SEC Visitors Shared Strategies for Building Wealth with Bowie State Business Class

Courtesy of Bowie State University

Representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) visited Bowie State University on Nov. 17. to discuss career opportunities and financial planning with business students in Dr. Remi Duyile’s personal finance class. The SEC is a federal agency that protects investors that participate in the stock market and other areas of the financial services industry.  

Tom Manganello, a senior counsel with the investor education and advocacy group, covered the basic principles of financial literacy and applications for how the students could use their money and leverage it to accomplish long-term goals like wealth-building and retirement. He encouraged students to think about their current spending and saving habits, and provided guidance about the stock market and how they could participate in it. 

“One of the ways we protect investors is through education,” said Manganello. “When we have an opportunity to go into a classroom and talk about building wealth over time through saving and investing, it’s very gratifying. The students we spoke to are ready to start their first job and earn good money. If they have a short road map to follow to build wealth, it demystifies the process of investing.” 

“Another enriching power hour on financial literacy unfolded seamlessly with the dedicated guidance of the entire SEC leadership team,” added Dr. Duyile. 

The SEC team also outlined the various paths to a career in federal service and the different internship and entry-level programs that the SEC uses to find and recruit talent.  Programs include internship options ranging from high school students to graduate-level students, as well as recent graduates looking to jumpstart their careers.  

“One of our priorities is to have a diversified workforce,” said Manganello. “We want to make sure students understand the SEC is a great potential employer. It has very important missions of regulating the financial markets and facilitating capital formation. There’s a path to get to the SEC. We’re constantly trying to recruit the next generation.”  

The SEC delegation also met with criminal justice chair Dr. Charles Adams to explore how they could support Bowie State’s prison education program at the Jessup Correctional Institution. Dr. Adams believes the addition of financial education to the prison education program would make it that much better at equipping incarcerated students with the tools they need to improve their lives and reduce recidivism. 

“It’s very significant to partner with an agency like the SEC that’s concerned with giving back to the community,” said Dr. Adams. “All of us could benefit from financial literacy and knowing how the system works to create a better life.”