Dollars and Sense

In the days before Lou Ann Gibson became one of the
more popular and effective instructors at Mesa College, she had a choice to make: Was she going to be a financial planner or a child psychologist?

It’s not everybody who must make such a decision, but Gibson has long proven she’s far from average.

“After many years of teaching financial planning, I came to realize how much psychology is involved,” Gibson said. “People must take a hard look at the way they think when they decide what to do with their money. There are impulses to trust and avoid. Whenever you’re talking about your future and making the most of it, character comes into play. This is the best of both worlds for me.”

Perhaps it’s because Gibson takes such an all-encompassing approach to financial planning that her course at Mesa, Personal Financial Management 110, has become so popular. This consumer studies department class has been thriving for 15 years. Its unofficial motto– “Helping you get rich slowly” –has created a buzz among students and former students, especially in this era of increased attention on personal finance, when the New Economy, soaring stocks, 401(k) and other financial avenues have become part of the everyday American vernacular.

“Good personal finance is like maintaining good health,” Gibson said. “To keep fit, you have to exercise and eat healthy every day.”

A 1973 graduate of Mesa College and then San Diego State University, Gibson began teaching part time at Mesa in 1974. In 1985, she was hired to teach full time and, in addition to her financial planning class, began teaching Life Success Skills 101, a class she describes as “how to get through life in one piece.” Money, particularly the management and increase of money leading toward financial comfort and retirement, often gets in the way of that goal.

“I teach the students how to relax when thinking about money, then calmly make decisions that can be adjusted without panic or regret,” Gibson said. “I try to cover as much as I can in 16 weeks, mostly by teaching the students how to do their own research, and not have to rely only on so-called profes-sionals, even though many of those pros are often very good.”

The reviews are in from district employees.
“I was very impressed with Lou Ann’s depth of knowledge, but what impressed me most was her willingness to help everyone,” said Denise Costa, who works in President Patricia Keir’s office at Miramar College.

Carol Pettingill, administrative secretary to City College’s Vice President of Instruction Ron Manzoni, said that after taking Gibson’s class, she now subscribes to a personal finance magazine. “What I learned about insurance was a big eye-opener,” Pettingill added. “And [what I learned] about how to read the stocks has been a wonderful experience.”

Gibson, who keeps her door open to former students with financial questions for several years after they take her class, uses a philosophy applicable to both of her classes.

“I try to impart that true richness in life has nothing to do with money, but being financially successful is a bonus,” she said. “Learning how to make your money work for you can sure reduce the stress level.”