Skyline President Regina Stanback-Stroud has recently been appointed to President Obama’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans.

Stanback-Stroud was approached by the White House to join the council and believes that their decision was based, at least partially, on her work with the SparkPoint Center and its creative approach to student services.

“One of the biggest factors affecting student success is poverty,” Stanback-Stroud said. “I’ve long believed that the difference between some with resources and some without is not just money.”

Sparkpoint has been a fixture at Skyline for the past three years, with a mission to provide students and community members with resources and information to improve their financial lives. Stanback-Stroud looks forward to the opportunity to further connect, collaborate and communicate to improve the financial situations of young adults.

“I think it’s amazing that President Stroud was chosen for so many reasons,” Michael Manneh, program services coordinator of language arts and learning resources said. “It represents Skyline and she has incredible leadership abilities.”

“For her (Stanback-Stroud), as an African American women, I think she can help inspire women and minorities,” Human biology professor Jamil Kanaaneh said.

The council was established in June 2013, with the intent of advising President Obama on how to improve the financial situations of young people early in adulthood and promoting upward economic mobility. It consists of the secretary of the treasury, secretary of education, and 22 members designated by President Obama now set to include Stanback-Stroud.

“Financial capability is the capacity, based on knowledge, skills, and access, to manage financial resources prudently and effectively,” President Obama wrote in his executive order calling for the formation of the council last year. “Efforts to improve financial capability, which should be based on evidence of effectiveness, empower individuals to make informed choices, plan and set goals, avoid pitfalls, know where to seek help, and take other actions to better their present and long-term financial well-being.”

“It is my extreme honor to serve this president,” Stanback-Stroud said.

Update:this article has been replaced with the newest version available. 11:22 a.m. 9/4/2014