Make things possible. Help people live abundant lives.
That’s how Alex Chastain (’95 finance) quotes, in her own words, the goals of financial planning group Abacus Planning, where she serves as chief planning officer. The group specializes in monitoring investments and wealth management of family businesses to foundations and endowments, guiding clients through complex and often sensitive financial decisions. Chastain learned these skills and more while earning her degree at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business, and now she is looking to give back and inspire others to do the same.
To honor her 25 years of service with Abacus, her employer earmarked a $25,000 donation to the university – but they let Chastain specify where the money went. Inspired by situations she deals with every day, Chastain worked with the Moore School to create a personal finance class: Personal Finance for the Graduating Senior, or FINA 401, which covers important topics for young adults entering the real world.
Financial literacy is important at any age, but it’s something not often taught in high school or college curricula. While some say it’s the parents’ responsibility to instill this knowledge in their children, they cannot teach what they themselves do not know. This class is one way to break that cycle; it teaches the basics of budgeting, banking, personal taxes, insurance, retirement and more, allowing each student the confidence to begin their professional life with a solid knowledge of finance.
“Personal finance is something I see every day in my work,” Chastain says. “It’s concrete.”
The donation provided funds to flesh out the curriculum and pay an adjunct professor, but Chastain wanted to be more hands-on. She co-taught a semester of the class, in which her son was a student, and found it so meaningful that she would do it again if asked.
“I really enjoyed the students,” she says. “It was just as fulfilling for me to do it.”
Helping others is a desire that has sustained Chastain since adolescence. The daughter of South American immigrants, she was the first in her family to graduate from a 4-year degree program in the States, which presented its own set of challenges when it came to paperwork and the moving process.
“I was on my own to figure things out,” she says. “There was a language barrier, and a cultural barrier, but I figured this all out.”
Once she graduated, Chastain “didn’t quite know” what to do with her degree. She worked briefly at one financial institution before finding Abacus, still in its infancy. As one of the very first employees, she was exposed to many learning opportunities and gained hands-on experience that has carried her to this milestone achievement. She is the first employee to reach 25 years with the company.
“It was a grassroots effort,” she says. “I got a taste of everything and was allowed to figure out what I was drawn to.”
This course represents a full-circle moment for Chastain – from navigating financial uncertainty herself to equipping others to do it with confidence. Her experience teaching the class shows how donations of time and talent can be just as fulfilling as donations of treasure. Her employer’s donation made the class possible, but sharing her expertise in the classroom has helped students begin living abundant lives, which was her goal from the start – someone else receiving the help she wished she had had at their age.
Her story is a powerful reminder that philanthropy isn’t only about dollars. Rather, it emphasizes sharing knowledge, and opening doors to help others build the futures they deserve.
“It was so rewarding,” Chastain says. “I hope some took that knowledge out into the real world.”