Bill Dickens earned his BSBA at UMSL in 2003 and is a certified financial planner and partner with the Moneta Group. (Photo courtesy of the Moneta Group)
By Kala Dunn, University Advancement
Most college graduates likely would agree that their degrees have helped advance their careers. But when Bill Dickens, Certified Financial Planner™, credits the University of Missouri–St. Louis with giving him a 10-year head start, he has the proof to back it up.
Dickens was ready to take the CFP® exam immediately after graduating with a BSBA in finance from UMSL’s Ed G. Smith College of Business in 2003, thanks to a rigorous curriculum approved by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. At the time, UMSL was one of few schools in the nation to offer a specialized undergraduate education for aspiring CFP® professionals.
“I was sitting alongside peers in that financial planner exam who were in many cases 10 or 15 years my senior,” Dickens recalled. “They did not have a similar undergraduate educational experience, and that required them to continue their education to be able to be qualified to sit for the exam.”
While Dickens certainly made the most of the unique educational opportunity, he did not choose UMSL because of its CFP® preparation. In fact, his foray into personal finance was a pivot away from what initially drew him to UMSL: the equally prestigious AACSB-accredited accounting program. It took some time – and a lucky enrollment in a financial planning class – for him to find his niche.
“Having taken an elective course in the theory and practice of financial planning with Tom Eyssell, I learned of a career path where I could marry my love of numbers with interpersonal skills and relationships,” Dickens said. “The idea that I could make a career in which I would use my business acumen and get to see it have a direct impact on people’s lives really appealed to me.”
Dickens sharpened his people skills during his time at UMSL through involvement in an array of campus activities ranging from Greek life to the Student Investment Trust, a student organization managing a real-money portfolio that has grown to over $1 million.
“Seeking a more traditional college experience, I lived on campus at UMSL,” Dickens said. “I lived in University Meadows from Day One until the end of my degree and attempted to fully ingratiate myself into the UMSL community culture.”
That dedication to building lasting connections within the UMSL community quickly paid off for Dickens. While enrolled in his first financial planning class, he asked Eyssell where he should go to get the real-world experience he would need to be successful. Eyssell was quick to connect Dickens with the team at Moneta Group.
“Make no bones about it: there is an absolute direct connection between my role at Moneta and UMSL,” said Dickens, who is now a partner at Moneta. “At the time I started, the CEO of Moneta was an UMSL alum who was very favorable to UMSL students. I came to Moneta with no real knowledge of what they did, nor did I have any intentions to stay there long-term, but 25 years later I’m still here. I tie a lot of any professional achievements I’ve had back to my experience at UMSL.”
His sense of gratitude to the university and his longstanding habit of getting involved have turned Dickens into an active alum of the institution. He has served on the Planned Giving Committee, the Finance and Legal Studies Advisory Council, and the Alumni Association, and he frequently returns to classrooms as a guest speaker.
“I’m a big believer in giving back,” Dickens said. “There were a lot of people in the UMSL community – professors, guest speakers, community leaders who volunteered their time – who helped me think a little bit differently about what I could do or about what could be achieved. I think from that standpoint, I just want to return that capital to the university.”
Dickens is also committed to supporting the institution financially. As a CFP® professional, he enjoys making the most of financially sophisticated ways to give.
“I have principally given back through a donor-advised fund,” Dickens said. “Having a fairly strong background in tax, I know [giving through a DAF] allows me not only to support the university that I care about but that I can do so in a manner that yields personal benefit in the form of tax reduction.”
His reasoning for giving of time and money transcends a desire to help those within the bounds of the UMSL campus.
“I’ve been a lifelong St. Louis person, and in my career, I’m able to interact with many leaders both in the community and from a national perspective,” Dickens said. “And as a fan of St. Louis, I think it’s really important that we support and promote a public institution like UMSL for the benefit of the overall community.”
“When we get not only alumni energized but the community energized, that lends itself to a better experience for everyone in the region, regardless of whether they’ve set foot on the campus or not. UMSL is a really important community property.”
Learn more about supporting UMSL via donor-advised funds, planned gifts, or other strategic methods by contacting Jill Hunt, senior associate director of development, at jillhunt@umsl.edu. To make your gift today, visit umsl.edu/giving.
Material in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own advisors.
