Gift from Charles Schwab Foundation Will Help Develop Next Generation in Certified Financial Planning

George Mason University has announced a generous multi-year commitment from Schwab Advisor Services in partnership with the Charles Schwab Foundation to grow and strengthen George Mason’s Financial Planning and Wealth Management Program (FPWM) and to position it to meet the region’s strong demand for certified financial planners.

“Our partnership with Schwab Advisory Services is an extraordinary benefit for our students,” said Ajay Vinzé, dean of the Costello College of Business. “Charles Schwab’s engagement with the college has given our students valuable insights into the personal finance industry, and this grant will help to attract and retain world class talent to lead the program and bring it to the next level.”

Costello’s FPWM program was launched in 2019 in response to a growing need for financial planners and wealth managers, particularly in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. The Charles Schwab grant will allow the college to strengthen its ability to meet this demand by establishing a dedicated faculty member with certified financial planning (CFP) experience to lead operations within FPWM, teach key courses, and to deepen relationships within the CFP industry.

“Charles Schwab is an enthusiastic partner to business education institutions, including the Costello College of Business,” said Jon Beatty, head of Schwab Advisor Services. “Costello students include those with backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in the financial planning and wealth management profession, and we share the college’s vision of developing these students into qualified professionals who will be able to serve the diverse clients in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.”

The Costello FPWM program benefits from its association with the college’s Financial Planning and Wealth Management Advisory Board, comprising George Mason and Costello alumni, business professionals, individual supporters, faculty, and NextGen Board members who link students with industry veterans. The board has developed the program in consultation with more than a dozen registered investment advisor (RIA) and financial planning firms in the Northern Virginia region. FPWM students graduate from George Mason with a bachelor of science degree in business, with a concentration in financial planning and wealth management. 

“Our objective is to create the next generation of financial planning professionals,” said David Johnson, chair of the Financial Planning and Wealth Management Advisory Board. 

“With cross-pollination from Costello’s finance and accounting academic disciplines, our graduates will possess the technical skills, soft skills, and ethical grounding that will launch them into successful careers.” 

About Costello College of Business

The Donald G. Costello College of Business at George Mason University is one of the largest business schools in Virginia, and is located near Washington, D.C., and in South Korea. The AACSB-accredited college prepares undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and across the globe for career success in business and government, through its research-based faculty and focus on multi-disciplinary academic programs, inclusive entrepreneurship, modular education, and corporate partner engagement. Learn more at business.gmu.edu.