The Year of Financial Empowerment: Speakers and workshops to put you on the track to financial empowerment
Speakers and workshops to put you on track to financial empowerment. Throughout the semester, the Zoom workshop series will cover topics ranging from basic financial awareness, personal financial plan development, insurance, estate planning and investing. This series will be facilitated by CBE Faculty and industry experts. Download the Event Flyer.
Workshop Series Takeaways:
- Developing your personal financial plan
- Gaining insight about investment assets, accounts, strategies and analysis tools
- Gaining insights about how to use insurance to protect your assets
- Learning about estate planning tools
- Learning about the real estate buying process
Do you have a financial question or issue you want to hear more about? Please submit your question.
Registration:
Workshop Series #1 | Oct 4th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #1
Workshop Series #2 | Oct 11th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #2
Workshop Series #3 | Oct 18th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #3
Workshop Series #4 | Oct 25th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #4
Workshop Series #5 | Nov 2nd, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #5
Workshop Series #6 | Nov 8th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Register #6
A zoom link will be sent to registrants.
Schedule of Events and Presentations
What is the Financial Fitness Force?
The Financial Fitness Force is a team of faculty, lecturers, industry experts and external partners focused on developing and offering essential financial workshops and information to empower students financially.
Our Goal
The goal of the Financial Fitness Force is to build a network of students who not only understand but can use financial knowledge to better their lives and the lives of others.
The Financial Fitness Force considers this the year of financial empowerment for students and topics include basic financial awareness and tools to understand complex topics including home ownership and investing.
Each workshop is designed to give you important knowledge that comes together at the last session to create your financial plan. The most benefit is gained from attending all workshops.
Previous Workshop Topics and Resources:
- Income Tax Basics: Income Tax Basics PPT
- Budgeting and Financial Planning: Personal Budgeting PPT | Budgeting Presentation Template | Personal Financial Documents
- External Financial Resources: Funding Essay
- Money and Banking: Checking Account Basics with Savings
- Lending and Credit Management: Lending Session Presentation | Credit
- Investments: Practical Investing Tips for Young Professionals (PPT) | Investments 1.0 | Investments 2.0 | Financial Ratios PPT | Investor Analysis Tools
- Smart Banking Choices: Cal State LA Checking 101
- Exploring Financial Resources: WS #2 Presentation | Scholarship Thank You Letter Example
- Developing a Personal Financial Plan: Financial Plan Outline
- Building a Foundation for Financial Stability and Wealth: WS#1 Presentation
- Insurance: What is Insurance?
- Estate Planning: Presentation for Estate Planning
- Real Estate: Approved vs Denied Presentation
For questions, please contact Dr. Charles Danso at [email protected].
Financial Empowerment Course Elective offered Spring 2023 (Thursdays from 6:00-8:45 pm)
If you want to deepen your financial fitness by getting course credit, consider taking the full elective that is open to all majors. Its successful completion gives students the Financial First Responder certificate and the next level Financial Navigator certificate. See more details.
Financial Fitness Force Team:
Dr. Charles Danso, Coordinator
Finance, Law & Real Estate, Cal State LA
Dr. Danso obtained his doctorate from Florida Atlantic University. He has taught several finance classes including personal financial planning. His hope is that students and the community in and around Cal State LA will get useful skills they can apply and share with family, friends, and the community. Click to view Dr. Danso's profile.

Dr. Porschia Nkansa, Coordinator
Accounting, Cal State LA
Dr. Porschia Nkansa is a first-generation college student from Chicago raised by entrepreneurial parents who value education and learning. She would like to see students use the financial skills obtained from the financial fitness program to elevate their financial futures.

Dr. Maryam Tofighi, Director of Behavioral Research and Visualization Environment (BRAVE)
Marketing, Cal State LA
Dr. Maryam Tofighi earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Marketing. She has two years of professional experience in marketing. Dr. Tofighi is responsible for measuring the effectiveness of the financial fitness program at Cal State LA. Her favorite quote is from Ayn Rand “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”

Dr. John Cooper, CBE Accounting Professor
Mr. Rodrego Byerly, Lecturer, Managing Director, Evitarus
Mr. Thomas Lawson, Caprice Capital Partners
Mr. Edgar Ortiz, State Farm Insurance
Mr. A. Sami Siddiqui, Retired, Banking and Finance