June 26, 2017
Personal financial planning faculty awarded at the American Council on Consumer Interests annual conference
Several faculty and students from the personal financial planning program attended the American Council on Consumer Interests annual conference April 21-23, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The American Council on Consumer Interests focuses on enhancing the well-being of consumers and family economics through promoting educational programs and policy relevant research. The annual conference is a gathering of similarly interested people — educators, researchers, practitioners and industry — who can share and learn about developments in consumer economics, in addition to being inspired and making key connections.
At the annual conference, four prestigious awards were presented to K-State faculty and students. David Ammerman, doctoral student in personal financial planning, and Morey MacDonald, professor of personal financial planning, won the Certified Financial Planning Board's American Council on Consumer Interests' Financial Planning Award.
Sarah Asebedo, assistant professor at Texas Tech University and recent doctoral graduate of the personal financial planning program; Martin Seay, assistant professor of personal financial planning; Melissa Wilmarth, assistant professor at University of Alabama; and Kristy Archuleta, associate professor and director of personal financial planning, won AARP's Public Policy Institute Financial Services and the Older Consumer Award. Asebedo also won the Robert O. Herrmann Outstanding Dissertation Award. Jane Schillie, associate professor at K-State Libraries, accepted the Stewart M. Lee Consumer Education Award on behalf of the K-State Consumer Movement Archives. Kate Mielitz and Derek Potter, doctoral students in personal financial planning, both received student conference scholarships.
As the recipients of the Certified Financial Planning Board's American Council on Consumer Interests' Financial Planning Award, Ammerman and MacDonald's paper "Comprehensive risk in consumer portfolios" detailed their research regarding financial solvency and tolerance for asset price volatility and how it is associated with the household asset portfolio. This award is given to those who have written a scholarly paper, focused on financial planning issues and the presentation of useful ideas or information for consumers.
Asebedo, Seay, Wilmarth and Archuleta wrote a paper, titled "From personality to savings behavior: Bridging the gap." Their paper explored personality traits, financial self-efficacy and savings behaviors among older pre-retirees.
Asebedo, in addition to her work at Texas Tech, is a triple graduate of K-State's personal financial planning program, having earned her bachelor's and master's degrees and most recently her doctorate in 2016. This award recognized her hard work and diligence in the dissertation process, during which she authored "Three Essays on Financial Self-Efficacy Beliefs and the Saving Behavior of Older Pre-Retirees." Her dissertation used a psychological framework to examine financial self-efficacy and savings behavior. This award is given to recent doctoral graduates whose research focuses on consumer well-being and demonstrates clear relevance for business, government or households.