School of Business Administration

Festive Finance
The University of Dayton’s 61st annual Christmas on Campus transformed the school into a winter wonderland filled with laughter, holiday cheer, and service. Among the many student-led activities that lit up the night, Flyers for Financial Literacy—a service-learning initiative dedicated to promoting financial education—stood out with their engaging and mission-driven project designed specifically for Dayton school aged children.
Under the leadership of Megan Saylor, Fall 2024 president and a Finance and Accounting major, Flyers for Financial Literacy hosted a mini Christmas shop where children learned the basics of budgeting while having fun. Each child was given a set amount of “monopoly money” to spend on prizes, such as candy, stickers, and gingerbread coloring pages. The activity beautifully combined the joy of the holiday season with the foundational concept of financial literacy: budgeting.
“Our goal is to promote financial literacy,” Saylor explained. “Budgeting is the most basic level of financial literacy, and we thought this would be a good activity to share with the children. Plus, they’re buying fun prizes, so it’s the perfect mix of education and enjoyment.
For Christmas on Campus, the club’s members collaborated to design the budgeting activity, ensuring it was both impactful and engaging. "We came up with the budgeting part of the activity as a club during our general meetings," said Saylor. "Our activity was funded purely by personal contributions and done with no expectation of anything in return, embodying the spirit of giving that Christmas on Campus represents."
The response from the children and their families exceeded expectations. “I wasn’t sure how the idea of budgeting would stick with young children, but many of them were excited to spend their monopoly money and get prizes!” shared Saylor. The smiles on the children’s faces as they carefully chose their “purchases” were a testament to the success of the activity.
The simplicity of the prizes—stickers, candy, and coloring pages—didn’t dampen the excitement. Instead, it highlighted the joy of giving and receiving during the holiday season. “It was adorable to see children get excited over being able to purchase something as simple as a piece of candy,” Saylor added.
Flyers for Financial Literacy’s activity embodied the Catholic, Marianist values at the heart of Christmas on Campus. Through a fun and approachable lesson in budgeting, the group not only gave back to the community but also created an opportunity to inspire both learning and joy. The event demonstrated how service and learning can be beautifully intertwined, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved.
“The most rewarding part was seeing all the smiles and memories being made,” Saylor concluded. “It was truly touching to witness so many people in the community come together.”
Flyers for Financial Literacy successfully brought their mission to life at Christmas on Campus. By blending education with festive fun, they showcased how financial literacy can be accessible—even for young children—and made the evening brighter for dozens of families. Their innovative approach and heartfelt service underscored the true meaning of the season: giving, learning, and coming together as a community.