“Anyone can be a millionaire,” says Groton’s Chief Financial Officer Arthur Diaz. “It’s not necessarily how much money you have, although I think it’s possible for most people to accumulate a good amount, but how well you understand how to manage it.”

Coming from Pomfret School to Groton last year, Mr. Diaz is a relatively new face on campus. He brings with him, however, both years of expertise in economics and a well-regarded Personal Finance elective for sixth formers. He taught the course first at Pomfret, where students loved it: “Kids who are now in their first year out of college still talk about his class,” says Wellness Counsellor Barbara Cheeks, who also worked there. The class was first offered at Groton last spring.

The course, titled Foundations of Personal Finance, is “designed to help students make wise spending, saving, and credit decisions in their college years and beyond.” A survey of college students called Money Matters on Campus found that only 24% of two-year college students surveyed in 2016 had received any training on their finances. Michael Aduboffour ‘17, who is presently taking the class, appreciates the opportunity to learn more about finance. “Not many people get the chance to learn these things even though they are really important,” he says. “If you’re able to manage your finances well, you’ll be able to achieve your goals much easier.”

But Mr. Diaz doesn’t only share his expertise in the classroom. This year, the Wellness Center is piloting his classes as part of the Senior Transition Education Program (STEP) on Sunday afternoons. “[STEP] is trying to make sure seniors feel ready and prepared once they leave Groton,” said Ms. Cheeks. “You feel prepared for classes already, but there are other things that are [a part of college life] besides classes, including personal finance…If he can give every senior a little bit of that knowledge, then it is definitely worth it.” The first pilot was an optional session on April 2nd, and was met with much enthusiasm. “Mr. Diaz turned something that a lot of us expected to be trivial and useless, into a genuinely informative and enjoyable learning experience,” said Matthew Higgins Iati ‘17.

Mr. Diaz broke down topics such as budgets, taxes, investments, and insurance, which he believes are “practical, simple stuff.” He knows, however, that most people do not assume that. “It’s kind of like a black box. Most of these financial concepts aren’t that complicated. But, until somebody shines the light in the black box, they can just seem overwhelming. Once you break it down, you see that you can understand this,” he explained.

His students seem to feel the same way, praising his humor and ability to simplify topics they assumed to be overly complex. Owen Duggan ‘17 called it “a useful tool for the future…It’s worth learning how to be an adult.”

Ultimately, Mr. Diaz believes that he can provide all of his students with the knowledge they need to exit Groton prepared to exercise healthy economic practices. According to him, that knowledge boils down to asserting control over one’s fiscal situation. “Every person,” he said, “has a choice where either they are in control of their finances or their finances are in control of them.”