Alumna Christy Matzen said program coursework set her up to start her successful career earlier than most
Personal Financial Planning (PFP) alumna Christy Matzen, CFP® changed her major four times before finding her true passion in the PFP program at Texas Tech University.
“After detailing all the things I liked, an academic advisor encouraged me to take the intro course and see if it interested me. I enjoyed the numbers, relationships, and applicable nature of the subject,” Matzen said.
Today, Matzen is the Director of Financial Planning at Zoe Financial. In her position, she runs the due diligence process for financial advisors who want to join the Zoe Advisor Network. She evaluates the technical skills, soft skills, and technology of financial advisors in addition to educating advisors and clients on personal finance topics.
“My degree laid the best foundation I could have imagined to prepare me to make an impact upon entering the workforce,” Matzen said. "I feel that it empowered me to speak confidently about my knowledge and skills without fear of being marginalized for my age or gender.”
After completing Personal Financial Planning coursework for graduation, Matzen was eligible to take the CFP® exam earlier than most, something that allowed her to enter the field at the age of 21. She passed the exam on her first attempt just six months after graduation.
“I spent six years of my career at Goldman Sachs Ayco Personal Financial Management and probably wouldn't have gotten the job without my CFP® in hand,” Matzen said. “That role taught me so much about the industry, how to manage people and how to effectively build client relationships.”
Matzen believes that the PFP program offered the best pre-career training she could have received. The financial planning bachelor's degree focuses on fee-only planning and the value of RIAs over broker-dealers, the knowledge that she utilizes years later at Zoe Financial. Her education also empowers her to do pro bono financial coaching for single moms and women in crisis.
When she became an adjunct instructor in 2018, she realized the caliber of faculty that Texas Tech offered. In addition to laying the foundation for her successful career, the PFP program is where Matzen met her husband.
“I can honestly say my entire life would be different without this program,” Matzen said. “I loved the community feel of the classroom and fellow students I was learning with. I appreciate the reputation the program has upheld because it validates me and my education, even nine years later!”