Student Centered Services

We focus exclusively on financial education for your students through an inclusive, social justice lens.

We develop and teach, so you don’t have to.

Are you a non-profit or run programs for low-income, first-generation students? You’ve come to the right place!

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What we offer

  • 60 minute fully customized virtual learning sessions with Q&A

  • Digital workbook that accompanies the learning session

  • Flexible scheduling to meet your student needs (evenings, weekends, and summer availability)

  • Office hours available before the presentation

  • Financial coaching group sessions in addition to the curriculum

  • Email marketing campaigns to make sure as many students as possible attend event

Please inquire about in-person learning sessions.

What administrators are saying!

  • "Cynthia Diaz at Financial Space did a fantastic webinar for my CSUDH McNair Scholars on Building Wealth. Cynthia's 60-minute presentation was interactive, engaging and she provided a digital workbook for the students. Her materials and presentation were high-quality and reflected her professionalism. Cynthia also made finance fun for the students! Our scholars appreciated that she spoke about the misconceptions and lack of access to knowledge around building wealth, especially for first-generation college students. Cynthia taught the students the importance of retirement plans and explained different types of investments to "put their money to work." The students were so interested and appreciated financial information that showed them how to begin. My students had so many questions for Cynthia, and I felt great about the honest answers for them! As a McNair TRIO director, I want my students to advance in their education, careers and have wellness in their lives, including financial security. I love the topics Cynthia has put together for students and scheduled a 5-part series to develop "Finance Fridays" with my scholars! Cynthia understands our students, and her workshops are a great addition to my McNair curriculum. I highly recommend Cynthia Diaz at Financial Space!"

    Dr. Michelle Martinez, McNair Director Cal State University Dominguez Hills

  • Cynthia really has a way to deliver her presentation! Very interactive and engaging and her questions fit the presentation very well.

    Karla Castillo, Lecturer, Internship/Professional Development Coordinator, Cal State University Dominguez Hills

  • "It was an interactive session where Cynthia asked questions to keep us engaged. She made complex terms easier to understand."

    Jamie Viars- SSS DIrector, TRIO Miami Regionals

  • Definitely would recommend this programming to other programs, institutions, and high schools. The point of view Cynthia provides is relatable and understandable. She has shared experiences with BIPOC communities and is fully aware of the inequalities that exist when it comes to financial challenges. I will be sure to share Cynthias programming widely and advocate for more financial literacy for younger grade levels.

    Agustin Vasquez Lopez- Director, Alliance GEAR UP

  • I would recommend Financial Space to other TRIO Administrators. Cynthia is passionate about her work and she cares about the community. Our students were engaged throughout the entire session and they look forward to learning more about personal finance. Personal finance can be an overwhelming and new topic for first gen students. Most who have never discussed these topics with their own families. Cynthia made it a point to recognize that communities of color have been historically disadvantaged which impacts their socioeconomic status. She made students feel comfortable and offered them a safe space to engage with the content. Students learned new key terms and developed the skills to budget. The quiz questions were an effective way to teach students new concepts. The presentation went great. I wish we could cover more topics in one session since it's such valuable information. However, I understand it can be overwhelming for students to digest so many new concepts. We are extremely content with the session. We hope your business reaches many more first gen students. Your contributions will help our communities break generational cycles of poverty. We appreciate your work!

    Stephanie Hernandez- Project Manager Partnership Scholars Program

  • I would 100% recommend Financial Space to similar programs focused on student development. Our students loved to hear from Cynthia and appreciated the open space to talk about finances, especially as first generation college students who unfortunately do not have equal access to this information. Cynthia does a great job of relating to our students through interactive content and dialogue. As an administrator myself, I learned a lot along with my staff and students. I appreciated the space for all of us to ask questions and follow up with anything covered throughout our week-long event. The content was easy to follow along and broken down for beginners like myself.

    Dyana Lazo, GEAR UP College Success Manager Alliance College-Ready Public Schools

  • My experience was quite shocking as I did not anticipate many of our students having lack of trust in banks and other financial institutions. Seeing them gain exposure to these things were very eye-opening and I am glad that they were able to learn at an early age.I truly believe that it is important for our students to learn and understand Financial Literacy to break the curse of generational wealth (or lack of) and have the opportunity of creating wealth for their future.

