Penn State students are constantly bombarded with credit card solicitations, but they may not know their information is being traded without their knowledge.

MBNA America, the world's largest independent credit card issuer, has contracts with 700 colleges and universities, MBNA spokesman James Donahue said.

MBNA has a contract with the Penn State Alumni Association in which student and alumni information is traded, said Kimberly Korbich, staff assistant at the Alumni Association.

With frequent opportunities to buy a credit card, students face the risk of financial disaster or success.

Dan Piasecki (senior-recreation parks management) said he is annoyed by credit card opportunities -- he receives about two each week.

The Penn State Alumni Association may have doled out his mailing address and phone number, along with other students' contact information, to credit card companies.

But the size of the list has decreased because several people, who previously had their information handed out, have requested to have their names removed from the trading system, said Geoff Conrad, the associate director of service relations at the Alumni Association.

Jackie Morris (junior-biochemistry) was not aware how credit card companies received her address, but thought that maybe she gave it away at campus events.

"I don't appreciate them giving out my information without my consent," she added.

Most of the solicitation information came from campus events, including filling out papers for free things at sports games, Donahue said.

Conrad said he knows the information given is the same as that which would be available in a public directory and is only shared between Penn State and MBNA.

"It is not an 'exchangement' of their privacy of any sort," Conrad said.

From the partnership with MBNA, the university gains revenue for many of its projects, including the MBNA Career Services Building, said Cathy Dufour, the associate director of employer relations for MBNA Career Services.

Some students said they are confused by the "MBNA" in the title of the Career Services Building. The company's name is in the title because of their financial support for the center, Dufour said.

"When I first saw the place, I thought it was a credit card company," Morris said.

Dufour does not want students to get the wrong impression, and she said it is an ethical decision of MBNA Career Services not to give out any student information to MBNA bank.

While MBNA sponsors several university projects and believes in soliciting credit cards, it are not the only company with student banking on campus.

PNC Bank, with automated teller machines located throughout campus, has credit card applications inside their location at 122 E. College Ave., said Crystal Wingard, financial service consultant at PNC Bank headquarters.

"Credit cards are just not good in students hands," Wingard said.

"Open [an] account first because you need to be financially settled to manage funds."

While saving money in a bank account is helpful for some students, other students said they need money in advance.

"I needed it for books. I am in debt and working to pay it off now," said Piasecki.

Although he was tempted to take advantage of the $5,000 credit line, Piasecki was glad to have a credit card to pay in advance.

Not all students can receive a credit card, even is they are of the legal age of 18.

"The applications we get from students, we approve less than half of them," Donahue said.

Conrad said a student's credit history is examined by the company.

"We are very conscious of students and the debt they carry," he said.

MBNA sponsors on-campus seminars and has two counselors.

The counseling, available at the HUB-Robeson Center, is provided by students so that all will feel comfortable, Donahue added. For further information, students can visit to www.smartcredittips.com.