West Virginia University Hosts 19th Annual Finance University, Sponsored by PRA Group

MORGANTOWN, WV — West Virginia University’s (WVU) John Chambers College of Business and Economics hosted its 19th Finance University to enhance the financial literacy skills of educators in West Virginia and neighboring counties. The annual program, sponsored by PRA Group, concluded with remarks by the company’s Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Laura White, who commended the participating teachers for the services they render their communities’ youth each day.  

Finance University is a week-long immersive professional development conference that provides teachers with free resources and training opportunities to strengthen their education techniques and their personal financial knowledge. When the participants return to their primary and secondary school classrooms, they in turn pass their proficiency in financial literacy onto 25 to 35 of their own students each year.  

PRA Group has supported Finance University since 2019 through a three-year, $210,000 gift to the John Chambers College of Business and Economics’ Center for Financial Literacy and Education. This year, the program covered a range of topics from financial planning, insurance and risk management and student loan forgiveness to healthy consumer skepticism, home mortgages and fintech trends.   

“Instilling youth with these foundational financial skills is an essential part of setting them up for future success,” said White. “With a focus on the long term, PRA was built on the foundation of giving back to the communities where we live and work. We are proud not only of the critical work being done here at Finance University, but of all WVU’s Center for Financial Literacy and Education is undertaking to foster financial understanding and create stewards of stronger communities.” 

Since 2009, PRA Group has contributed more than $7.8 million to charitable causes dedicated to strengthening the vitality of communities. PRA gives every U.S. employee eight hours of paid time off to participate in “Volunteer Day” events supporting local communities.