Catching Up With the U.Fund Dreams Tour

Every year, MEFA and Fidelity go out into the community and bring the concept of saving for college to life through the U.Fund Dreams Tour. This tour has become an attraction for many young students and families who attend popular community events such as WGBH Fun Fest, Topsfield Fair, and HubBub Boston Book Festival. Today, we're going behind the scenes to talk with Tia who has worked the U.Fund Dreams Tour for three years. Here's a glimpse of what she has learned about what's on the mind of parents and children as they experience the Dreams Tour.

Q1: The U.Fund Dreams Tour has made 12 stops across the Commonwealth and it's hard to believe that we have just completed the last tour stop at the Franklin Park Zoo. What has this year been like for you in terms of sharing the college savings message with families?

A1: While working the U.Fund Dreams Tour this year I realized many people don't understand the importance of a college savings. It truly is amazing that we are able to impact those in the community, and feel even more relevant when you talk to families that weren't aware they could easily save for college.

Q2: Could you tell us which event stands out to you as your favorite stop and why?

A1: Boo At The Zoo stands out to me because many children dressed up as what they want to be when they grow up. Seeing this really put what we're doing into perspective.

Q3: What was the most interesting question or conversation you had with a parent on saving for college?

A3: The most interesting question I received was "when is it too late to start saving for college?" Of course, we were there to reassure the family that it's never too late.

Q4: Describe the overall experience of parents and children at the tent

A4: It was great to have activities for the kids so that we were able to have one-on-one conversations with the parents.

Q5: As we now have wrapped up the tour, what words of wisdom do you want to share with parents who may be reading this and thinking about saving for college or already saving?

A5: My words of wisdom would be "start now, it's not too late."