Bank School Class of 2027

Internal Links Kristen Reid Monica McDearmon

Bank School Class Schedule & Descriptions

2024 Bank School Curriculum

First Year Orientation

In this introductory course to your Bank School experience, you will learn about the school and your responsibilities over the next three years. Additionally, you will receive and have the opportunity to review your DiSC profile and develop a base understanding of the different communication styles as defined by DiSC. Through a series of interactive activities, you will learn how to work with a variety of different personality types making you a more effective communicator, both professionally and personally.

Organizational Behavior

This course explores human behavior in the workplace. During the week, the class will discuss how employee attitudes, levels of motivation and personalities impact daily interaction as well as the drivers of employee satisfaction.

Economic Environment

Taught in a highly interactive fashion, this course features a discussion of the influence that monetary and fiscal authorities have on national income, employment, inflation and balance of payments. The course also reviews current economic conditions, and recent Federal Reserve Policy announcements.

Ethical Decision Making

This course will provide bankers with a values-based process for making decisions and shaping the bank’s culture. In these interactive sessions, we will explore trust, accountability, and other elements associated with ethical and unethical behavior in the banking industry.

Strategic Marketing and Communication

During this course, you will explore the world of communication and marketing from the perspective of brand, strategy, crisis, and action. Designed to equip you with a marketing perspective, this course will broaden the way you see corporation challenges and opportunities. Prepare to think big and leave equipped with new solutions for your organization.

Commercial Banking

This course will explore the key elements of successful commercial lending activities and the impact of a commercial loan portfolio on commercial banks. Topics will include financial leverage and the loan transaction, the commercial lending process with specific focus on risk mitigation, credit analysis considerations with detailed focus on financial statements, key ratios, and cash flow to support quality loan decisions. Borrower debt levels, the economic impacts to loan portfolios, and business life cycles impacts will be explored relative to financial performance and profitability of the commercial loan portfolio.

Bank Financial Management

During the Bank Financial Management I course, you will develop a basic understanding of a bank’s financial statements and ratios as well as the key factors driving a bank’s financial performance including profitability, investments, capital, and liquidity management. (Pre-requisite: Recent college level accounting course, a position in an accounting function or successful completion of VBA’s Bank School Accounting Primer.)

Bank School Convocation 

The Virtual Bank School Convocation will take place on Tuesday, July 16th at 1:30 p.m. During this Zoom meeting, VBA staff will walk through all of the Bank School logistics and answer any questions you may have.  You will also hear from the third-year class officers about two of the social activities and how you can support a local non-profit.

Zoom Information for the 2024 Bank School Convocation

Join the Bank School Convocation here.

  • Meeting ID: 810 9261 2938
  • Passcode: 107233

You can view the recording of the Bank School Convocation here.
Passcode: #31f?Gx+

Class Materials

Please note the password for all class materials is “BankSchool2024″

Download a Bank School Notes Page Template Here

Opening Session – Kerry Sauley and Richard Coughlan

Opening Session Slides

Organizational Behavior – Kerry Sauley

Commercial Banking – Gary Higgins

Economic Environment – Dr. Ed

Bank Financial Management I – Michelle Austin

Strategic Marketing – Erin Black

Strategic Marketing & Communications Slides

Ethical Decision Making – Richard Coughlan

Home Study Assignments

Please note the password for all home study materials is “BankSchool2024″

Please click here to view the recording of the 2024 Home Study Informational Zoom Call with Q&A.  The password to view the recording is %YKit4#Y.

Along with attendance at all classes during the Bank School summer session, completion of eight home study problems (4 after the first year and 4 after the second year) with a passing grade is required to graduate from the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management.

  • Economic Environment (Seifried): October 1, 2024
  • Ethical Decision Making (Coughlan): November 1, 2024
  • Commercial Banking (Higgins): February 3, 2025
  • Strategic Marketing (Black): March 3, 2025

Instructions & Bank School Honor Code

It is very important that you submit your home study assignments correctly as some instructors will deduct points for formatting. Please be sure to read the instructors directions carefully and if instructions aren’t included follow the outline on the Bank School Home Study Instruction Sheet & Bank School Honor Code.

Home Study Instruction Sheet

honor code

The Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the classroom, outside of the classroom and on the home study problems. Home Study problems are individual assignments meaning you are to work on the assignment ALONE and are not to discuss the questions, potential answers, strategy, research or data resources with another Bank School student. Also, please do not send your completed paper to another student as an example. Any evidence of shared work will be considered an honor code violation.

The Honor Code is:
On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received assistance on this assignment and that all work is my own.

Violations of the Honer Code include:

  • Plagiarism – An act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another without authorization and the representation of that author’s work as one’s own, as by not crediting the original author.
  • Cheating – Receiving, giving and attempting to receive or give unauthorized assistance, such as materials, information, notes or sources, on home study problems.

You may seek assistance from a subject matter expert in your bank as part of your research BEFORE you start to write your papers. The subject matter expert cannot be another Bank School student.

