Citizens and EVERFI Launch Course to Help Educate High School Students on Financing Higher Education

Program is grounded in financial literacy education and guides students on how to access higher education and create a path to achieving their dreams

PROVIDENCE, R.I. & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citizens and EVERFI today announced the introduction of a digital education program aimed at helping empower high school juniors and seniors to make wise financial decisions early when planning for post-secondary education. The new program leverages a strategic partnership between the companies to add a robust digital component to Citizens’ existing College Bound Citizens educational outreach efforts, which is focused on providing families with access to the information critical to making informed financial decisions about their future.

“These are unprecedented times and we are seeing growing anxiety among both students and families,” said Christine Roberts, Head of Student Lending for Citizens. “Through the College Bound Citizens program, we aim to provide them with the resources and education they need to understand the steps they can take to make their higher education dreams a reality.”

The interactive, online program, which can be delivered to students in either a classroom or virtual education environment, is designed to ensure that all students who are interested in pursuing higher education understand how to create a path forward in financing and realizing their educational aspirations.

The College Bound Citizens curriculum aligns with state, national, and Jump$tart Coalition financial literacy standards. Through a series of five modules, the program helps students understand the key principles associated with: return on investment in higher education, the net vs. true cost of college, identifying scholarship opportunities, the FAFSA form, the difference between financial aid and loans, and budgeting.

“There is no question that access to higher education is a game changer,” said Ray Martinez, co-founder and president, EVERFI. “Financing higher education can often be an overwhelming and complex process. This course will help students understand that there are a number of financial options available and starting the planning process early is key.”

The curriculum will initially be available to students in 11 states including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont via their high school programming.

According to Citizens’ recently published third annual Student Lending Survey, despite public health concerns, paying for college continues to be top of mind for high school students and parents, as 64 percent of high school students and 52 percent of parents of high school students say affordability had a high impact on the student’s post high school plans. Furthermore, 44 percent of current college students and 35 percent of parents of current college students said that concerns around affordability had a high impact on their Fall 2020 enrollment plans.

In support of its social impact mission, EVERFI convenes a Financing Higher Education Coalition dedicated to helping students and families understand their options when it comes to financing higher education. The Coalition provides recommendations for the development of digital curriculum, promotes research findings around financing higher education, and helps bring together industry and thought leaders to ensure there is equity in accessing higher education. Citizens’ Christine Roberts serves as the Co-Chair of the Financing Higher Education Coalition.

To learn more about the College Bound Citizens program, please visit citizens.everfi.com.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $179.2 billion in assets as of September 30, 2020. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 2,700 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

About EVERFI, Inc.

EVERFI is an international technology company driving social change through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to prescription drug safety to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI is fueled by its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) community engagement platform and has reached more than 41 million learners globally. Recognized as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2020, EVERFI powers community engagement in a sustained manner to empower individuals and organizations to make an impact within their communities. Some of America’s leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EVERFI investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Twitter founder Evan Williams, as well as Advance, Rethink Education, Rethink Impact, The Rise Fund, and TPG Growth. To learn more about EVERFI and how you can #answerthecall please visit everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @EVERFI