JaeVic Emcees the First That’s What She Said: Campus Edition
Jaelyn Vickery Emcees That’s What She Said: Campus Edition at the University of Illinois
This April, I had the incredible honor of serving as the emcee for the first-ever That’s What She Said: Campus Edition hosted at the Illini Union Courtyard Café at the University of Illinois.
Standing on that stage felt deeply full-circle.
Because long before I became a certified financial therapist at Dimensional Wealth, before I worked in banking, and before I understood the psychology behind financial behavior, I was a college student searching for identity, purpose, and belonging just like the women who stepped onto that stage to share their stories.
And that is exactly what That’s What She Said represents:
connection through storytelling.
What is your relationship with money, and how was it shaped by your story? Many people search for financial confidence through budgeting and financial literacy, but true financial wellness often begins with understanding the emotional experiences and beliefs driving money decisions.
The Power of Women’s Storytelling on College Campuses
That’s What She Said began in Champaign-Urbana in 2013 with a mission to empower women to share personal, vulnerable, and transformative stories. The Campus Edition continues that legacy by creating space for young women to develop confidence, practice public speaking, and discover the power of their own voices.
This year’s speakers: Shenice Boyd-Vanderbilt, Laura Flores, Resa Fuller, Sakshi Ravindra Gaikwad, Breezy Gray, and Aubrey Sanders demonstrated that when women tell their stories, community forms instantly.
Storytelling allows us to move beyond titles, achievements, and expectations. It reminds us that behind every resume is a human experience shaped by uncertainty and self-discovery.
As emcee, my role was to welcome each storyteller, hold space for their vulnerability, and help the audience recognize a shared truth:
Our stories are how we understand who we are.
My Story: The Pressure of Purpose
My connection to That’s What She Said began in 2025 where I stood on that same stage as a storyteller myself, sharing a piece titled The Pressure of Purpose.
As a former college athlete, my identity had been shaped from a young age around performance and achievement. Athletics defined my worth. Success felt measurable and conditional
But when graduation approached, I faced a reality many students experience:
I was highly educated yet financially unprepared!
No one had taught me how to build financial knowledge.
No one had helped me understand my relationship with money.
No one had asked me what I believed money meant about my value, security, or future.
That realization changed my life.
How My Career in Financial Therapy Began
My journey into banking wasn’t just about numbers. It was about answers.
I wanted to understand why intelligent, capable people struggle with money decisions. Why financial stress impacts mental health. Why so many professionals feel successful on paper but disconnected from financial confidence.
That curiosity eventually led me to become a Certified Financial Therapist at Dimensional Wealth, where my work centers on helping individuals explore and transform their money stories.
Because financial literacy alone isn’t enough.
People don’t change financial behaviors because of spreadsheets.
They change when they understand the story behind their decisions.
JaeVic poses beside promotional signage for “That’s What She Said: Campus Edition” at the University of Illinois Courtyard Café. The women’s storytelling event highlights empowerment, leadership, and authentic personal narratives shared by students and campus leaders.
What Is a Money Story and Why It Matters
A money story is the collection of beliefs, experiences, cultural messages, and emotional memories that shape how we earn, spend, save, and value ourselves.
Most of us developed our money story long before adulthood:
observing family financial stress
attaching worth to achievement
equating income with identity
or learning avoidance around finances altogether
College students are often navigating this for the first time. They balance independence, debt, career pressure, and emerging adulthood simultaneously.
This is why events like That’s What She Said matter so deeply. Storytelling helps people recognize patterns, and recognition creates clarity. When we understand the roots of our financial behaviors, we gain the perspective needed to rewrite our financial future.
One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was witnessing young women claim ownership of their narratives. Each speaker modeled courage, not perfection. That mirrors the work we do at Dimensional Wealth every day. Financial transformation isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about aligning your financial life with your authentic values and desired lifestyle.
Storytelling builds community.
Community builds confidence.
Confidence builds agency.
When people feel seen, heard, and understood, they begin making decisions from clarity rather than fear.
Why This Experience Meant So Much to Me
Serving as emcee wasn’t just a professional milestone. It was personal.
I once sat in those same campus spaces questioning my purpose, my identity beyond athletics, and my preparedness for adulthood. Returning now, as a business owner and financial therapist felt like witnessing the continuation of a journey.
If there is one message I hope the student and attendees carried away, it is this:
Your story does not limit you. It informs you.
You have the power to rewrite it.
Moving Forward: Transforming Your Money Story
Whether you are a college student, young professional, or someone reevaluating your relationship with money, your financial journey begins with understanding yourself.
At Dimensional Wealth, our mission is to help individuals:
uncover emotional patterns around money
build financial self-awareness
develop aligned and organized financial goals
and create sustainable financial well-being.
Ready to explore your money story?
Learn more about financial therapy, money coaching, and values-based financial systems at Dimensional Wealth.
