Sisterhood Spotlight

What led you from being a teacher to a career in financial education?

In 2007, I was in my eighth year of teaching kindergarten for Henrico Schools. Having finished my graduate degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia, I started to ask myself what was next for my career. That’s when I came across a new role open at Virginia Credit Union (VACU) focused on financial education in the community. The credit union’s mission of people helping people through financial education and products was very appealing to me. VACU was looking for an educator and loved the idea of hiring a certified teacher to spearhead their community financial education programs. Fast-forward 15 years and we now have five full-time educators who reached over 90,000 people with financial education programs in 2022.

What are the top trends you are seeing in financial wellness and literacy?

COVID-19 was a game changer for many when it came to finances. Some consumers were actually able to save more because of some government subsidiaries. However, many people were left financially struggling and vulnerable. As we enter into a time of financial uncertainty, I think it’s crucial for financial institutions, community organizations, schools and universities to come together and provide products and financial education for people in all stages of their financial journey. Through the data we have gathered, we know that women tend to be more vulnerable when it comes to their overall financial health. We don’t want to see this trend continue. That is why it is important to provide financial information for women in all walks of life. Data is important, and we now have tools that can help measure financial health, which will help practitioners provide better educational materials targeted to individual needs.

What would you say to women and girls looking to enter the field of financial education?

“Hey, are you that credit union lady who taught me about money?” I love hearing this when I go out in the community. Educating people is my passion. Yes, the field of education has its challenges, but the impact that one makes is truly immeasurable. I had the full-circle moment when I was teaching Finance 250, a college class, and one of my students the first day of the semester said, “You taught me in kindergarten, I loved your class.” Every interaction a teacher has is another opportunity to impact and empower someone else. We need educators in every field now more than ever. If teaching in a school system is not for you, perhaps educating in another industry would be a good option. I love teaching personal finance for the credit union. I get to do what I love every day and, hopefully, help people along the way.

Where should Virginians go for more information and tell us a bit about Virginia Credit Union’s offerings?

VACU is a financial cooperative where every member is also an owner. Earnings are returned to members through a broad range of convenient services, attractive rates, lower fees and resources that help people feel more confident about their finances. You can learn about becoming a member here. Our Financial Success Educators bring their expertise to our Virginia schools, businesses, libraries and more. Meet the educators and learn more about how to request a visit for your group here. To explore digital resources we designed specifically for women, visit our Financial Success for Women series here.

About Cherry Dale

Cherry Dale joined Virginia Credit Union (VACU) as Director of Financial Education in 2007 and was promoted to VP of Financial Education in 2021. She holds a Master’s degree in Education Instruction and Curriculum from the University of Virginia. Cherry and her team of four full-time financial educators carry out the credit union’s mission of sharing financial knowledge and guidance through partnerships with schools, businesses and community organizations. Together, they provide hundreds of hours of instruction about savings, budgeting and managing debt to people of all ages. VACU engaged with approximately 90,000 people of all ages through online financial education content and in-person events in 2022. VACU is recognized as a Financial Health Leader by the National Health Network, and Cherry serves on a national panel to help guide best practices for financial health in the financial services industry. Cherry was also awarded the Eugene H. Farley Jr. Award of Excellence for her contributions to the credit union movement.