Beach
students preach importance of good credit
Courtsey of Bateman Team
Happy
ElimiDebt- winner Eric Morago receives his
prize from Bateman team member Miranda Rubin
By
Adam Zitomer
On-line Forty-Niner
Five
Cal State Long Beach students were chosen
to represent the university and compete
nationally against other universities in
the Bateman Case Study Competition. Ford
Credit is the client in this year's competition.
The goal is to teach students between the
ages of 17 and 23 the importance of building
credit, how to obtain it, keep it and protect
it. This year's team members are Anna Backfisch,
Nichole Lavaud, Cassandra Pavlich, Megan
Rodriguez and Miranda Rubin.
"The
key message we are trying to get across
to students is credit is good, but you have
to get [credit] and guard it," said
Anna Backfish, the team's captain. "Credit
is something you have to work at, one has
to first establish credit through paying
bills on time, manage it by not becoming
so far in debt that you can't pay it off
each month and protect it from negative
reports."
To
combat credit problems the team initiated
"ElimiDebt Week," the purpose
was to raise awareness about credit. The
team held events on campus, serving free
coffee and setting up a booth at the homecoming
tailgate party. They also had a celebration
party at The Pike.
Many
students own credit cards and most of them
don't understand the best ways to use it.
Cell phone and electricity bills affect
credit. The best way to build credit is
to pay bills in full, not making the minimum
payments. Most people only what their parents
told them about credit.
"I
was one of those people, I think everyone
on the team learned a little something about
credit. It was definitely an eye opening
experience," Megan Rodriguez said.
"We also learned how to put together
a successful public relations campaign."
With
its campaign the team made the top 15 and
will have a chance to present to the sponsors
and other Public Relations Society of America
judges in Detroit.
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