Hunt College Corporate Academy

BankingAcademy

The UTEP Banking Academy connects students with the people, knowledge, and applied experiences that shape careers in banking and financial services.

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A signature Hunt College program

Built with industry. Designed for careers.

Direct access to banking leaders, recognized credentials, and applied experience.

A signature student experience

Industry access, built into the student experience.

The Banking Academy brings the banking industry into the Hunt College through professional memberships, industry-developed credentials, employer-led programming, site visits, mentorship, and applied competition.

Academic pathways in Banking and Financial Institutions connect coursework with sustained engagement beyond the classroom. Academy programming remains open to participating students across majors and minors.

Professional memberships and credentials extend the Academy beyond a traditional student organization.

400+

Banks represented through the Texas Bankers Association

4,500

Texas branches represented through TBA

Industry student memberships through TBA and RMA

Fall 2026

Planned launch for four ABA certificate opportunities

Industry memberships

Professional access starts now.

Academy students gain direct access to organizations that shape banking education, professional development, industry research, and career connections.

Texas Bankers Association

Student membership with a focus on community and regional banking careers across Texas.

Access to an association representing more than 400 banks and 4,500 branches.
Exposure to banking leaders, recruiters, and practitioners across functions.
Banking-focused seminars, webinars, and professional training.
Texas Banking magazine and student-focused newsletters.
Access to scholarship opportunities for students pursuing banking careers.

Student membership and registration

More about the Texas Bankers Association

Established in 1885 as the first state banking association in the United States.
Offers more than 200 conferences, schools, seminars, and webinars annually.
Tracks more than 6,000 bills during each Texas legislative session.
Offers Diversity and Future Banker Scholarships for students pursuing banking careers.

Student membership guide

The downloadable TBA student benefits guide is being prepared for this page.

Risk Management Association

Student resources focused on commercial banking, credit analysis, risk management, and relationship management.

Access to local RMA chapters and professional events.
Mentorship from bankers working in credit, lending, and risk.
The RMA Journal, whitepapers, and industry research.
On-demand webcasts covering credit, risk, and banking operations.
Eligibility to apply for RMA student scholarships.

Student resources Credit Essentials overview Student scholarships

Membership and scholarship guide

The downloadable RMA student guide is being prepared for this page.

Industry credentials

Credentials with currency.

Industry-developed certificates give students a clearer understanding of banking work and a stronger foundation for internships and early-career roles.

Embedded in FIN 4329

RMA Credit Essentials Certificate

A structured credit and lending program covering the foundations used across commercial and retail banking.

Financial statement and cash flow analysis
Credit and risk evaluation
Loan structuring and documentation
Commercial and retail lending fundamentals

Planned for fall 2026

American Bankers Association Certificates

Foundational Certificate in Business and Commercial Lending — operating cycles, financial statements, commercial lending, and credit risk.
Certificate in Banking Essentials — deposits, lending, payments, wealth services, and a real-world capstone.
Small Business Banker Certificate — relationship-building and engagement skills for business customers.
Bank Teller Certificate — cash handling, transactions, payments, and daily settlement.

Explore ABA certificate programs

1 hour, 45 minutes

Understanding Bank Products and Customer Solutions

1 hour, 5 minutes

Foundations of Communication and Customer Service Excellence

2 hours, 5 minutes

Professional Skills for the Banking Workplace

Student cost: The planned ABA certificates will be available at no additional cost to participating Hunt College students.

Completion: Students receive a formal ABA Certificate of Completion dated and signed by the ABA president and CEO.

Program outcomes

Baseline reporting in development

Annual RMA CEC completion

The first approved annual completion rate will be added after reporting is finalized.

Total credentials earned

A cumulative count will be published after historical completions are verified.

Internship outcomes

Internship placement among certificate participants will be tracked in future reporting.

Graduate employment

Full-time employment outcomes will be added with an approved reporting window.

Academy engagement

Coursework meets the industry.

Co-curricular and extracurricular experiences place students in direct conversation with banking professionals, business problems, and career pathways.

