Staff members in charge of the new Armstrong Student Center (ASC) at Miami University are currently in the process of deciding which organizations and business entities it will accommodate once construction is complete.
According to Susie Sadler, director of the ASC, the building's intended focus is on student initiative and should be a showcase for student-run organizations.
One such enterprise already slotted to take up residence within the new center is the First Miami University Student and Alumni Federal Credit Union.
"There have been plans since day one for them to be in the student center," Sadler said, emphasizing that the organization was a standout in the kind of entrepreneurial effort the center hopes to put on display.
The credit union already operates out of a location in the Shriver center, but saw a great opportunity for expansion with the addition of a new student center.
"We want to make sure we have a good location in order to make us appealing to students," said Shawn Hartle, Director of the Credit Division at the credit union. "We are basically an entirely student-run financial institution."
Hartle also said a credit union like the Miami Student and Alumni Federal Credit Union is typically run and owned by its members, the majority of which reside on Miami's campus.
One of the advantages the credit union has over their major competitors in the area is the fact that they are the only financial institution on campus, Hartle said.
The credit union also promotes financial literacy, working to augment and advance students' knowledge of finances.
"We offer 75 internships a year, and we also host basic finance seminars," Hartle said. According to Hartle, the credit union maintains a customer base of around 1,700 members, and faces competition from a few major banks located uptown including PNC, Chase, and Fifth Third Bank. While the credit union's status as an occupant of the Armstrong Student Center is not yet finalized, they do have a spot in the current draft of the building.
The new student center and credit union look forward to cooperating with one another, Sadler said.
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"The beauty of having the service is that it's a high demand item, and the whole idea behind the student center is that it's student-focused," Sadler said.
The center will be constructed in two phases, with construction beginning this spring.
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