most requested speaker topics

This session breaks down the building blocks of personal finance—budgeting, managing credit, saving effectively, and avoiding common money traps. Designed for people who didn’t grow up talking about money at the dinner table, it brings confidence and clarity to everyday financial decisions.

True leadership begins with self-awareness, courage, and the ability to make confident decisions—especially when it comes to money. In this powerful session, Nicole breaks down how financial literacy is more than budgeting; it’s about mindset, agency, and building the future you want. Designed for student leaders and changemakers, this workshop explores how taking control of your finances helps you lead with purpose, support your peers, and set a new standard for what’s possible—regardless of where you started.

Nicole shares her own journey as a first-generation college student turned financial educator and business owner, giving students tools to lead themselves and others with clarity and confidence. Expect real talk, practical strategies, and a charge to lead boldly—on campus and beyond.

• Why financial literacy is a leadership skill—and how to own it
• Building a leadership mindset through values-driven money habits
• How to advocate for yourself and others in financial systems
• Creating positive ripple effects in your family, community, and school
• Nicole’s “Lead, Learn, Lift” framework for student empowerment

Leadership isn’t about having a title—it’s about using your voice, showing up for others, and making an impact, even when no one’s watching. In this motivational session, Nicole Hopkins shares how one teacher refusing to give up on her changed everything—and how that moment of belief sparked a decade of service, leadership, and mentorship for others.

Drawing from her own story as a first-generation student and afterschool educator, Nicole empowers young leaders to embrace their influence now, not later. Whether you're a student athlete, TRIO scholar, club officer, or just someone who cares, you’ll leave this session knowing how to lead with authenticity, resilience, and heart.

• The truth about what leadership really looks like (and doesn’t)
• How to lead through listening, service, and showing up consistently
• Why your story, struggle, and perspective are your leadership superpowers
• How to stay grounded when others doubt you or you doubt yourself
• Nicole’s “3 C’s of Everyday Leadership”: Character, Courage, and Connection

Nicole simplifies the path to homeownership—from credit prep to mortgage terms to what really happens on closing day. With firsthand expertise as a mortgage lender and a nationally featured home-buying advocate (Hulu’s First Time Buyer), this session is perfect for aspiring homeowners who want real talk, not real estate jargon.

Debt doesn’t have to define your financial future. Nicole teaches practical ways to create a real-life budget, prioritize high-interest debt, and make a step-by-step plan toward stability. This session is designed for those feeling overwhelmed, paycheck-to-paycheck, or stuck—it’s judgment-free, actionable, and deeply encouraging.

Drawing on accolades like Oklahoma Magazine’s “40 Under 40” and AFWA’s “National Emerging Leader,” this session empowers women with financial tools, confidence, and mindset shifts. Topics include mastering negotiations, building generational wealth, and dismantling taboos around money conversations.

Every student has a story. For some, it’s one of resilience; for others, it’s one of silence—until someone shows up and stays. In this heartfelt and energizing keynote, Nicole Hopkins shares her personal journey as a first-generation college student whose life was changed by a single educator who refused to give up on her. That decision didn’t just impact Nicole’s life—it transformed it. 

Now, after ten years of teaching weekly in an inner-city afterschool program alongside her corporate finance career, Nicole helps attendees explore what it really takes to build trust with students who’ve been overlooked or underestimated. This keynote goes beyond inspiration and into action, offering tools that educators, advisors, and program leaders can implement immediately to foster meaningful, lasting student relationships.

Attendees will leave with:

• A renewed sense of purpose in their work with first-gen, low-income, and underserved youth
• Practical tools to build authentic, lasting relationships with students
• Inspiration to be the “one” who doesn’t quit—because sometimes, that’s all it takes
• Recognize the silent signals of students in survival mode
• Use “connection-based consistency” to build trust over time
• Create small but powerful moments that deepen student engagement
• Maintain boundaries and avoid burnout while still showing up powerfully

This keynote is a rally cry for educators and TRIO professionals: you matter more than you know.