Pony Finance 101

In this episode, we have a casual, chatty sit-down conversation talking about our summer and what we anticipate for this fall semester! We encourage y'all to create some academic and financial goals.

In this episode, we sit down with Grace Garcia, a sophomore at SMU majoring in Advertising and Psychology with a minor in Spanish. Grace shares her honest perspective on navigating personal finance as a college student, from saving habits to budgeting for campus life. Tune in as we explore financial wellness through the lens of a new generation and how small steps today can build a strong foundation for tomorrow. Whether you're just starting your financial journey or looking for a fresh take, Grace’s insights are sure to inspire!

In this episode of Pony Finance 101, we welcome our newest peer mentor, Nelyda Salas! We put her financial literacy to the test, chatting about her current money habits, financial knowledge, and goals for the future. Tune in to hear her fresh perspective as she embarks on this journey with our team and continues to learn along the way!

In this episode of Pony Finance 101, we sit down with SMU senior and peer mentor, Paulina Esparza, to discuss her unforgettable experience during the January Term at SMU’s Taos campus in New Mexico. Paulina, an advertising major with minors in business and Spanish, shares how she made this unique academic opportunity financially feasible. From navigating scholarships and financial aid to budgeting for unexpected expenses like travel and housing, she offers valuable tips for students interested in studying away from the main campus. Tune in to hear Paulina’s insights on balancing academics, managing costs, and making the most of a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience. Whether you're thinking about studying in Taos or any similar program, this episode will help you plan financially and academically for a successful term! This Podcast was created, produced, and led by an SMU Financial Literacy peer mentor, Hedy Rojas.

Welcome to Poney Finance 101! In this episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Guevara, an SMU alum and former peer mentor for the Financial Literacy Program, to explore how financial skills learned in college can transform life after graduation.Elizabeth shares her journey since graduating, the challenges of transitioning from student life to the real world, and the money tips she relied on to navigate it all. From creating budgets and managing debt to building habits that last, this conversation is packed with practical advice for students preparing for their own post-grad adventures.Whether you're looking to strengthen your financial literacy or need guidance as you plan for life after college, this episode has something for everyone!This Podcast was created, produced, and led by an SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Hedy Rojas

In this episode of Poney Finance 101, we’re joined by Manuel Serrato, an SMU senior and Political Science major who transferred from community college. Manuel shares his unique journey navigating the financial realities of transferring to a four-year university—from managing tuition differences to budgeting for campus life. We dive into the essential strategies he used to make his transition affordable, including finding scholarships for transfer students and adapting his budget to new living expenses. Whether you’re considering transferring or already in the process, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable tips to help make your own journey a financial success.This podcast episode was created, produced, and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Paulina Esparza.

Welcome back to Poney Finance 101! On this episode, hosts Hedy Rojas and Paulina Esparza, peer mentors from SMU Financial Literacy, reintroduce themselves and provide highlights from some of the best episodes of last season.From learning essential financial resources with Mrs. Gomez to exploring creative scholarship hunting strategies with Syra Castillo, and getting expert advice on first-time renting from Dallas realtor Gabe Soto, this episode recaps it all. Whether you're navigating student life, tackling your budget, or looking for tips on making smart financial moves, this episode is a great starting point.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Hedy Rojas.

On this episode, we talked to Adam Neal from the Office of Engaged Learning, Evan Saperstein and Amanda Bobo from Hegi Career Center and Cheryl Posner from the Cox Career Management Center about different resources at SMU like the Career Closet, Big iDeas Pitch Contest and more.

Investing doesn't have to be as big of a deal as it seems to be. As soon as you know the basics, you can continue to grow your knowledge and make your money work for you. I talked with SMU professor, Eric Marrs about the basics of investing and how college students can get started.

The U.S. deadline to file your taxes is April 15th. If you have never filed your taxes before or need a refresher, we talked with SMU professor, Wendy Wilson, about the basics of taxes. Learn what documents you need, what a deduction is and more in this episode

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid has experienced a major update this year under the FAFSA Simplification Act. I sat down with Director of Financial Aid at SMU, Dr. Mary Sauceda, to learn about the major changes which affect the process of submitting your FAFSA, the vocabulary used and how much aid you can receive.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

Renting an apartment for the first time can be daunting. There are a lot of unknowns like: How do I find the right apartment for me? What do I need to look out for in a lease? What kind of expenses should I expect? I talked with Dallas realtor, Gabe Soto, about these questions and more.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

Studying abroad can be very influential and effective in advancing a student's education. However, there are many costs associated with it. Today, I talked with SMU Abroad's lead peer advisor, Averyl Hartje, about financial aid, budgeting and scholarships to utilize. Learn how to make study abroad affordable with this episode.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

Financial and academic security go hand and hand. If a student does not feel comfortable in either department, both will inevitably worsen. We talked with Ruth Kinyua from SMU PALs about their academic services and how they help SMU students. Ruth also talked about her experience with President's Scholars and what she did to qualify for the prestigious scholarship.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

November is National Scholarship Month! To celebrate we talked with Sergio Gonzalez, a representative from Sallie Mae, about using a scholarship database. Once a student finds a scholarship that suits them, we talk about writing an essay, crafting an essay, making sure it is not a scam and how to receive scholarship money.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

November is National Scholarship Month and to celebrate we talk with SMU sophomore Syra Castillo about her relentless pursuit of scholarships to lower her debt. We talk about finding the best scholarships for you, how to craft a scholarship essay and how to take control of your debt.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Hedy Rojas.

Join SMU's peer mentors in a candid conversation about financial strengths, weakness and their tips and tricks. Hedy Rojas and Elizabeth Guevara talk about some ways that they budget and prepare for their future as college students. The duo also discusses how students can take advantage of the scholarships and recourses that SMU offers.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara and Hedy Rojas.

Bank of America, Chase, Credit Unions, Mint … there are so many different banks out there. So how do you choose the right one? And once you’ve found one, what do you do with it? On Episode 4, I talked with SMU Economics professor Jeff Carbiener about finding the right bank for you and how to take advantage of them. We also discuss the basics of checking and savings accounts.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

Last episode we discussed AI and how to utilize it to answer complicated money questions. For episode 3, we talk with SMU Financial Literacy and Personal Branding professor Troy Forte about how to manage your money practically. Learn how to start a budget, credit and some resources to start your money management journey.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.

On this episode we talked with Dr. Robert Puelz, an associate professor in the SMU Cox School of Business, who also writes about personal financial economics on Substack. We discuss a new tool to manage and learn about money - AI. We also talked with SMU Junior, Bella Lopez, about her personal budget created by AI.This podcast was created, produced and led by SMU Financial Literacy student peer mentor, Elizabeth Guevara.