One of the colleges largest clubs, the Financial Literacy Club at UCC helps students learn about and navigate perhaps one of the most important real-world skills: understanding money. The club provides a welcoming space for students to learn about investing, personal finance and the fundamentals of the stock market.
Each Thursday during Flex Time in Room 245, the club hosts engaging meetings featuring interactive presentations, discussions and hands-on activities and games. Topics range from analyzing companies to how to budget effectively, making each meeting both informative and practical. Members are encouraged to think critically about how financial concepts apply to real life. This application is emphasized in the MarketWatch simulation game, a year-long competition that challenges students to build and manage their own stock portfolios. Each participant starts with $100,000 (of virtual money) and must invest according to the needs of a client, just like a real financial advisor would. Students compete to achieve the highest returns while maintaining realistic and justified strategies. At the end of the competition, the top performers win gift cards, but more importantly, everyone gains hands-on experience in making investment decisions.
Last year, the club took a memorable field trip to Canaccord Genuity in downtown Toronto, where members got a behind-the-scenes look at the trading floor and learned about various careers in finance and business. This year, the club is aiming to continue exploring opportunities for guest speakers and new field trips.
A new and exciting initiative this year is the club’s partnership with the Horizons, through which members will help bring financial literacy education to those within the community. This opportunity allows members to apply their knowledge in a meaningful way while also earning service hours.Whether you’re a beginner looking to understand the basics of money management or someone interested in the world of investing and finance, the Financial Literacy Club offers a supportive environment to learn and grow your skills. There is no prior knowledge or experience needed! So stop by Room 245 on Thursdays during Flex Time to learn, compete and connect with other students who are passionate about money. Email myself (hudson.vandermeer@ucc.on.ca), Joshua Liu (joshua.liu@ucc.on.ca) or faculty advisor, Mr. Cole, (icole@ucc.on.ca) if you have any questions or would like to join!
The Blue and White 
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