PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University Athletics and the Cougar Athletic Fund are partnering with former Cougar football player Jed Collins to help teach student-athletes financial literacy and aid in managing personal funds successfully. 

"Financial literacy is an essential skill for student-athletes to gain as they prepare for life after college athletics," Shelby McKay, WSU Assistant Director of Athletics, Student-Athlete Development discussed. "The Money Vehicle course aligns with the mission and goals of the Cougar Pursuit. We are thankful for Jed Collins for creating a valuable resource and the alumni who supported the initiative. This is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes."

Collins, who spent seven seasons in the National Football League as a fullback, has created an online certification course for financial literacy called Money Vehicle. Jed created this company "...geared at bringing financial literacy to everybody. Everybody has the potential to be financially literate, but potential is often just the gap between people and success."

"My first paycheck in the NFL showed me how little I understood about money," Collins said. "The reality is that no matter your sport or major, we will all have to speak this foreign language of money. That is why we created Money Vehicle and are on a mission to empower young people to begin owning their financial future! The course walks through the first 10 questions one will face on their financial journey and not only answers the question, but shows students what actions to take. Money Vehicle is one of the first virtual Financial Literacy Certification courses and it is an honor to partner with my alumni in delivering it to our student athletes. Go Cougs!"

WSU Athletics, with the aid from an anonymous donor who made a generous gift to cover the course, has granted student-athletes access to this virtual course to improve overall financial literacy within their lives. 

"This course is a great financial literacy tool whether you are looking to gain basic knowledge about financial management or are someone who already understands the fundamentals," current WSU women's basketball player Michaela Jones said. "I am incredibly grateful for Jed Collins creating this course and for the donor who donated the funds to provide this to student athletes. This opportunity to invest in yourself will have a high return if you are committed to applying the concepts."