SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--City University of Seattle is offering a credit alignment program for banking employees that substantially reduces the cost and time to complete a business degree. City University of Seattle is the first and only university in the state to align the American Bankers Association’s (ABA) professional development training, offered nationwide to banking professionals, into industry-relevant degree programs. Through a unique partnership with the ABA’s regional association, City University of Seattle is providing university credit for forms of banking education provided by the Washington Bankers Association (WBA). The credit alignment program aligns with the University’s mission to support workforce development through education.
The banking finance sector consists of 1,741 bank branches, which is 2.5 times the number of Starbucks in Washington state, according to data compiled by the WBA. With 83 WBA-member banks representing 88,000+ direct and indirect employees, the credit alignment opportunity has the potential to contribute significantly to local economies by encouraging ongoing professional and leadership development in the financial sector, while addressing retention and advancement opportunities. In addition to credit alignment that can reduce the time to degree completion by as much as a year, employees from affiliated banking associations will receive a 15 percent tuition scholarship toward a degree at City University of Seattle. To learn more, visit info.CityU.edu/partnerships/wba
“We are pleased to give banking professionals an opportunity for professional development that can help them complete a business degree or MBA, or even a doctorate in business administration,” said Randy C. Frisch, President of City University of Seattle. “We believe that this program will help recruit and retain leaders in the financial sector. It is a tremendous opportunity for a young professional to grow quickly in the finance field.”
City University of Seattle is an affiliate of the National University System, a network of accredited nonprofit, private universities that is expanding its nationwide effort to assess prior training and education, which includes identifying competency-based and prior-learning approaches. National University System higher education institutions, which include National University, City University of Seattle, John F. Kennedy and Northcentral University, have established credit policies and workforce partnerships, many of which include a scholarship component, with Boeing, YMCA, and numerous public safety agencies.
“The National University System, though each of its affiliated higher education institutions, is dedicated to creating academic pathways that offer our lifelong learners opportunities to advance their professional goals,” said Chris Graham, Vice Chancellor of External Relations for the National University System. “We are very pleased and excited to support this partnership between City University of Seattle and the Washington Bankers Association.”
Currently, the credit alignment through City University of Seattle and the ABA has identified 20 ABA courses that can be applied toward the following business degrees at City University of Seattle: Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Management and an Associate
“Known for leading the banking industry as a premier provider of advocacy, education and services, WBA is proud to provide this exciting opportunity to our employees,” said Glen Simecek, President & CEO of the Washington Bankers Association. “Through this program, we hope to bring tremendous value not only to our employees, but also to the communities of our financial institutions, family-owned and community-banks.”
City University of Seattle has served the non-traditional student for over 40 years with programs that are uniquely geared to address the needs of working adults by combining the academic rigor of top-tier graduate programs with the convenience of a flexible format.
About City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle is a private, nonprofit university dedicated to serving working adults and transfer students. The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities through the doctoral level and offers more than 60 online, onsite and performance-based programs. CityU’s primary campus is located in downtown Seattle, Washington, and the university has multiple sites throughout Western Washington, Canada and abroad. Cityu.edu
About WBA
Washington Bankers Association (WBA) was founded by bankers in 1889 and was incorporated in 1970. WBA represents commercial banks operating in every county of the state, ranging in size from large multi-state financial institutions to smaller, family-owned and community-based banks. More than 97 percent of all commercial bank deposits in the state of Washington are held in WBA-member banks.
About the National University System
National University System was established to meet the emerging challenges and demands of education in the 21st century. The System is uniquely aligned to connect a diverse population of students to a network of innovative educational programs that are relevant to their lives, careers, and the marketplace and are delivered in a format that respects competing life priorities. The affiliates of the System include National University; John F. Kennedy University; City University of Seattle; Northcentral University; and the Division of Pre-College Programs. The System also includes the national Sanford Programs: Sanford Harmony and Sanford Inspire, which provides educators with comprehensive lesson plans and activities to support PreK-12 student development and success; and the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, which offers educational and training programs for frontline nonprofit fundraisers. For more information, visit nusystem.org.
