Kentucky State advances community impact through financial-education outreach.

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Face-to-face money guidance can change a household budget. Faculty from Kentucky State University’s School of Business delivered that community impact at Lexington’s East End Wellness Fair on Oct. 15, providing families with practical budgeting tools and resources.

Kentucky State’s Dr. Gary Stratton and Dr. Amanda Fickey met face-to-face with more than 50 community members to discuss everyday money management, credit, savings, and small-business basics.

Stratton is interim chair of the School of Business; Fickey serves as associate director of research, development, and partnerships of the Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy (CEEFL).

“We want Kentucky residents to view the School of Business and CEEFL as resources they can reach out to for entrepreneurial and financial guidance,” Stratton said.

“Engaging directly with residents lets us share tools that can improve quality of life for East End families,” Fickey said. “This marks the second year we’ve participated, and we look forward to joining again next year.”

The East End Wellness Fair is organized by the Lexington Housing Authority in collaboration with the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences. The fair connects East End residents to resources for healthy living, including financial education. The housing authority serves low-income residents through programs such as Low Rent Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8).

Originally established in 2018 by Dr. Abdul Turay, Kentucky State’s Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy—housed in the School of Business—restarted with funding in 2024, with seed support led by Stratton, to promote economic and financial literacy across the Commonwealth. Stratton previously directed the Center for Economic Education at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.

CEEFL is directed by Dr. Swagata “Ban” Banerjee, with Fickey serving as associate director. Now in its second year under the funded restart, the center is active region-wide and preparing its Council for Economic Education affiliation submission.

For more information about upcoming events offered by the Kentucky State University School of Business and the Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy, contact Dr. Gary Stratton at gary.stratton@kysu.edu or 502-597-6912.