Vicki Fuhrhop
Financial Literacy Advocate
Personal Notes
I believe knowledge is power, but applying that knowledge is what truly transforms lives. Our financial health depends on being informed, confident citizens and consumers, and it’s my mission to help others build that foundation. I teach that we can only do three things with money: Save, Give, and Spend. Saving builds security and wealth, giving strengthens our communities, and spending wisely helps us stay in control. Guiding others as they learn to manage their financial lives is a privilege I value deeply, and I’m committed to empowering every learner to make choices that support a strong financial future.
Bio
With more than 27 years of experience as a high school business education instructor, Vicki Fuhrhop has dedicated her career to elevating financial literacy and economic understanding for students and educators alike. She developed and authored the course proposal for the junior/senior Personal Finance class at Collinsville High School, which is offered as a dual credit elective in partnership with Southwestern Illinois College. She has taught the course for the past seven years, empowering students with practical financial skills before graduation.
For over a decade, she has served on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Educator Advisory Board, contributing extensively to helping them promote their financial education initiatives and free curriculum resources. Her work includes writing a published bankruptcy lesson plan for grades 9–12, aligning the Federal Reserve’s economic and personal finance resources with the Illinois Social Science Standards, reviewing lessons, and leading professional development seminars to support educators across the region.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, as well as a Master of Arts in Economics & Entrepreneurship for Educators from the University of Delaware—one of the nation’s premier programs for advancing economic and financial education leadership.
Her commitment to high quality financial education has earned multiple honors, including the Collinsville, Illinois Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year (2012), Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award (2016), Outstanding Economic Educator Award from Econ Illinois (2018), Educator of the Year from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Educator Advisory Board (2018), and the National Association of Economic Educators Bronze Curriculum Award of Excellence (2020) for her Bankruptcy Basics lesson plan.
Beyond her classroom and advisory work, she is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences, sharing insights on economics, personal finance, and effective financial education pedagogy. As an NFEC Certified Financial Education Instructor℠ (CFEI), she continues to champion accessible, high quality financial education and remains committed to helping learners make informed, confident financial decisions that support lifelong learning and well-being.
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