Bloomsburg Team Advances in Banking Competition

Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg is among 14 teams advancing in the first round of judging of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors' Community Bank Case Study Competition. 

The teams were chosen from a pool of 34 student teams and represent 28 colleges and universities. This is the ninth year of the competition, which is open to undergraduate students in all fields of study as an opportunity to gain valuable first-hand knowledge of the banking industry. 

Bloomsburg students involved in the competition are Jacob Bodenschatz, Melannie Egan, Peter Eklund, and Alexis Schoonover, while Emma Fortune is the student videographer. Victoria Geyfman, professor of finance, is the team advisor for Bloomsburg.

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. 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 second round will be announced on June 7. The top three teams will be announced at the State Federal Supervisory Forum in Philadelphia on July 12.