As part of its mission to prepare the next generation of community bank leaders, the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) and state bankers associations partner to fund scholarships annually. As the school prepares for its 73rd Annual School Session, scheduled for July 14-26, 2024, GSBC is pleased to announce and congratulate the following scholarship recipients:
Alumni Association Scholarship Recipients
GSBC funds up to 10 scholarships per year in the name of its Alumni Association. The 2024 Alumni Association Scholarship recipients include:
- Laura Burford, West Gate Bank (Lincoln, NE)
- Amy Burke, Hometown Bank of Corbin, Inc. (Corbin, KY)
- Roger Corral, Western Bank (Lubbock, TX)
- Jeff Dewey, Farmers and Merchants Bank of Ashland (Ashland, NE)
- Shelbie Fitch, The Stock Exchange Bank (Caldwell, KS)
- Tyler Freeburg, Oklahoma Bank and Trust Company (Clinton, OK)
- Alex Keithley, F&M Bank (Falls City, NE)
- Todd Kraus, Sandhills State Bank (Grant, NE)
- Fernando Lopez, Independent Financial (McKinney, TX)
- Scott McBride, Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust (Colorado Springs, CO)
Intermediate School Scholarship Recipients
Intermediate School Scholarships are awarded to those who recently graduated from their respective states’ intermediate-level banking school, and exhibited outstanding academic performance while in the program. Recipients are chosen by intermediate school administrators. The 2024 Intermediate School Scholarship recipients include:
- Jesse “Rad” Eicke, First Bank Texas, (Clyde, TX), top graduate of the Texas Tech School of Banking
- Alek Harvey, Iowa Falls State Bank (Iowa Falls, IA), top graduate of the IBA Iowa School of Banking
- Wes Henning, First State Bank Kansas (Perry, KS), top graduate of the Schools of Banking, Inc. Advanced School of Banking
- Kevin Pourrahman, NBC Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK), top graduate of the Oklahoma Bankers Association Intermediate School
- Shari Spilinek, Henderson State Bank (Greeley, NE), top graduate of the Schools of Banking, Inc. Advanced School of Banking
- Zach Withers, CG Bank (Irvine, KY), top graduate of the Kentucky Bankers Association General Banking School
Bolder Banking Scholarship Recipient Banks
Founded in 2023, the Bolder Banking Scholarship affords GSBC’s 15 partnering bankers associations the opportunity to recognize and reward their member banks displaying innovative approaches to banking. GSBC funds a scholarship for a rising star within the recipient bank to use toward tuition at GSBC. 2024 Bolder Banking Scholarship recipient banks include:
- Clear Lake Bank & Trust (Iowa)
- Commercial State Bank (South Dakota)
- Bank of Commerce (Wyoming)
Other Awards
Independent Community Bankers of Colorado Scholarship
The Independent Community Bankers of Colorado (ICBC) awards $2,000 scholarships to four rising third-year students from ICBC member banks who have displayed stellar academic performance in their first two years at GSBC. The 2024 ICBC Scholarship recipients include:
- Rusty Neesham, Yampa Valley Bank (Steamboat Springs)
- Alexander Price, Citizens State Bank (Ouray)
- Abby Tardiff, ANB Bank (Castle Rock)
- Kyle Vanbrunschot, Alpine Bank (Durango)
Conference of State Bank Supervisors Scholarship
Each year, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) awards a scholarship worth one-third of the GSBC tuition to an incoming first-year student. The 2024 CSBS Scholarship has been awarded to:
- Timothy Levernier, California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (Sacramento, CA)
More information on GSBC’s scholarship opportunities can be found here.