Co-curricular pathways

Academy engagement is built into the Banking and Financial Institutions concentration and minor. The RMA Credit Essentials Certificate is embedded in FIN 4329, Bank Lending.

Banking and Financial Institutions concentration Banking and Financial Institutions minor

Employer-led sessions

Industry professionals lead sessions on interview preparation, career exploration, technical skills, and professional credentials throughout the semester.

Partner site visits

Visits to corporate offices and branches give students a firsthand view of daily bank operations across functions and business lines.

Brewing Success with WestStar

The cohort series connects students with WestStar executives across multiple divisions and includes an inside look at the WestStar Tower.

Community Bank Case Study Competition

Student teams partner with a community bank to research and write an original case study on a current industry topic. Top teams earn scholarships and publication opportunities.

Explore the CSBS competition

Commercial Lending Case Competition

RMA teams prepare and present a commercial loan proposal to banking professionals with support from an assigned industry mentor. Top-performing teams earn cash prizes.

Academy recognition

Two ways to mark the experience.

Banking Academy Certificate

The Academy certificate is awarded to students who graduate with either the concentration or the minor in Banking and Financial Institutions.

Banking Academy Graduation Stole

Stole eligibility is based on sustained Academy participation. Students must:

Participate actively for at least two consecutive semesters.
Attend approximately 65% of Academy extracurricular events during the graduating semester.
Meet participation requirements regardless of major or minor.

Industry partners

Built with banking leaders.

Founding and supporting partners extend the Academy through industry insight, student programming, mentorship, and applied opportunity.

Founding partners

WestStar

GECU

Bank of America

Texas Bankers Association

Commerce Bank

Sunflower Bank

Wells Fargo

J.P. Morgan Chase

Supporting partners

Raiz Federal Credit Union

FirstLight Federal Credit Union

TexasBank

Nusenda Credit Union

Leadership

Academic direction. Industry counsel.

Faculty leadership and an industry advisory board connect the Academy’s academic work with the needs of banks, credit unions, and the communities they serve.

Zuobao (Eddie) Wei

Department Chair | Betty M. MacGuire Distinguished Professorship | Professor of Finance

Prithu Vatsa

Assistant Professor of Finance | BUSN 219

Banking Academy Advisory Board

Ruben Torres

Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Banking
Bank of America

Ignacio Urrabazo

President
Commerce Bank

Margie Salazar

Chief Executive Officer
FirstLight Federal Credit Union

Chris Tompkins

Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Services Officer
GECU

Ruben Hernandez

Market Executive, El Paso and New Mexico
J.P. Morgan Chase

Ana Trujillo

Chief Learning and Quality Officer
Nusenda Credit Union

Kiana Wright

Vice President of Consumer Lending
Raiz Federal Credit Union

Ernesto Avila

Regional President, Western Texas and Southern New Mexico
Sunflower Bank

Brent Cox

Vice President of Member Relations
Texas Bankers Association

Trey Miller

Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Lending Officer
TexasBank

Ryan McGrath

Market Executive, El Paso and New Mexico
Wells Fargo

Lee Rodriguez

Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
WestStar

Join the Academy

Bring ambition. Build banking experience.

Eligibility

Applicants should meet the Academy requirements and maintain good academic standing while participating.

Be enrolled as a full-time student.
Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Demonstrate an interest in banking, finance, or financial services careers.

Preferred academic pathways include:

Finance major
Banking and Financial Institutions concentration
Financial Analyst concentration
Banking and Financial Institutions minor
Finance for Business and Non-Business Students minor

Students from other majors are encouraged to apply when their career interests align with banking or financial services.

How to apply

Review the Academy eligibility requirements.
Update a resume to highlight relevant skills and experience.
Submit the official Banking Academy application.
Monitor UTEP email for next steps.

Questions about eligibility, academic pathways, or participation can be directed to the Corporate Academies team.

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Build a career with a stronger opening position.

Apply to the Banking Academy for industry access, applied learning, and sustained professional engagement throughout the student experience.

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