By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

Landon Bowie is a firm believer in the power of a budget spreadsheet and a high-yield savings account. The Business Administration: A.S. student never hesitates to help a friend or classmate begin the path to financial literacy and security. When he’s not in class or helping his fellow Business Club members track their monthly spending, Bowie can be found behind the counter of Sidney Federal Credit Union (SFCU), supporting the financial transactions of the members of his community. While Bowie can’t imagine not working in the business world, he first arrived at SUNY Broome with a very different plan. 

Bowie was born in South Korea and was adopted as an infant by his parents, Robert and Bonnie Bowie of Sidney, New York. The couple previously adopted an older son, Micah, also from South Korea, and the arrival of Landon rounded out their happy family of four. 

Like so many of his generation, Bowie’s critical years at Sidney Jr/Sr High School were clouded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bowie admittedly fumbled his way through the college admissions process but ultimately felt comforted in his decision to attend SUNY Broome thanks to his older brother’s alum status and confidence via “strength in numbers” through a group of fellow Sidney classmates bound for Broome. 

Naturally computer-savvy and an avid gamer, Bowie enrolled in SUNY Broome’s Computer Science: A.S. program. But he soon realized that there was a big difference between tinkering with his gaming computer and spending hours deciphering and writing code. 

“The first semester, I thought, ‘This isn’t too bad; I can push through.” The second semester, my ‘This is not my favorite’ feeling lingered. By the time I made it to the beginning of the third semester, I finally admitted that computer science was definitely not for me,” Bowie explained. “I noticed that the classroom and work environments were too quiet for me. I realized that I needed to engage with people, not silently sit behind a computer and code.”

In an attempt to branch out, Bowie followed a group of Sydney friends to a weekly, on-campus Business Club meeting. Within minutes of his first session, Bowie knew that he had found his new home. 

SUNY Broome’s long-established Business Club welcomes any student, regardless of academic program, who has the desire to learn how a business functions. Together, club members invite special speakers to present at the club’s lecture series, coordinate fundraisers to support local philanthropic efforts, and plan annual trips to major metropolitan hubs like New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. 

Bowie’s positive experiences in the Business Club made transferring to the Business Administration: A.S. program a no-brainer. 

While his program of study and extracurricular activities changed, one thing remained constant – Bowie’s desire to continue as a working college student. Throughout his time at SUNY Broome, Bowie balanced his full-time courseload with a service desk position at his local Price Chopper. Though he loved assisting customers, stomping fires, and balancing the store’s daily earnings, the work eventually felt a bit stale. 

Bowie balances his time between being a Business Administration A.S. student at SUNY Broome and a teller at Sidney Federal Credit Union (SFCU).
Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

That’s when Bowie saw an advertisement for a “student teller” position at Sidney Federal Credit Union (SFCU). Initially, he worried that banking would be “scary and overwhelming,” but Bowie quickly realized that his work was far more than cashing checks and processing deposits. On the contrary, community banking is centered around building relationships to foster financial wellness for all. Bowie’s professionalism, eagerness to learn, and genuinely personable service quickly led to his promotion to drop the “student” before “teller.” 

“This past Saturday, I looked up and realized that three of our members were waiting specifically for my help,” Bowie reflected. “I love that even in such a relatively short time, I have been able to build meaningful relationships.” 

Life is at an exciting stage for Bowie as he rounds out his final fall semester at SUNY Broome. He divides his time equally between campus and (SFCU) and happily shares what he has learned about budgeting, saving, and investing with classmates and clubmates alike. 

“I’m definitely cautious about not overwhelming my friends and family with information,” Bowie shared. “But I really do believe that a spreadsheet for budgeting is a great starting point for everyone on the path to financial security and savviness.”

What’s next for Bowie? Thanks to SUNY Broome’s articulation agreement with Binghamton University’s School of Management, Bowie hopes to continue his business education locally.

Learn more about SUNY Broome’s Business Administration: A.S. program and its many articulation agreements with the top public and private business programs in New York.

Landon hopes to transfer to Binghamton University’s School of Managment via SUNY Broome’s specialized articulation agreement.
Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

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