“We can make a difference right here at home.” – Laurence Zuckerman, CPA, MST
“Everyone needs money,” says FMCC Associate Professor of Business and Accounting Laurence Zuckerman.
He’s spearheading the FAM Financial Technology Center project where our students can obtain a high level of financial literacy and a solid understanding of how investing works, which he believes is the key to building financial security in America regardless of a person’s earned income. A former Series 7 and Series 63 Wall Street broker, successful start-up entrepreneur and 15-year collegiate level education veteran, Zuckerman has even put his own money behind the project.
WHEN 40% OF AMERICANS HAVE NO SAVINGS AT ALL AND UNIVERSITIES CONTINUE TO LOSE GOVERNMENT FUNDING, THE CHANCES AT TRADITIONAL WEALTH ACCUMULATION FOR YOUNG AMERICANS ARE QUICKLY SHRINKING.
Students at FMCC are a particularly vulnerable population to financial woes, be it student loan and credit card debt or future income-based challenges.
Zuckerman has created two courses to help prevent personal financial crises among our students by arming them with the knowledge and skills to achieve financial independence. Both courses, Personal Finance and Fundamentals of Investments, are elective classes so popular they consistently outsell the core classes required of students. The FAM Financial Technology Center will provide a dedicated space for this pursuit, and will ultimately meet and exceed the needs of our students at a level of excellence competitive with similar programs at respected four-year universities.
“There’s A River Of Wealth That Runs Through This Country, Some People Don’t Even See It, And Some People Are Just Looking At It. At FMCC, Our Goal Is To Help Students Wade In It And Even Swim In It.”
Housed in room C123 on the first floor of O’Connell Hall, the FAM Financial Technology Center will feature a scrolling stock ticker and two large screen monitors, plus each student will have their own computer that can also be used as a trading station featuring the simulated trading software Stock Track used by top universities including Cornell, UCLA, Georgetown, Columbia and Yale, among others.
“THERE’S A RIVER OF WEALTH THAT RUNS THROUGH THIS COUNTRY,” SAYS ZUCKERMAN. “SOME PEOPLE DON’T EVEN SEE IT, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST LOOKING AT IT. AT FMCC, OUR GOAL IS TO HELP STUDENTS WADE IN IT AND EVEN SWIM IN IT.” THE FINANCIAL CENTER CLASSROOM WILL GREATLY ADVANCE OUR STUDENTS TOWARD SWIMMING IN WEALTH
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FAM FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2021.
The Foundation has already raised a significant portion of the necessary funding, which the state of New York had pledged to match. Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those funds have been re-allocated elsewhere.
But we are not deterred and will continue building the center in phases. “We absolutely could not do this without the Foundation,” says Zuckerman. “They have raised all of the money,” except what Zuckerman contributed himself.
Thank you to our Generous Donors
Fenimore Asset Management (FAM)
William and Roberta Winsman
Laurence Zuckerman, CPA, MST
John and Sunday Blackmon
Diana Marshall
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