COQUILLE, Ore. - At the intersection of social science and financial education stands Michelle Nicolaus, a financial service representative for Oregon Federal Credit Union. Nicolaus' office is now at the Southwest Oregon Com-munity College's Newmark Center, a one stop shop for teaching life skills to welfare and jobless benefits recipients and low income residents. A number of state social service agencies have set up shop in the center to make life easier for their clients. Other services cover child care, community action programs and food stamps, so clients can find all services in one spot at a single point of entry. Nicolaus and the community credit union office fit perfectly there. In a tiny area set aside for an ATM, a computer and her desk, she opens accounts and dispenses advice and training. The office is a service center that follows Oregon FCU's tellerless branch model. (CU Times, June 23, 1999) Operating a credit union branch is not Nicolaus' primary job, however, since Oregon FCUs North Bend branch is just a few blocks from the college. Her real function is teaching. "State and local services people love her," enthuses Dal King, Oregon FCU's CEO. Nicolaus' degree is in social science and King saw a special place for her immediately. In just a few months under Nicolaus' direction, test scores have soared in financial education classes. She teaches how to establish credit, balance checkbooks, and other basic financial skills. "Other staff at the college didn't have the expertise as teachers in consumer matters," King said. "We have filled a void that was there. She is a unique person in that she understands our side, but her background is right for this." In fact, King hired her with just this kind of program in mind, though not specifically as a community college instructor. Oregon FCU became a community credit union in 1997 and is designated as serving the low income population. Nicolaus, 31, and her husband had recently moved to the Coos Bay area when she applied for a job with the credit union. Her supervisor, Judy Moody, vice president of member services, is also an instructor at Southwest Oregon Community College. She teaches courses on how to establish credit as well as management classes, but she believed Nicolaus could provide a special service for low income residents. "The personal finance class was a first for them," Nicolaus says of the class she teaches as part of the adult learning program. However, the real surprise came during a team oriented GED (general education diploma) class that she is also involved in. In these classes, there is a main instructor and guest instructors. Nicolaus teaches a guest spot one or two hours a week to different classes: teens, adults, work force skills. They noticed that test scores improved noticeably after she got involved. "This is a much better outlet for my skills," Nicolaus says of her first experience with a credit union. She's happy that they gave her a chance to use all of the skills that fit her personality. -
mcintyre@viclink.com
