.png)
Welcome to Our Next Chapter!
Hannah Abaigael Lakes
Age 21,
Mableton, GA
Entry: Essay
Senior Level: College
My name is Hannah Lakes, and I am a third-year student at the University of Georgia studying Financial Planning with a passion for financial literacy and economic development. I was raised in a household that valued wise money practices, which encouraged me to serve others, especially youth from low-income background in order to build a strong financial future. Through internships at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, along with my work as a Peer Financial Counselor on campus, I’ve gained real-world experience helping others make informed financial decisions. I’m driven by purpose, service, and a commitment to using my voice and skills to make a lasting impact.
I decided to apply for this scholarship because it aligns with my passion for financial literacy and economic development and my commitment to education. As someone who has experienced firsthand the power of financial literacy and opportunity, I’m always looking for ways to grow both personally and professionally while also giving back. This scholarship would help alleviate the financial pressure as I continue my career in wealth management and paying it forward in my community with financial literacy. It's not just about the support, it's about being part of something bigger than myself.
When writing this essay, I reflected on my personal experiences growing up in Mableton, GA and the financial values passed down to me at home. I wanted the tone to feel like me—real, grounded, and passionate. I pulled from my leadership roles, internships, and community work to show how financial literacy isn’t just something I study, but something I live. My goal was to write in a way that felt relatable and empowering, especially for people who don’t always see themselves in conversations about money.
Artist Statement:
I refer to myself as an impact artist, someone who uses her voice, mind, and leadership to create change where change is needed most. My work shows up in the construction of financial literacy workshops, in purposeful leadership, and in speaking with people in a way that demystifies. money and makes it seem more potent. Whether I'm instructing a student, managing over $70,000 as chapter treasurer, or presenting a wealth plan at an internship, I finish each task with attention, planning, and empathy.
My process is relationship based and storytelling. I drew inspiration from growing up in Mableton, Georgia, where I learned early that money talks are had at the kitchen table, and that those conversations can give birth to generations. As a Peer Financial Counselor, sorority president, and soon-to-be Certified Financial Planner, I have learned that financial literacy is an art: an art that requires patience, compassion, and creativity to communicate.
Ultimately, my work is about more than just numbers, it’s about building futures. I’m using my voice and vision to create space for Black and Brown families to thrive, and to remind others that they, too, deserve the tools to build lasting wealth and freedom.
EmpowerED 2025 Contest Entry
Empowered to Empower: My Financial Literacy Journey
Having spent my childhood in Mableton, Georgia, financial literacy was not a foreign concept to me, it was something my family and I talked about at the dinner table all the time. My parents taught me the value of saving, budgeting, and not accumulating too much unnecessary debt at a young age. Those conversations shaped my mindset around money to not be something to be feared, but something to be managed with purpose. So when I attended the financial workshop, it didn't really feel new. It rather felt like a refresher that this stuff isn't just important for me, but something that is meant to be shared and taught to others who might not have had the same training.
The most powerful part of the class was the credit part. Even with history at home, realizing how payment history, utilization, and age of accounts all play a direct role in your score made me realize how much power we really have over our own financial future. As a UGA Peer Financial Counselor, I directly work with students who are just beginning to learn about credit, which for many of them is their very first time. I love explaining it in a way that makes sense, because I've seen the difference a little knowledge can make when it comes to someone's relationship with money.
My internships at Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan gave me a front-row seat to how money moves in high-level settings. At JPMorgan, I spent time in Risk Management, seeing how large financial systems identify and steer clear of risks. At Morgan Stanley,
I will gain experiential work helping advisors put together customized plans for wealth. It was fascinating to see the way wealth gets built and protected. It is disheartening to see how many in my community never had access to that kind of guidance. That's why I always take what I've learned back with me, whether it's counseling teens at the Boys and Girls Club or answering money questions in group chats.
The knowledge doesn't do anything if it's not given to the people that need it most.
On campus, I make sure my leadership reflects my values. As Treasurer of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., UGA Zeta Psi Chapter,
I actively manage over $70,000 in funds, working with transparency, efficiency, and mission. I am also Head Chair of the Educational Development Committee of UGA Mindblowers, where I organize and facilitate financial literacy education for local school children. Regardless of what role I'm in, no matter what event I'm organizing, it all serves the same purpose, closing the economic wealth gap that is faced in underserved communities. I want financial education to be something that doesn't feel intimidating, because I notice the difference life makes when you know what to do with your money.
This financial literacy class wasn't where I began, it was a checkpoint. It was a reminder of why I'm so passionate about this work
and where I want to take it. My dream is to become a Certified Financial Planner and eventually open my own practice serving minority families. I want children of Atlanta and beyond to have the same kind of conversation that I was blessed to have at my dinner table, but with even more tools, resources, and confidence. Financial literacy is freedom, and I plan to spend my life helping others unlock it.