The partnership builds on the success of an ongoing initiative with EmpowerED, which offers Massachusetts high school and college students the Financial Freedom Launchpad, a scalable and flexible, academically rigorous, culturally responsive course that blends college-level instruction with real-world financial application. Through the program, students can earn three transferable college credits at Endicott while developing the confidence and tools needed to make informed financial decisions.
Beginning this fall, Endicott will offer BUS212: Personal Finance to students participating in METCO. The course equips students with essential financial knowledge and practical skills, while METCO provides a strong academic foundation enriched by cultural, educational, ethnic, socioeconomic, and racial diversity, creating opportunities for Boston and suburban students to learn from and with one another in an integrated public school setting.
“This partnership reflects Endicott’s belief that students should have early access to rigorous, practical learning that prepares them for college and life,” said Gary Comeau, Associate Director of the Division of Professional Studies at Endicott College. “By expanding our partnerships to include METCO and other community organizations, we are helping remove barriers to higher education and empowering students with the financial knowledge they need to succeed in college and beyond.”
Research shows that only a small percentage of Americans demonstrate full proficiency in core personal finance concepts, and many college-age students report challenges such as overdrawing checking accounts or missing credit card payments. The BUS212 Personal Finance course introduces students to foundational concepts such as budgeting, saving, credit management, interest, investing, and long-term financial planning. By addressing these gaps early, Endicott aims to empower students with the skills necessary to make confident, informed financial decisions throughout their lives.
“We envision a world where financial education is accessible to everyone—and through partnerships with organizations like METCO and Endicott, we are moving steadily toward that vision,” said Farida Graham, Co-Founder of EmpowerED Finances.
The METCO partnership builds on a growing early college initiative that reached students this spring at Reading Memorial High School, Brockton High School, and Immigrant Family Services, with additional partnerships launching this summer and fall, including YMCA, Taunton High School, Fenway High School, and the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers.
“As METCO’s first dual enrollment program, we are thrilled about this partnership and the expanded resources it brings to our students, along with the exciting potential it creates for even greater opportunities in the future,” said Dr. Kandice Sumner, President & CEO of METCO, Inc.
“As Chief of Student Services, I’m incredibly excited to launch our first-ever partnership with Endicott College, creating new pathways for our students to succeed,” added Wilmary Raines, Chief Student Services and Enrollment Officer. “Through this opportunity, they’ll earn three college credits while still in high school and build essential life skills like financial literacy—setting them up with a strong, confident start for their future.”