Pub. 4 2015 Issue 6

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 22 SCHOOLS OF BANKING CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE T HE SCHOOLS OF BANKING IS CELEBRATING 50 years of excellence in financial services education in 2015. It all began in March of 1965, when 100 students were enrolled in the first School of Basic Banking, which was held on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The cost was $125 for the one-week session, which covered books, tuition, meals, and sleeping accommodations. One singular School in 1965 has now evolved into a wide- ranging selection of Schools, which cover topics from entry-level to senior management. In 50 years, the Schools of Banking has had over 20,000 attendees. While the vast majority of students still come from the Schools of Banking parent organizations, the Kansas and Nebraska Bankers Associations, the Schools of Banking has served bankers from 27 different states and is now one of the most comprehensive Schools programs at the State Bankers Association level in the nation. The Schools of Banking currently offers 13 schools in four distinct financial services areas, including basic/general banking, compliance/operations, lending, and trust/wealth management. Each area has a committee of active Kansas and Nebraska bankers that evaluate curriculum and faculty for each School. This level of banker involvement ensures the focus of the Schools always remains on current skills-based training that students can take back and immediately use in their bank. Bankers are also actively involved as members of our faculty, and work tirelessly to provide up-to-date instruction and guidance. In addition, the Schools of Banking is working to support financial services education across the country. As of 2015, the Schools of Banking licenses curricula and/or provides banking school administrative support to eight to eleven State Bankers Associations annually and also provides curriculum to the American Bankers Association for one online course. Also, since 1999, the Schools of Banking has worked to enhance its commitment to banker education by providing more than $500,000 in sponsorships toward Kansas and Nebraska Bankers Association educational programs. The Kansas and Nebraska Bankers Associations and their member banks are directly responsible for the ongoing success of the Schools of Banking, and the value that Kansas and Nebraska bankers bring to the Schools cannot be overstated. Thank you for trusting us with your employees, thank you to the bankers who give generously of their time as board members, committee members and faculty members, and most importantly, thank you to our students for bringing your desire to learn and grow with you to the classroom. We look forward to another 50 years!