Financial Well-Being

Advancing the Barnard Community's Financial Well-Being

Financial well-being is a matter of critical importance for women, for college students — and indeed for individuals throughout the entire course of their lives beyond college. At Barnard, students, faculty, and staff now have dedicated space and resources to facilitate ongoing development of the skills and knowledge necessary to take ownership of one's financial well-being. The Francine LeFrak Center's integration of space and programming for financial well-being represents a distinctive intervention among similar well-being centers at peer institutions. 

Flagship Initiative: The Francine LeFrak Financial Well-Being Undergraduate Certificate Program

This 8-week program is designed exclusively for Barnard students and is led by the LeFrak Ambassadors — students trained across matters of financial fluency and empower their peers through leadership of this intensive series of introductory workshops. Throughout the program, participants gain essential life skills in saving, budgeting, building credit, investing, and negotiating career benefits—knowledge that empowers them to make informed financial decisions during college and beyond.

Students interested in enrolling or learning more about upcoming sessions can email lefrakcenter@barnard.edu. Registration details, program dates are shared at the beginning of each semester and through Well-Being Matters, the Francine LeFrak Center's monthly newsletter.

An adapted version of the financial well-being certificate program is also offered each semester to students at the Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS). We’re proud to partner with TYWLS and thank the LeFrak Ambassadors for their commitment to expanding access to financial education. Since 2023, LeFrak Ambassadors have trained more than 50 high school students, with more to come. The program is proof that it is never too early to learn the value of financial literacy.

Questions about additional programming can be addressed to lefrakcenter@barnard.edu.