Four-student team presented social-first “FinCheck” campaign targeting Gen Z to promote greater financial literacy
COSTA MESA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#YourBFFExperian–For the second consecutive year, a four-student team from Fisk University took the top prize in the 2026 #IYKYK Pitch Competition (If You Know, You Know) for their idea to amplify Experian’s Big Financial Friend campaign, sponsored by Experian and HomeFree-USA.
Nicknamed Team F2, Hannah Daniel, Habeebah Dawodu, Remi Adeshina, and Kanchan Thapa earned a $40,000 prize for their presentation, “FinCheck.” A social-first campaign inspired by the viral “fit check” trend, the campaign invites Gen Z users to post regular “fin check” videos to normalize discussions around financial health, making it as routine and shareable as personal style. In addition, on-campus and social-media influencer activations will amplify awareness around basic financial wellness services, such as credit locking, score simulations and subscription cancellation. A team from Fisk University also won the 2025 competition.
“We came into this competition and said we’re going to put our best foot forward, we’re going to get up here, have fun and we’re going to leave a lasting impact. This is just beyond words,” said Hannah Daniel, biology and business administration major from Fisk University and captain of Team F2.
The #IYKYK Pitch Competition, powered by Experian’s B.A.L.L. for Life initiative, challenged students to develop a bold, culturally relevant campaign that builds on Experian’s concept of being a “Big Financial Friend” (BFF) to their peers and communities. Generation Z consumers carry an average $94,101 in personal debt, the highest compared to other generations.
The competition was the culmination of the Experian Credit Academy created for the Center for Financial Advancement® (CFA). For the first time, the National Urban League’s network of schools joined the academy and competition. More than 300 students from 22 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions came together in live sessions with Experian credit education experts and self-paced modules. Finalists from Alabama State University and Grambling State University also presented their ideas live at Experian’s North America headquarters and each team received a $10,000 prize.
“Experian’s Credit Academy and #IYKYK Pitch Competition aims to modernize and normalize the conversation around money and credit in a fun and culturally relevant way for young adults. Our partnerships with HomeFree-USA, CFA and the National Urban League are essential in helping us reach and empower the next generation of leaders. We were inspired to see how these scholars lean into the learning and proactively share their knowledge as BFFs for their peers and communities,” said Raudy Perez, Senior Director of External Inclusion and Belonging Partnerships for Experian North America.
“Experian’s #IYKYK Pitch Competition gives students the chance to turn knowledge into action. When students connect classroom learning to real-life financial scenarios, their understanding of credit and financial literacy deepens in powerful ways. Exploring how they can become Big Financial Friends for their peers and communities inspires them to become confident advocates who share what they’ve learned,” said LuWanna Williams, Ed.D., University Director for the Center for Financial Advancement®.
Learn more about Experian’s commitment to communities in our 2025 Power of YOU Reports: English | Portuguese | Spanish
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About HomeFree-USA
HomeFree-USA is a nonprofit started by Marcia and Jim Griffin in 1994 with a vision to close the homeownership gap. The organization gives African Americans the guidance they need to achieve and sustain homeownership, and bridges the gap between financial strength and homeownership for people of color across America.
As a HUD-intermediary, HomeFree-USA serves the diverse interests of 6.3 million consumers through its nationwide network of over 50 affiliated community-based nonprofits that specialize in guiding people to first-time homeownership, sustainability and increased financial capacity.
For more information visit: https://homefreeusa.org/.
About Center for Financial Advancement®
The Center for Financial Advancement® (CFA) is a solution to the industry’s call for more diversity. HomeFree-USA partners with, recruits, trains and places students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) into internships and careers in partnering mortgage, real estate, and financial services companies. Participating CFA Scholars are exposed to credit, money management and homeownership in order to become a savvy consumer and future homeowner.
About Experian
Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realize their financial goals and help them to save time and money.
We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.
We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. A FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Victoria Lim, Experian
[email protected]
Fabianna Diaz, HomeFree-USA
[email protected]
