Rose State College students gained practical tools to build a stronger financial future during a pair of guest lectures by assistant director Tom Manganello from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Sept. 16.
Tom Manganello, assistant director in the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance, visited campus to present “Building Wealth Through Saving and Investing.” The sessions focused on financial concepts students can begin using now, from establishing an emergency fund and managing credit responsibly to saving for retirement and understanding the fundamentals of investing.
Manganello introduced students to a three-step roadmap for building wealth, including using tax-advantaged accounts such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) as foundational components of a long-term investment strategy.
The presentations also explored how investments can grow through compounding, the role diversification can play in reducing investment risk, and the potential financial consequences of frequent trading and sports betting.
In addition to building wealth, Manganello emphasized the importance of protecting it.
Students learned how to recognize common warning signs of investment fraud, including the growing threat of relationship investment scams. These scams can begin with an unexpected text message or social media interaction before developing into a relationship in which the victim is encouraged to make fraudulent investments. Manganello discussed steps individuals can take to identify suspicious activity and protect themselves from financial losses.
The event provided students with an opportunity to learn directly from a federal financial education expert while connecting financial literacy concepts to decisions they may face throughout college and their careers.
Manganello has spent more than 12 years as a financial literacy lecturer, panelist, and communicator. In his role with the SEC, he helps coordinate investor education efforts across the agency’s headquarters and 10 regional offices and develops plain-language educational resources for Investor.gov.
Before joining the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance, Manganello served in the agency’s Division of Enforcement, where he investigated potential violations of federal securities laws involving insider trading, Ponzi and pyramid schemes, accounting violations, and broker fraud.
He earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Ohio University.
Students and community members can continue exploring financial literacy and investing resources through the SEC’s student resources at Investor.gov/students.