A night of credit education turned into a major payday for students at Southern Methodist University when Dallas resident Shaquille O’Neal and Credit One Bank gave away a total of $50,000 during the first stop of the Credit One Bank Credit Tip Off Tour at Moody Coliseum.
O'Neal on stage Emily Capetillo
The event combined financial education, games, music and audience participation, with O’Neal taking on the role of the “Credit Professor” and talking with students about building and managing credit.
“Never miss a deadline…set a reminder and make sure you pay.”
But the biggest surprises came when it was time for students to ask credit questions to Shaq and Michael Coleman, Credit One Bank’s chief marketing officer, when O’Neal challenged students to make basketball shots in exchange for money to help pay down their debt.
Students during the Q and AEmily Capetillo
SMU senior and film student Zariyah Perry was the first student to shoot the ball in the hoop.
Perry had raised her hand during the Q&A to ask about managing a line of credit she had used to help pay for her senior thesis documentary about her grandfather. She wanted to know how to pay off the balance while maintaining her credit score and relationship with her bank.
Then, O’Neal made her an unexpected offer: make the shot and win $10,000.
“I think I blacked out,” Perry said. “A basketball appeared in my hands, and I took a shot.”
She made it.
The crowd erupted into cheers as Perry celebrated with her classmates.
Senior Zariah Perry making her winning shot roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms
Perry said the money could make a significant difference as she completes her film degree and prepares to enter the film industry. Her documentary focuses on her grandfather, whom she said played a major role in the expansion of the Nation of Islam and mentored Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X.
“This is my family’s history,” Perry said.
She also said his photograph is featured in the African American Smithsonian Museum, unnamed.
“This process is to get his name recognized, but also encouraging families to look within their own family history, because stories were passed on orally through generations,” Perry said. “It doesn't matter where we're in uh, the times of taking history away in textbooks or institutions, because the stories are in our hearts and in our minds, so that's why it's so passionate to me and why the story is bigger than me.”
The night ended with a DJ set from O’Neal as he transformed into “DJ Diesel.” Students danced all night long in the coliseum.
O'Neal as DJ DieselCredit One Bank
After the night ended we caught up with other students who told us it was surreal seeing O’Neal in person. They also told us some of the biggest credit lessons they took from the panel is to "never miss a payment.”
