FSU Panama City faculty, students participate at national Financial Planning Summit

Faculty and students in the Financial Planning program at Florida State University Panama City recently participated in three major events as part of the Certified Financial Planning Board Connections Conference in Chicago.

Nasima Khatun, PhD, assistant teaching professor, was recognized for her leadership advancing financial planning education and research, joining more than 900 educators, researchers, students and financial planning professionals from across the nation. She presented her study, “The Relationship Between Property Damage and Flood Insurance Take-up Rates After Hurricane Harvey,” which examines how severe disaster experiences influence insurance decisions.

Her findings reveal that higher property damage leads to increased flood insurance adoption, highlighting the critical role of financial preparedness, community demographics and risk perception in post-disaster recovery.

FSU Panama City students Lindsey Martin, Kylari Williams and E’Laycia Williams-Mallett also represented the future of the financial planning profession on a national stage. Khatun said their participation was not just about attending sessions, but rather about finding their voice, making connections and embracing the responsibility of being part of the financial planning community.

“Conferences like the CFP Board Connections Conference give students a rare chance to see how classroom learning translates into professional practice,” Khatun said. “They hear directly from experts, learn about emerging trends, and begin forming relationships with leaders in the field. These experiences build confidence, help students understand where they belong in the profession, and open doors to future opportunities.” 

During the conference, Khatun engaged with CFP Board leadership, program directors and department chairs to explore future academic collaborations and expand opportunities for FSU PC students and faculty. She received special invitations to two additional national milestone celebrations: The Academy of Financial Services’ 40th Anniversary event and Dalton Education’s 20th Anniversary, celebrating one of FSU’s key educational partners that supports the CFP Registered Program.