December 8, 2025
St. John’s University junior Alexandra Cicala ’27 has taken another major step in her mission to improve financial literacy among young people. The Business major on the Pre-Law track was recently awarded $5,000 from Maspeth Federal Savings Bank—a new round of funding that will directly support the next phase of development for her student-built financial literacy app, uFinLit.
The award, received on November 24, 2025, marks Alexandra’s second successful partnership with the community-focused financial institution and reflects Maspeth’s continued confidence in her vision.
From a High School Idea to a University-Backed Startup
Alexandra’s entrepreneurship journey began before she ever stepped on the St. John’s campus. As a high school senior, she became increasingly interested in the gaps in financial literacy among her peers. She reached out to St. John’s professors to explore what research existed on the long-term effects of early financial education.
Her early findings—such as evidence linking financial literacy to better credit outcomes—became the foundation for her first initiative, Financially Lit. In March 2025, as a sophomore, she rebranded the venture and filed a trademark application for uFinLit, signaling a shift toward building a scalable digital platform.
Turning a Classroom Question into a Funded App
Eager to transform her idea into a tangible product, Alexandra reached out to St. John’s Venture & Innovation Center (VIC) in early 2024. Through VIC Director James Kinsley, she was connected to the CEO of Maspeth Federal Savings Bank, Thomas Rudzewick, who shared her passion for promoting financial literacy.
That connection quickly became a pivotal turning point.
- April 2024: Alexandra pitched the concept, complete with initial UX/UI designs and an early business plan.
- August 2024: Maspeth awarded her $10,000 to begin building the app.
With this initial funding, she assembled her development team:
- A software developer who is a St. John’s alumnus
- A curriculum creator who developed foundational content modules covering essentials like opening a checking account, understanding stocks, budgeting basics, and more.
She also collaborated with the St. John’s University IT department to integrate uFinLit with the University’s Single Sign-On (SSO) system, creating a seamless experience for student users.
Building a Research-Driven, Student-Tested Platform
Alexandra’s vision for uFinLit extends beyond content delivery—she is committed to making the app evidence-based. Her newest research advisor, Professor Ansel Schiavone, is guiding a research project involving 40 students from the Cox Honors Program.
The study includes:
- A baseline financial literacy assessment
- One week of daily uFinLit engagement (5–10 minutes/day)
- A follow-up assessment to measure growth
The team will initiate the study in the next few weeks. The findings will directly shape future curriculum improvements and inform where incoming funding—like Maspeth’s recent $5,000 award—should be invested.
What Makes uFinLit Stand Out
uFinLit is carving out a unique niche in the student financial wellness space through:
1. A Focused Market: College Students
While many financial literacy platforms serve broad audiences, uFinLit is designed specifically for the needs, habits, and challenges of college students.
2. Incentivized Learning
The app incorporates a rewards system—one of Alexandra’s favorite innovations—that allows students to earn points and redeem rewards. A future goal: connecting rewards to Dining Dollars, giving students a tangible incentive to build healthy financial habits.
3. Practical, Bite-Sized Curriculum
With topics distilled into easy 5–10 minute modules, uFinLit meets students where they are: busy, mobile, and often unsure where to begin.
A New Chapter: Maspeth’s Continued Support
The additional $5,000 in funding from Maspeth Federal Savings Bank will help propel uFinLit into its next chapter. Alexandra plans to allocate new resources once her research findings clarify the greatest impact areas—whether content expansion, new UX features, improved gamification, or partnerships with campus services.
For Alexandra, the journey has come full circle. What started as a curiosity about financial literacy has evolved into a University-supported, bank-funded, data-driven platform poised to make a real difference in students’ financial futures.
“uFinLit is about empowering students with confidence,” Alexandra shared in earlier interviews. “Financial literacy shouldn’t feel overwhelming—it should feel accessible.”
With growing support from St. John’s faculty, alumni developers, and community partners like Maspeth Federal Savings Bank, Alexandra Cicala is well on her way to making that vision a reality.
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