The $79 million Carolina Collegiate Federal Credit Union has opened its first student-run branch at its host SEG, the University of South Carolina.

The Financial Service Center in the Russell House student center will be staffed by students from the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the Columbia, S.C., campus, the school and credit union said.

“Carolina Collegiate sponsored 10 graduate assistants at 20 hours,” said Marianne Bickel, director of the Center for Retailing at USC. “This is the largest graduate assistant gift in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and the largest sponsorship of graduate assistantships by a single organization.”

A consumer economics course also is involved in a service learning project with the 13,200-member Carolina Collegiate, which also has two offices near the campus.

“Our mission is to provide financial responsibility and financial education to all of our members, most importantly our students in college,” said Anne Shivers, Carolina Collegiate CEO.