students for three years. The office contacted Forsythe to help organize a launch party. Forsythe then brought in Annette Markvoort from LEAP Junction, an entrepreneurial support service available on campus.

Markvoort said she is glad to be a part of the Financial Aid office’s event, and that the financial literacy Enriched Academy provides is crucial for any student interested in a future in entrepreneurship.

“I’m always looking for ways to collaborate, so this was with FSU and Financial Aid, for the whole reason of delivering information to students, not only around financial literacy but around the avenues for entrepreneurship,” Markvoort said. “It was a perfect fit in many ways.”

Two Dragons, Jim Treliving and Bruce Croxon, financially supported Enriched Academy. Croxon will be at Fanshawe at the launch event along with one of the co-owners of the company Kevin Cochran and CEO Todd Peterson. Cochran will give a talk about his entrepreneurial journey, who will be followed by a talk from Croxon.

Forsythe said this college tour has received positive reviews, adding that she has heard great things about how students have been inspired by the talks.

“People have just loved it. People are getting interested in real estate, and those kinds of things. They were super interested, super engaged, and it should be a really interesting and entertaining event,” Forsythe said.

“I mean, we’re getting a Dragon,” Forsythe added.