10th Anniversary

GFLEC's Decennial Journey and Impact

2011-2021

Ten years ago, the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) launched with a clear vision: a future in which everyone is equipped to manage their personal finances and, as a result, achieve their dreams. In its tireless work toward that goal, GFLEC has boldly positioned itself as the world’s leading incubator for financial literacy research, policy, and solutions.

During our anniversary season, we will continue to connect with you to celebrate GFLEC’s journey, share new research, and describe our vision for the future.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As we celebrate GFLEC’s decennial anniversary, we are proud of what the center has accomplished. When GFLEC launched, many individuals and organizations were skeptical about the value of financial literacy. It was an uphill battle, but ten years later, things have changed. GFLEC has helped establish financial literacy as an academic field, and our research has put the financial illiteracy crisis on the agenda of policy makers, private sector leaders, and educators. Our efforts have illustrated that financial literacy is a key driver of financial security and well-being. Our work is not done, but we have surmounted some major obstacles.

A special message from Director Lusardi

As we celebrate GFLEC's accomplishments, we also rally our forces to reimagine the future and prepare for bold changes, including the announcement of a new global network of financial literacy and personal finance researchers.

In this 10th birthday year, the team is most proud of having accelerated breakthrough data-driven research and built financial literacy into a dynamic academic field. In doing so, we opened the doors to new generations of researchers and turned a lens on inclusive, equitable pathways to financial literacy.

AWARDS RECEIVED DURING OUR 10 YEAR JOURNEY

GFLEC is honored to contribute in far-reaching ways to the understanding of why financial literacy matters and is grateful for the partnership of preeminent collaborators. At the same time, we are humbled by the acclaim, accolades, and awards we have received for our work. Every honor magnifies GFLEC’s visibility and broadens its influence.

GFLEC GREATEST HITS: PUBLICATIONS

GFLEC Greatest Hits It’s a GFLEC master class! Take a virtual tour of the top 10 publications from the past decade.

Who Is Afraid of Financial Education?

Forbes | Annamaria Lusardi | October 12, 2021

TESTIMONIALS

The journey GFLEC has been on these last ten years has been filled with many truly incredible partners, collaborators, funders, and friends. We could not have raised awareness about the vital importance of financial literacy or see the impact and influence we are having without these individuals and organizations. We have received several touching testimonials from our GFLEC community. Today, we are sharing the first of many to come as our anniversary celebration continues.

Dame Diana Crossan
Chair, GFLEC Advisory Council
Former Retirement Commissioner, New Zealand

Maria Demertzis, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Bruegel

Billy J. Hensley, Ph.D.
President & CEO, National Endowment for Financial Education

Thomas J. LeBlanc, Ph.D.
President, The George Washington University

Laura Levine
President & CEO, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy

Anuj Mehrotra, Ph.D.
Dean, The George Washington University School of Business

Flore-Anne Messy
Acting Deputy Director, OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs
Executive Secretary, OECD International Network on Financial Education (INFE)

Wim Mijs
Chief Executive Officer, European Banking Federation

Olivia S. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Pension Research Council
Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Nan J. Morrison
President & CEO, Council for Economic Education

Gerri Walsh
President, FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Senior Vice President, Investor Education, FINRA

OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Although we have spent 10 years connecting research, policy, and solutions, we have barely begun. We will continue to build global networks of researchers to raise the field of financial literacy to the next level. We will continue to translate research into action, including through public policy. And we will continue to advance discoveries that will enable us to overcome inequality in financial literacy. We know our work can transform lives and turn dreams into reality. We know because we have already seen it happen.

Your donation will help us continue our work and promote financial literacy and financial education programs with the ultimate aim of helping to improve financial well-being for all around the world.