Vicki Hamilton-Allen talks to Chief Community development Officer, Whitney Anderson-Harrell, from Michigan State University Federal Credit Union. Anderson-Harrell

Anderson-Harrell shares the inspiration and vision for the new foundation: Desk Drawer Fund. Anderson-Harrell provides more details on the Five Philanthropic Pillars of the fund: Arts & Culture, Youth Empowerment, Stable Housing, Financial Education, and Fostering Entrepreneurialism. The fund has quickly become a force for positive growth in the community and has the energy to have many chant, ‘Go Green!’

Listen below to Vicki Hamilton-Allen and Whitney Anderson-Harrell discuss the inspiration and vision for the new foundation: Desk Drawer Fund.

About Whitney Anderson-Harrell

Whitney Anderson-Harrell serves as the Chief Community Development Officer at MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU). Anderson-Harrell began at MSUFCU in 2015, previously working for Kraft Foods for 13 years. She currently oversees the Credit Union’s community development, diversity, equity and inclusion, business development, and financial education departments as well as the Financial Innovation and Education Center. She also serves as the President of the Desk Drawer Fund, a foundation supporting the MSUFCU and Oakland University Credit Union communities. 

Anderson-Harrell currently serves as the Vice Chair of Lansing Promise, is a member of the African American Credit Union Coalition's Board of Directors, Lansing Links Inc., the MSUFCU African American Employee Resource Group, Capital Area United Way, Funders, Lansing SAVE board, Lansing School District’s Magnet Programs Advisory Committee, the MLK Commission Greater Lansing, the MSU Multicultural Business Program, MSU Sales Program, the MSU Student-Athlete Engagement Faculty Committee, and the Peckham Community Partnership Foundation board. 

Anderson-Harrell holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Marketing from Michigan State University, a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University, and studied in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Mexico. 

The Credit Union was named as a Top Workplace in the large employer category by the Detroit Free Press for nine consecutive years, received a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial in 2020, was named a Top 100 Best Workplace for Women by Fortune for the third year, and is in the top five Michigan credit unions by Forbes Best-in-State Credit Unions. MSUFCU was named a Best Workplace in Financial Services and Insurance by Fortune Magazine two consecutive years received the ATHENA Award® for Organizational Leadership and was named West Michigan Best and Brightest to Work For the eighth year in a row. The Credit Union earned the ranking of one of Michigan’s Best and Brightest in Wellness for the ninth consecutive year and has been certified as a Great Place to Work® for seven consecutive years. MSUFCU has also been recognized for its financial education initiatives, ranking first for the 2020 Louise Herring Award, second for the 2020 Alphonse Desjardins Adult and Youth Financial Education Awards, as well as second for the 2020 Dora Maxwell Award by the Michigan Credit Union League. Founded in 1937, MSUFCU is headquartered in East Lansing, MI, has 21 branches, almost 300,000 members, over $5.5 billion in assets, and nearly 900 employees. For more information, visit msufcu.org.