The Concord Coalition’s Fiscal Lookout program is making waves in communities across the country—and thanks to the leadership of student leader Olu Rouse, those waves are now reaching campuses across North Carolina and South Carolina.
On Tuesday, July 29, Olu facilitated the Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities federal budget exercise at the HBCU Think Tank conference in North Carolina. This wasn’t just another presentation—it was an interactive, role-playing simulation that put participants in the driver’s seat of the federal budget, challenging them to grapple with real-world decisions about taxes, spending, debt, and deficits.
Training Future Fiscal Leaders
In addition to leading the simulation, Olu trained HBCU leaders from multiple campuses in North Carolina and South Carolina on how to run the exercise themselves—planting the seeds for continued engagement well beyond this one event.
This initiative was made possible through Olu’s close work with Concord’s National Field Director Phil Smith, as well as his collaboration with the North Carolina Black Alliance and the NC Budget & Tax Center.
Campus Representation
Students and leaders came from a range of schools, including:
- Winston-Salem State University
- NC A&T State University (Olu’s home campus)
- Wake Technical Community College
- NC Central University
- Elizabeth City State University
- South Carolina State University
The Impact in Their Own Words
As Olu shared in his recap:
“We were able to successfully facilitate the Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities Budget Exercise with students from across North Carolina HBCUs and community colleges as well as South Carolina State University! The event was a huge success with students being extremely engaged with the exercise and eager to learn about budgets and taxes. Before the activities, only a handful of students had deep knowledge of national debt, tax policy, and the federal budget—by the end, the majority did. We also saw significant increases in students’ understanding of state and local budgets. Thank you for everyone’s support on this event. I am super excited about future events!”
Looking Ahead
Olu’s commitment to bringing fiscal education to his peers doesn’t stop here. He is continuing his campus outreach well into the future through his participation in the John Lewis Young Leaders’ Fellowship Program. This connection has special meaning for The Concord Coalition—years ago, the late Congressman John Lewis himself hosted our Principles and Priorities budget exercise as part of our bipartisan work with Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.
The enthusiasm from this event makes it clear—students are eager to engage with fiscal issues when given the chance to learn in an interactive, collaborative environment. Olu’s work is a powerful example of how young leaders can help build a more informed and engaged electorate, and we are excited to support his future events.
Stay tuned for more updates from our Fiscal Lookout network as we continue to expand our reach on campuses and in communities nationwide.