    Lorenzo Wuysang- VOALA Upward Bound

  • Cynthia strives to make students feel seen and heard. I have appreciated the deep respect, understanding, and sensitivity used to organize and facilitate the financial literacy sessions. Also, there is an openness to tailor sessions to the unique needs of our TRIO students.

    Lorena Valdez-Director Uc Berkeley TRIO SSS

  • Cynthia and Dyana's presentation was engaging, informative, and their energy shined through their delivery. Our students of color and from marginalized communities were able to relate to the information presented and received it a lot better from folks that look like them or have similar backgrounds. I would highly recommend to any organization, educators, school, etc.!

    Katherine Monterroso-Director A Place Called Home

  • Cynthia has a relatable approach that is welcoming and grasps the attention of our students. Her communication platform allows students to freely interact without feeling overwhelmed. For instance, she uses an app that allows students to ask questions, rather than singling them out during her presentations. My experience is no matter if you are the student or adminstrator, all are able to learn something new in Cynthia's financial literacy presentation. Which is really awesome, because we are able to share the information with other students who may have not been able to attend.

    Tranisha Blackwell- Educational Program Coordinator University of Bridgeport TRIO SSS

  • I really appreciated the structure of the presentation. It was engaging and leaned into answering the questions our students had. Cynthia did a good job of balancing the materials to cover as well as pausing to answer questions. Having the chat as well as the menti were beneficial. It allowed students to interact even if they were a little timid to post in the chat. Also, I appreciated the additional resources to students after the presentation. This will help them to continue to grow in their knowledge and confidence with their credit building.

    Jon DeWitt-Assistant Director of Student and Family Connections University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Sample Menu of Financial Space Learning Sessions

Student Learning Outcomes

All Financial Learning Sessions align with the Jumpstart National Standards for Personal Financial Education

Spending with Purpose

Students will be able to:

  • Identify ways behavioral psychology affects spending

  • Identify ways upbringing, environment, and society play a role in their spending habits

  • Recognize “money scripts” and identify their own money beliefs

  • Apply strategies to spend mindfully

Budgeting to Build Wealth

Students will be able to:

  • Define and personally interpret the concept of wealth

  • Explain the difference between an asset and a liability

  • Create a budget and apply it to their financial expenses

  • Summarize and apply key components of a budget

  • Identify which budgeting strategy works best for them

  • Devise short and long-term goals to build wealth

Mastering Your Credit

Students will be able to:

  • Identify the different components of the credit system (borrower, lenders, credit bureaus)

  • Define a credit report and score

  • Identify strategies to establish and build good credit

  • Relate how credit impacts their financial wellness

Paying for Your College Education

Students will be able to:

  • Identify options to pay for their college education

  • Interpret the contents of a financial aid award letter

  • Identify the student loan repayment process

Students loans and debt

Students will be able to:

  • Differentiate the type of debt they are comfortable taking on

  • Articulate which debt payment strategy works best for them

  • Identify the elements of a student loan and how they work

  • Compare interest rates and their long term impact on the overall cost of attendance

  • Illustrate strategies to mitigate debt

Stock Market Investing 1: The Basics

Students will be able to:

  • Identify how the stock market works

  • Explain how investing in the stock market can lead to wealth building

  • Explain the difference between saving and investing

  • Identify the difference between a long term investor and speculation

  • Identify compound interest and explain its impact on investing early

  • Identify the various investment securities options to purchase

Stock Market Investing 2: Managing a Portfolio

Students will be able to:

  • Identify the various investment securities options to purchase

  • Differentiate between different asset classes (stocks, funds, bonds)

  • Develop an awareness of risk tolerance

  • Learn about asset allocations

  • Explain which securities they feel comfortable owning

Investing for Retirement

Students will be able to:

  • Identify and differentiate the different types of retirement accounts

  • Explain which tax-advantaged retirement account best suits their needs

  • Identify the composition of assets in a typical retirement account

Let us do the heavy lifting.

We customize and teach the lessons so you can focus on big picture programming.