Hands-on lab opens doors for Arizona’s future financial planners

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The University of Arizona’s Norton School of Human Ecology officially opened its new Financial Planning Lab this week, a milestone made possible through the generosity of Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners to celebrate the new space, designed to give students direct access to the same tools financial professionals use in the field.

“Having access to industry software will be a great stepping stone to introduce us to how working professionals get the job done,” said Matthew Felch, a senior in the Personal and Family Financial Planning program. Fellow student Verenisse Villarino added, “We’ll have the chance to start learning them as students, with the help of professors who know how to use them, instead of having to wait until we get into the workplace.”

For Interim Dean Mike Staten, the lab is the latest step in a vision that began nearly a decade ago. 

“We recognized the urgent need to begin developing new young talent to fill the pipeline of financial planners,” Staten said. “The Financial Planning Lab directly addresses that gap, by providing hands-on opportunity to use industry-standard technology such as eMoney, RightCapital, and Morningstar Advisor Workstation. This lab will help ensure that our students are not only nationally competitive for jobs when they graduate but also ready to hit the ground running.”

That mission resonates with Schwab, which has invested more than $30 million nationwide since 2007 to programs that are preparing the next generation of financial planners while pushing the boundaries of financial planning education. 

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“The new center is more than just a space—it’s a catalyst,” said Sherri Trombley, Director of Advisor Services Business Consulting & Education at Schwab. “It empowers students to build real-life financial skills, gain confidence, and explore the meaningful and growing profession of financial planning. We are so proud to support this program and excited about the ripple effect it will have for years to come.”

Launched in 2018, the Personal and Family Financial Planning program is the first of its kind at a public university in Arizona. In just seven years, the program has grown into a nationally recognized training ground for future advisors, committed to serving families, strengthening communities, and diversifying a profession in high demand.

“Through feedback from alumni and industry partners, we recognized a challenge: while our students excel academically, they need access and a chance to utilize the latest financial technology too,” Staten said at the Financial Planning Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The new Financial Planning Lab directly addresses that gap and ensures our graduates are ready to hit the ground running.”

Now, with a dedicated Financial Planning Lab, students will not only master classroom theory but also gain the applied skills, mentorship, and connections they need to shape the future of the profession.