Submission

Submit your home study problems by sending to: homestudy@vabankers.org. The file should be saved as a PDF and titled with last name, first initial – instructor’s last name (ex. Dunn, M – Higgins). Please include a cover sheet that can be accessed below. 

Home Study Cover Sheet

Home Study Evaluation: After sending your assignment, please complete the home study survey so we can provide feedback to the instructor. You can submit the home study evaluation here.

Home Study Assignments & Pre-Assignment Zoom Recordings

October 1, 2024: The Economic Environment (Seifried)

The Economic Environment

Click here for a link to join the Zoom call with Dr. Ed, August 29th at 10:00 am.

Click here for a recording of the Zoom call with Dr. Ed, August 29th.
Passcode: &7tFkG1A

November 1, 2024: Ethical Decision Making (Coughlan)

Ethical Decision Making

Click here for a link to join the Zoom call with Richard Coughlan, October 10th at 3:30 pm.

Click here for a link to the Zoom call with Richard Coughlan, October 10th.

Passcode: j24e=?nI

February 3, 2025: Commercial Banking (Higgins)

Commercial Banking

Click here for a link to the recording of the Zoom call with Gary Higgins, October 18th. 
Passcode: 1bil4bp&

March 3, 2025: Strategic Marketing (Black)

Strategic Marketing

Strategic Marketing Rubric

Click here for a link to the recording of the Zoom call with Erin Black, January 31st.
Passcode: !5QSR@t@

Important Parking Information

Parking at Darden: With other groups in house and the new hotel, parking is limited at Darden. With that we have developed the following plan for students during the week of Bank School.

  • Sunday, July 21: All 1st and 3rd year students will park in the parking garage at Darden.
  • Monday, July 22 – Friday, July 26: All students will park at John Paul Jones Arena in the South Lot. The John Paul Jones Arena is located at 295 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903. The South Lot is located on the corner of Massie and Copeley Roads (see here for a map indicating where you park.) Directions to JPJ can be found here. Shuttle buses will run each morning and each afternoon between the South Lot and Darden. Please note – you may have a few minutes wait as buses transport people, but they will be running a continuous loop. Shuttle times for each day can be found on your curriculum schedule here. 

Social Event Parking: We have two evening social events at The Omni during the week of Bank School – Sunday’s Welcome Reception and on Thursday’s Third Year Class Party. For students staying at the Omni, you will access the parking as normal with your room key. For students who are staying at another hotel or are commuting, you will collect a parking ticket when entering the parking garage at the Omni. At the event’s check-in, ask for a parking voucher to use when exiting the garage.

Class Officer Contact Information

President
Jennifer Huffman
Atlantic Union Bank

Vice President
Blake Shaw
Benchmark Community Bank

Secretary
Marisa Hughes
New Peoples Bank

Treasurer
Jacob Avellanet
C&F Bank

Bank School Newsletters 

Bank School Photo Contest

Social Schedule

Sunday, July 21 – Welcome Reception

Network with your classmates and VBA staff, register for the third year charity event, pick up your name badge, and enjoy some networking before heading off to dinner at a restaurant of your choice!

Monday, July 22 – Class Night

Join other members of the first year class, your VBA staff liaison, and first year class faculty at Starr Hill Brewery at the Dairy Market. There are numerous dining options within the Dairy Market if you would like to have dinner there with some classmates. You can learn more about The Dairy Market here. Please note that food and beverage costs are on your own.

Tuesday, July 23 – Third Year Class Charity Event

This year, the class of 2024 will be raising money and gathering donations for the Autism Sanctuary. Join students, faculty and staff for a night of fun at Random Row Brewing Company. Click here to purchase a ticket. The ticket price includes a donation to the Autism Sanctuary and two drink tickets. Bites will be available for purchase from Two Brothers Southwestern Grill food truck.

Also, we will be taking a class picture so be sure to wear your class t-shirt that you will receive on Sunday!

The Autism Sanctuary also accepts items that allow it to create an inclusive, engaging space for all to learn, grow, and belong in nature! At Sunday’s Welcome Reception, the 3rd year class will be collecting the following items to deliver to the organization while at Bank School.

  • Anything gardening-related (including tools, gloves, seeds, etc.)
  • Outdoor games and activities
  • Sensory-based materials or games
  • Classroom materials
  • Office supplies
  • New printer

The organization has also created an Amazon wish list where you can purchase items and have them shipped directly to them – the wish list can be accessed here: Autism Sanctuary Donation Wish List.

Thursday, July 25 - Third Year Class Party

Join the class of 2024 on Thursday night for the Third Year Class Party at The Omni Hotel, Jefferson Ballroom. The theme of this event is a Hawaiian Luau so be sure to pack your best Hawaiian Luau attire! All Bank School students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend this free event. The best dressed will receive the Big Kahuna award for their effort!

VBA Staff Contact Information

Class Liaisons
Bank School Management & Oversight