According to a study conducted in 2004 by CNN, women are spending more money than men.

As a vehicle to educate African Americans about the importance of money, investments and ultimate financial awareness, members of the SGA presented Aggie Enterprise, a five-week workshop during March and April.

Established by the Terrance Jenkins, former 2003 SGA president and current BET host, Aggie Enterprise is an event which seeks to increase financial literacy of students and faculty.

Continuing to implement Aggie Enterprise into the yearly calendar of events, 2005-06 SGA President Justin Ramey serves as co-coordinator.

“Aggie Enterprise was set up to provide college students with some material relevant to their current financial dealings and to give them assistance on managing finances,” Ramey said.

Beginning in October 2005, Ramey began funding for Aggie Enterprise. This year’s event will last for five week instead of the traditional weekend.

Ramey said he believes Jenkins would be proud of what has been done thus far with Aggie Enterprise.

For this year’s event, Maurice L. Wilson, the senior advisor of Wilson Wealth Management Group of Charlotte, helped with the seminars by making suggestions for topics and selecting professional speakers.

The five workshops, “Get Your Money Right: Race and Money,” “SLACC: Student Loans and Credit Cards,” “Women and Money: An Equal, But Different Playing Field,” “Wall Street 101: Its Really That Simple,” and “Hustle and Flow: The Estate and Entrepreneurship” are expected to have a good turnout.

To address the matter of higher spending by females, four businesswomen Tyyawdi Baker, Aretha Blake, Alethea Ramey, and Ursula Strong presented the “Women and Money: An Equal, But Different Playing Field.”

Ramey opened the discussion of “The Seven B’s of Success.” Some steps she said women should take in order to be successful were to be well-funded, functional and competent.

“Women should plan their life financially as if they are on their own,” she said.

Married women were advised to plan financial matters as if they were unmarried just in case of divorce, separation, disability or death.

Gabrielle Pippen, a freshman construction management major, shared her vision during the presentation. She said she hopes to own a construction company.

“I want to use my construction business to assist others in need like Habitat for Humanity. I want to offer homes at an affordable price to people in rural areas who may not be able to afford a home,” she said.

Pippen explained her reasons for attending the session of Aggie Enterprise.

“I decided to attend Aggie Enterprise because if I want to start my own construction company. I have to not only know the construction aspect, I have to know the business aspect too,” she said.

Pippen said she wanted to see living proof of successful women who are willing to encourage others to form a goal and go after it.

SGA President Ramey walked away with expectations fulfilled.

“The women were professional and organized, and they covered more information than I expected!” he said. It was good to see some women doing their thing!”

Pippen has yet to miss a workshop. She believes the workshops thus far have been very beneficial.

“The information that was handed out could steer anyone in the right direction to achieving their goals,” she said.

• Larrissa Clavon