The Financial Inclusion Program (FIP) offers programming geared to make financial products, services, resources, and education available to under-resourced communities.
Through our partnerships with non-profit service providers, FIP offers students an opportunity to work with community partners and members on a myriad of financial concepts.
The Entrepreneur Start-Up Academy (TESA)
A Bilingual Training and Mentorship Opportunity
TESA was founded to achieve the Financial Inclusion Program’s goal of closing the gap of lack of financial and entrepreneurship training availability to women in low-income communities. TESA is a collaborative project between USC Dornsife Office of Experiential and Applied Learning and Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC).
In this FIP program, USC undergraduate students majoring in Economics and Spanish are staffed as mentors to micro-entrepreneurs. The students share what they learned in their coursework and offer individual, small group help and translations as needed. These workshops offer free courses to women who want to start or build a business and learn concepts that range from creating a business plan to digital marketing strategies.
Learn more about TESA through the student/mentor and participant testimonies on the right.
Melinda Xia, Political Economy Major, TESA Mentor
“I really enjoy learning about relevant topics in small business ownership from a range of experienced speakers. The importance of possessing a strong entrepreneurial spirit combined with strategic planning are topics that have particularly resonated with me. The diversity among speakers is also reflected in the mentees we get to meet during office hours and hear from during workshops, as there is a great range across these female business leaders both in the types of businesses they run and their respective backgrounds. Hearing directly from the mentees has been rewarding and inspirational because of their enthusiasm and curiosity when asking questions.”Madeleine Lawler, World Bachelor in Business Major, Mentor
“I’ve been a TESA mentor for over a year now, with 3 cohorts. To me, the most inspiring component of TESA is seeing the women—full-time workers, mothers, caretakers, very busy people—take initiative and time to attend the workshops and start a business themselves. It has inspired me to take the first step and start my own business, a small aquaponics farm. Particularly, I loved watching my mentees take on the pitch competition during the last cohort.”Pamela Robbins, Participant
“I was looking for a class I could take that would help me prepare for my lifelong dream of owning my own business. My grandmother, mother and I all worked for companies. Although, my journey has been very fulfilling, my dream continued. I read many books on the topic but there was no one to consult with. I took a leap of faith and enrolled in The Entrepreneur Start-Up Academy workshop. Each session was wonderful; much more than I expected. The instructors that led the sessions were extremely knowledgeable on the topics they covered. We, the attendees, shared our experiences and aspirations. We all collaborated; it was encouraging and empowering.Angela Valderrama Cortes, Participant
“I participated in The Entrepreneur Start-Up Academy, a time that fed not only my knowledge to carry out the business idea and take it to another level, but also fed my soul and spirit. The theme of the entrepreneurial mindset and the art of time management touched my life because we were able to recognize with the other participants the importance of attitude, discipline, focus, having a written plan, the system of support, self-care, and finally, realizing that it is a lifestyle and we must learn to carry it properly to have results. I particularly remember a challenge when fears were discussed and well, in that week, I was able to go and close a deal to sell products because I was encouraged to take that step.Low-Cost Sustainability Financing with the USC Credit Union
USC Credit Union serves USC students, staff, faculty, and alumni as well as the low-moderate-income (LMI) communities of color surrounding USC’s South Los Angeles (SLA) and East Los Angeles (ELA) campuses. The goal is to become the preeminent credit union provider of low-cost sustainability financing in an array of sustainability areas.
Through our partnership, FIP mentors have the ability to work with the Credit Union in a number of capacities. Students are charged with analyzing data, thinking how to further engagement with potential clients and how to better serve existing ones.
Students are currently working on the following sustainability initiatives: rooftop solar financing in low-income areas, EV charging stations for landlords and business owners, EV financing for low-income consumers, and home energy improvements/alternatives.
FIP in Action
Hear Patricia Moore’s first-hand experience in the Financial Inclusion Program by clicking on the video on the right.
Listen to Alejandra Conde’s testimony about this impactful program on the right.
