Union Bank® Student-run branches

At Union Bank, we know that change takes more than monetary donations. As part of our commitment to strengthen marginalized communities, we teach financial education workshops and college readiness through the student run branch program.

Each year, students from six different student branch campuses are selected for a year-long internship to work in a bank branch located inside their school campus.  As student bankers, they acquire and practice customer service skills, real life work experience and educate their peers, teachers, faculty, and community about the basics of personal finance.

• Student interns serve as “bankers” and acquire skills in an immersive learning environment.
• All student-run branches are in Title 1 schools, which target underprivileged youth.
• Each branch is run by 12 students, supported and under the supervision of banking officers.
• Program participants receive classroom credit, and the curriculum has been approved as an accredited A-G certified class (required for University of California education consideration).
• Branches impart financial education to students, parents, and community members.

• Over 437 students have participated in the program, with over 99% graduating from high school, and the vast majority have also gone on to college.
• The bank has hired 41 program graduates.  
• Eight former student interns are now bank officers:  Three are branch managers, four are branch service and sales officers, and one is an IT Project Management Professional in our Enterprise Project Management Division.