MANSFIELD, PA (04/21/2023) Commonwealth University-Mansfield is among
eight Pennsylvania colleges and universities who will take part in the
Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) 2023 Community Bank Case
Study Competition this year.
In 2022, students from Mansfield
partnered with Citizens & Northern Bank (C&N) of Wellsboro, and
earned second place in the CSBS competition.
Students involved in
the competition are Hannah Caccia, of Williamsport; Ethan Allen, of
Ulster; Seth Anderson, of Troy; and Sierra Shedden, of Canton, and will
be accompanied by their advisors, Atika Benaddi, Xiaoxuan Ji, and Xia
Zhou.
“It is exciting to see Pennsylvania’s young minds passionate
about community banking and the role these institutions play in the
financial ecosystem,” said Acting Secretary Hammer. “Community banks
contribute to our local economies in many ways from funding Little
League teams to employing residents to giving small businesses their
first line of credit. Their connection to our communities is invaluable.
It is imperative for us – regulators, government officials, and
community leaders – to continue to encourage young people to get
involved in this space to keep moving these vital financial institutions
forward.”
Now in its ninth year, the Case Study Competition
offers undergraduate students from all fields of study the opportunity
to partner with local community banks to gain first-hand knowledge of
the banking industry.
This year, teams are tasked with examining
how community banks are positioning themselves for success and
sustainability as they face a competitive job market, succession
challenges and changing consumer needs. Each student team will learn how
its bank is recruiting and retaining talent, approaching success
planning, and using technology to advance its operations.
Each
student member and faculty advisor of the first-place winning team will
receive a $1,000 scholarship and present their findings at the Community
Bank Research Conference and their work will be published in the annual
CSBS Journal of Community Bank Case Studies. Teams that place second
and third will also receive scholarships and have their works published
in the journal.
There will be three rounds of judging and results
from the first two rounds will be announced on May 31 and June 7. The
top three teams will be announced at the State Federal Supervisory Forum
in Philadelphia on July 12.