College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

“I visited multiple universities while I was deciding where I wanted to attend school. There were things I loved about each school and things that I didn’t like.

When I visited WKU there was one major thing that stood out. I could envision myself living there and making it my home. I did not feel that way with any other school,” said Evan Goetz, a WKU senior from Owensboro who graduates in December with his bachelor’s degree in Personal Financial Planning.

“I chose Finance because I figured I would have a wide range of careers to choose from when I graduated. Once I got into the program, I started to realize how much I love financial planning,” Goetz said.

Over the last two summers, Goetz interned at Retirement and Financial Strategies in Owensboro, which allowed him to get real-world experience at a financial planning and investment management firm.

“I learned things as an intern that helped me in class, and I learned that I really enjoy financial planning,” Goetz said. 

Goetz also gained experience working for the Center for Financial Success at WKU. 

“At the Center for Financial Success, we offer free financial coaching to all WKU students. Many students come into their freshman year of college without a formal financial education, and one goal of the CFS is to help improve the financial education of WKU students. We hope to give them the skills they need to have success while in school and after graduation,” Goetz said. 

“Over the past two years, I coached many students and helped them take control of their personal finances. I have also given presentations to multiple freshman classes, teaching them the basic money skills that every college student needs to know.”

“I was also a counselor at WKU’s Personal Finance Summer Camp, which is run by the Center for Financial Success. There, we were able to teach high school students basic personal finance principles, putting them on the right track before they graduate.”

Goetz explained that it is hard to pinpoint what tops his list of WKU experiences because he enjoyed all of it.

“I think that being able to meet so many people and make so many friends while getting a good education has been the best part of my WKU experience. I was able to do many things through the organizations that I am part of at WKU that I really enjoyed,” Goetz said.

Between juggling internships and fraternity activities within Phi Gamma Delta, Goetz also served as president of the Financial Planning Association, WKU’s student chapter of the national membership organization for Certified Financial Planning professionals. The chapter collaborates with the national organization to prepare college students on their journey to becoming financial advisors. The organization strives to allow members to gain insights to the industry, connect with local planners and provide volunteering opportunities.

“As president, I speak with financial advisors in the area and ask them to come speak to our chapter. The hope is that listening to these advisors will give students a better understanding of the profession. This will allow students to decide if it is something they would like to pursue or not.”

The faculty and staff within the WKU Gordon Ford College of Business and WKU Department of Finance are another highlight of his WKU experience. 

“If I ever needed anything as a student, president or financial coach, Ms. Doreen was the person to go to,” Goetz said of Office Associate for the WKU Department of Finance Doreen Williams-Holmes.

Director of the WKU Center for Financial Success and Pedagogical Associate Professor from the WKU Department of Finance Andrew Head taught Goetz’s first class in finance and helped him confirm his interest in finance. 

“The professors in the Finance Department at WKU are great. They are all very knowledgeable, and I really learned a lot from them. They did a very good job preparing us for our careers after we graduate,” Goetz said.

From internships to classes and clubs, Goetz said his entire experience prepared him for a career in financial planning.

“One class was especially helpful, Financial Plan Development. We did many things in that class that really prepared us for careers after graduation. Specifically, we had to present financial plans to the class. Being able to present a plan is a very important aspect of the career we are going into,” Goetz explained. 

After graduation, Goetz begins a new position at Retirement and Financial Strategies as a financial advisor. 

For more information about a degree in Finance from WKU, visit www.wku.edu/finance. 

#WKUGrad series: As part of our #WKUGrad series, articles on graduating students are shared in the weeks leading up to Fall Recognition Ceremonies. See all of their stories at https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=default&categoryid=799&multinewsid=187

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.