Faith Diamond

Responsibilities

For the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, I will be the Director of Member Finance for the Omega Delta Chapter of Delta Delta Delta at Iowa State University. While in this role, I will oversee member finances and serve on the Finance Committee, set timelines for billing cycles, communicate billing due dates to members, organize requests for extraordinary membership status, and send late fee notifications. Additionally, I will be a resource to assist members in navigating the electronic billing system we use, known as OmegaFi, as well as have the potential to send members to collection agencies.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment during my field experience would be having approximately 95% of my chapter current on all payments. I take great pride in knowing that such a significant percentage reflects my dedication to this role, especially when the number of current balances has yet to be this high for a significant number of years.

Learning experience

The greatest lesson I learned was the importance of forming relationships and being relatable. My experience as Director of Member Finance has shown me both the good and bad sides of a relationship-focused career path, especially when that path has everything to do with money. I have been on the hard end of financial struggles, so the empathy I feel is something that I can’t put into words, but only my actions. I know what it’s like to have no one to look to for advice, so I have done everything in my power to give hope to members that are lost financially. Money is a hard topic for many people to crack, so my goal was to help members slowly peel back the layers of their financial past so they could confidently remodel their financial future. Every situation has been different, but my objective has remained the same. Learn to relate, embody patience, and be the person that helps others rewrite the end of their financial story.

What advice would you give?

There are so many different paths you can take with Financial Counseling and Planning, don’t limit yourself. Be confident in your major; this chosen trajectory shows your love of helping others while also challenging you to keep improving and expanding your financial knowledge. The more you know, the better you will be able to help others, and the more likely you will find fulfillment in your career.