Ryan Law, AFC® is the Director of the Money Management Resource Center (MMRC) at Utah Valley University. Through the center, volunteer peer Financial Coaches educate students, faculty and staff through one-on-one counseling sessions and presentations on campus. When Ryan’s not working at the MMRC, he’s teaching courses as part of the Personal Financial Planning program at Utah Valley University. Ryan shared with us how one class ignited his passion and started him on the path of helping others understand financial planning and financial well-being.
AFCPE: What inspired you to enter this field?
Ryan: When I was a student at Utah State University, I took a Family Finance class with Alena Johnson. That class changed my life. I realized, as a result of that class, that I could achieve my financial goals. I ended up taking additional classes in personal financial planning and eventually changed my major, which ultimately led me to where I am today.
AFCPE: At this year’s Symposium, the Utah Valley University MMRC received the Outstanding Financial Counseling or Planning Center Award! Congrats! As the Center’s Director, what did winning this award mean to you and to your program?
Ryan: I see this as an award for the students who work so hard every day doing this great work. This award confirms all that they do. I would love to see these Financial Counseling centers on every campus and hope our Center can serve as model.
AFCPE: You were recently named President-elect for the AFCPE Board of Directors. What would you like to say to AFCPE members as you prepare to take on this role? What advice do you have for any financial professional looking to become more active in the AFCPE community?
Ryan: I am honored by this opportunity to serve AFCPE members as President-elect. I invite members to get involved on a Task Force, as a mentor, by attending the Symposium, or any number of other ways. Be sure to share your ideas and feedback with us so we can improve your experience.
AFCPE: What’s next for you? What has you most excited?
Ryan: I just published a book titled “Student Loan Planning” and a co-edited a book titled “Financial Counseling”. I am going to be doing some one-on-one consulting about student loans – particularly in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness area, and I look forward to sharing financial counseling principles with financial planners and others. I also plan to do more speaking about these important topics.
Ryan Answers the Friday 5
- My Why: It’s all about changing lives!
- My Hero: I don’t have a hero, exactly, but someone I look up to a lot in this field is Carl Richards. I admire the work that he does and the way that he shares his message.
- My Favorite Personal Finance Resource: You Need a Budget (YNAB) and Money Habitudes
- My best advice for someone starting the journey to financial well-being: Focus more on your relationship with money than the mechanics of money. Fix your relationship with money and the mechanics will follow.
- My best advice for a new professional entering the field: Get involved with AFCPE! You will find a supportive community and opportunities for growth and leadership.
Follow Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanhlaw/
Leave a Reply