Planners to help student development students get organized

Firstmark Credit Union donated 6,500 academic planners customized for students in student development classes during a presentation Thursday in the mall.

"Every student in a student development class for spring and fall will have one," student development Professor Jim Lucchelli said.

Marketing manager Kelly Farwell said the credit union distributes more than 75,000 planners each year to faculty at 50 area school districts, 50 local private schools and 18 colleges and universities, including this college.

She said Lucchelli approached Firstmark in 2010 after he received an academic planner for planners for his student development classes, Farwell said.

"He's using (the planner) as a time management and organization tool for these students," she said.

Firstmark created a customized version with an academic calendar, a campus map and contact information for department chairs and offices on campus.

"It was designed specifically for students," Farwell said.

Firstmark has provided this college with about 20,000 planners since spring 2010.

Julie Theriault, assistant vice president for branch administration, said Luccheli schedules financial literacy classes for his student development classes.

She said in March she will provide a presentation on budgeting, understanding credit and preventing identity theft.

Firstmark is working with Lucchelli to develop a student leadership retreat March 30 to April 1 at the H-E-B Grocery Co. Foundation camp in Leakey.