Eddie FrancisEddie Francis of the Windsor Family Credit Union discusses financial services with a room full of international students, Wednesday in the Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre.

Credit union reaches out to international students

A lunch session Wednesday in the Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre introduced the Windsor Family Credit Union to students in the English Language Improvement Program.

Former Windsor mayor Eddie Francis (LLB 2002), the credit union’s executive vice-president for member experience, says the event helps to educate the entire UWindsor population about its services, including its new branch on campus.

“It is part of our all-around effort to let people know we are here and we’re ready to help them meet their financial needs,” he says.

The director of the Centre for English Language Development, Jennie Atkins, says the centre organizes information sessions for its students on many topics: academic, residence and food services; legal aid; and health care; as well as finances.

“Today’s event did a really good job of showing our students some of the services available to them right here on campus,” says Atkins. “They’re in a new city and in a new country and we want them to feel connected to this community and its institutions.”

Rafael Garcia, a native of Brazil, says he was happy to learn about financial services but was originally attracted by the pizza, dips and salads on offer: “I mostly came for the free food.”