Take Charge America (TCA) has established an endowment at the University of Arizona in Tucson that will be used to create a center to study issues of personal finance. A formal announcement will be made on April 3 at the Arizona State Capitol.

The Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research will be housed in the Southwest Retail Center for Education and Research, a unit within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Phoenix-based TCA is a non-profit firm that provides financial counseling and debt management skills for thousands of individuals, and resources for credit agencies dealing with distressed borrowers.

TCA has supported the UA chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). "It's been a wonderful partnership and TCA is very excited about the opportunity to expand our services at UA," said Mike Hall, the president and founder of TCA, which began as Credit Counselors of America.

Hall said the Take Charge America Institute "will allow us to learn about the challenges facing consumers and help us create strategies for assisting consumers with their financial decisions."

The new institute at the UA will be geared to conducting research, developing and disseminating research-based consumer financial education programs nationally. Hall said he expects the Take Charge Institute to become "the preeminent authority in the nation in matters of consumer financial management."

- Updated: April 02, 2003