Laura Ronlund, who leads the Campus Alliance Program at U.S. Bank, said engaging with a U.S. Bank goals coach is a great way to take a step forward in meeting personal, professional and financial goals.
“While everyone can benefit from financial education, not everyone prioritizes it for themselves,” Ronlund said. “Having someone like Barry be a part of day-to-day life on campus, to be there for group and one-on-one coaching sessions, can really make a difference in whether someone starts working toward their goals now and maintains momentum into the future.”
Innovating for the future
Beyond financial education, the University of St. Thomas and U.S. Bank are fueling innovation through programming and support for students attending the university’s Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the Opus College of Business.
“Along with that, we are also welcoming 40 Schulze scholars from the school for an innovation competition this November here at U.S. Bank,” said Ronlund. “They’ll be coming up with ideas on how banks can better engage young people and presenting to leaders at U.S. Bank.”
That competition is one part of how this partnership supports students. Another area of support is U.S. Bank sponsoring the Schulze School’s Fowler Business Concept Challenge, a competition open to all St. Thomas students.
“Our two organizations share in the importance of innovation at the core of what we do,” said Ronlund. “This presented an opportunity for our U.S. Bank Innovation team to collaborate with the Schulze School. This year, the team will be guest speakers for Schulze School classes and serve as mentors in other programming at the University of St. Thomas.”
Reimaging financial services with campus communities
Over the last twenty years, banking has changed significantly. To Ronlund, campus communities are no exception to seeing their needs evolve.
“St. Thomas and U.S. Bank see a need that we can meet together, by providing access to the financial education, information and resources that can better connect the Tommie community to their goals and help them plan for the future,” she shared.
It's a sentiment echoed by the University of St. Thomas.
“Finances are central to our lives, and education about finances is an important strategy when it comes to making financial well-being a reality for more people,” said Vangsgard with the University of St. Thomas. “Our partnership with U.S. Bank is a strategic step in our plan to assist our students, faculty, staff and alumni in prioritizing financial wellness so that they thrive for decades to come.”
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