Alumni talk about financial planning as a career

Julia M. Connell '84 CFP®, MSFP, Charles Town
"Financial planning is a very rewarding job field for those who have an aptitude for working with numbers and a passion for working with people. I feel that I have a very positive impact on the financial lives of my clients by helping them align their financial resources with their long-term goals and providing a path toward achieving those goals.

"I am thrilled that Shepherd is offering financial planning as a concentration as it will help promote the career path in general. More importantly, it will serve to increase the number of CFP® professionals available to rural Americans and will allow students to make an important difference in their hometowns."

Jennifer Peterson '07, Shepherdstown
"I think this is the greatest job in the world. I help people on a daily basis by putting into action a plan that will help them attain their financial goals. I believe that I really make a difference in the lives of my clients and take pride in doing so.

"I am passionate about educating our younger generations on the value of saving and the benefits of starting at an early age.

"It's very exciting that Shepherd is offering a concentration in financial planning that will allow students to sit for the CFP® exam. I think it will encourage more students to attend Shepherd University and pursue a career in the financial services industry. Our community will also benefit by gaining access to well-educated financial professionals who help to improve the lives of the individuals and businesses they come in contact with."

John Wolff '88, Hamilton, Virginia
"When I entered the financial services industry in 1988, financial planning was a relatively new way of delivering advice and services. For decades prior, and to some extent today, financial planning was product-driven mainly through financial institutions such as banks, brokerage houses, and insurance companies. Today, financial planning is focused on process and many planners have migrated to a fee-only model versus a model that pays the planner for 'selling' products and services. Serving individuals, families, and institutions with their investment and financial planning requirements is very rewarding. In this industry, an advisor essentially is paid to HELP clients ACHIEVE their unique goals and objectives. Everyday there is news, capital market movements, economic data, and both qualitative and quantitative data to understand, evaluate, and distill to assist clients in making good decisions about their financial assets. It's very rewarding!

"When Rob Hoxton called me to describe this initiative, I signed on immediately--both with time and money. Personally, I am very excited for Shepherd, my alma mater, the certified financial planner (CFP®) program and industry, and current and future students. Our country and society deserve financial literacy, families and institutions need qualified financial planners, and what better way to start than during the formal educational stage to begin 'producing' certified financial planners."