Virginia Credit Union gifted $2.5 million to Radford University in Radford, Va., to establish a financial success center, expanding financial education and outreach to students and the surrounding community.
The center, set to open in the 2026-27 academic year, will offer coaching and programming focused on budgeting, saving, credit building and other money-management skills, including investing and managing student loans. It will also help students prepare for financial goals, such as purchasing a first car. The center will be run by professional staff and trained student mentors, and programming will extend beyond the campus to support community members throughout the area.
"Financial education has always been at the heart of Virginia Credit Union's mission to improve the financial well-being of our members and the communities we serve," Chris Shockley, president/CEO of Virginia Credit Union and a 1992 alumnus of Radford University, said. "We're excited to partner with Radford University to create the Virginia Credit Union Financial Success Center, knowing the university shares our dedication to serving people from all backgrounds and helping them reach their goals. Through this partnership and the Financial Success Center, we'll equip students, the university community, and residents of the New River and Roanoke valleys with the knowledge and confidence needed to make sound financial decisions. Our goal is to help people take control of their financial futures and achieve greater success in all aspects of their lives."
The Virginia Credit Union Financial Success Center will be funded at $250,000 annually for 10 years and housed within Radford University's Davis College of Business and Economics.
"We are so excited about this partnership with Virginia Credit Union and our shared commitment to preparing students not only for careers, but for life," Donna McCloskey, dean of the Davis College of Business and Economics, said. "By combining academic expertise, experiential learning and individualized coaching, the Financial Success Center will strengthen students' financial confidence while reinforcing the applied, student-centered learning that defines the Davis College."
The center will be located alongside Radford University's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance clinic and other student support services. The university also plans to incorporate personal finance into general education and business courses.
"This generous investment from Virginia Credit Union advances our strategic commitment to student success, access and regional impact," Bret Danilowicz, Redford University president, said. "The Financial Success Center embodies one of our key strategic objectives – collaborating with trusted partners to remove barriers, empower individuals and strengthen the communities we serve."
This wasn't Virginia Credit Union's first partnership with a higher education institution. The credit union worked with Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Business in 2019 to establish the VCU Financial Success Center. That center earned the 2024 Outstanding Financial Counseling or Planning Center Award from the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education.
With almost 500,000 members, the $7.2 billion Virginia Credit Union and its Member One division offer a variety of banking services, loans, mortgages and free financial education resources.
Joyce Moed can be reached at joyce.moed@arc-network.com.
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