Westmark partnership to focus on personal finance education for students

A new partnership between Boise State University and Westmark Credit Union will create opportunities to strengthen students’ financial knowledge, connect them with career experiences and provide resources that can benefit them well beyond graduation.

The partnership also establishes Westmark as a significant presence in the newly renamed Westmark Student Union Building (SUB), placing the Idaho-based credit union at the center of campus life and creating opportunities for engagement with students, faculty and staff.

For Westmark President and CEO Derik Nielsen, the partnership reflects a natural connection between two organizations focused on helping people build stronger futures.

“As a credit union, one of our biggest focuses is enhancing the lives of our members,” Nielsen said. “Boise State is looking to enhance the lives of its students. Our mission is to make lives better, and that creates a strong alignment. The question for us is: What can we do to help?”

Building financial confidence

A central focus of the partnership will be financial education. Westmark leaders see an opportunity to help students develop practical financial skills as they navigate college and prepare for life after graduation.

Financial decisions made during these years — from establishing credit and managing expenses to financing a first vehicle or preparing to buy a home — can have long-term implications. Westmark hopes to complement students’ academic preparation with information and resources that help them approach those decisions with greater confidence.

“Money is nearly always one of the biggest stressors in people’s lives,” said Jade Beckman, Westmark executive vice president and chief member experience officer. “If students can develop good financial habits and come out of college on strong financial footing, they are set up better throughout their entire lives. If we can reduce some of that stress, we end up with happier people and stronger communities.”

Just as important, Westmark leaders say, is listening to students rather than assuming what resources they need. The credit union plans to seek student input, including through focus groups, to better understand what students want from a financial institution as well as how Westmark can best serve the campus community.

“We have a unique opportunity to ask students what they want and what they need from a financial partner,” said Tammy Ridgwell, Westmark executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “We want to meet them where they are today, whether that means financial education, building credit or another need, and then be a trusted partner as they reach those milestone moments throughout their lives.”

Connecting education and opportunity

The partnership also creates possibilities beyond financial education. Westmark sees internships, employment opportunities and career development as additional ways the credit union can contribute to the student experience.

Westmark already employs Boise State graduates as well as current students. Its leaders see the partnership as an opportunity to deepen those connections.

The relationship also reflects the organizations’ shared roots in Idaho and an interest in creating opportunities for students to build careers and lives in the state after graduation.

For Nielsen, who grew up in the Idaho Falls area, Boise State has been part of his awareness of the state since childhood. His first memories were of the Blue Turf and Bronco football, but his understanding of the university grew along with Boise State itself.

“I have some very fond memories of Boise State growing up,” Nielsen said. “Over time, you realize it’s much more than a football team. There’s a university here that helps people progress and prepare for their lives.”

That broader role was important to Westmark as it considered the partnership. Rather than focusing solely on athletics or brand visibility, the credit union was drawn to an opportunity embedded in the academic and student experience.

“We’re proud to have the Westmark name associated with the Student Union, but this goes beyond putting our name on a building,” Beckman said. “We have the opportunity to be in the heart of campus and to support the educational and academic side of the university.”

While students are at the center of the partnership, its reach extends to Boise State faculty and staff as well.

Westmark leaders emphasized that they want the relationship to contribute value to the university community as a whole — from students beginning to establish their financial lives to employees navigating their own financial milestones.

That commitment aligns with Boise State’s broader effort to develop partnerships that contribute directly to the university experience, said Argia Beristain, CEO of the Boise State University Foundation.

“The strongest relationships are built on shared purpose and a genuine commitment to our students,” said Beristain. “Westmark isn’t just looking for visibility at Boise State — they want a true partnership. By helping students build financial confidence, opening doors for professional growth and investing in the people who strengthen our university and state, Westmark is creating a partnership with Boise State that will have a lasting impact.”

For Westmark, that long-term view is central to the relationship.

The credit union’s leaders envision supporting members through the transitions that often begin during the college years: establishing credit, graduating, starting a career, buying a first car or home and eventually building a family and planning for retirement.

“We really care about the education these students are getting, and we care about faculty careers. We are here to serve them, and we want them to have the best future possible,” Nielsen said. “One of the biggest stresses in life can be money. If we can share what we know and help someone build a better tomorrow, that’s what we want to do.”