What began several years ago as a targeted effort to support a handful of university banking programs has grown into one of the most meaningful long-term investments Texas banking has made in itself. Today, the initiative includes 19 university banking programs across the state, with two more in development. More importantly, it is helping position banking not just as a job students stumble into, but as a profession they can pursue on purpose.
That distinction matters.
For years, many bankers entered the industry almost by accident, discovering along the way that banking offered challenge, stability, community impact and opportunity for advancement. The University Partnership Program is changing that model by exposing students to banking earlier, giving them direct access to bankers and helping them see the full range of careers available inside a modern financial institution.
A stronger talent pipeline
For VP of Member Relations Brent Cox, who leads the TBA initiative, that mission comes down to a simple truth.
“Banks remain a vital cornerstone of healthy communities across our state, plain and simple,” Cox stated. “For the Texas Bankers Association, it was clear that the long-term strength of our industry depends on cultivating a diverse, talented workforce committed to delivering exceptional financial products and services.”
These university programs are often rooted in commercial lending, but they do far more than train future lenders. Students are also gaining exposure to agricultural lending, operations, compliance and a growing list of technology-related roles. Just as important, they are learning the broader skills that make strong bankers in the first place: Leadership, judgment, business acumen, communication and a service mindset. That is one reason bankers are noticing the difference.
Graduates of these programs are arriving better prepared than many of their peers because they are not just learning finance and accounting in a classroom. They are also getting real-world context from bankers who serve on advisory boards, mentor students, offer internships and help shape curriculum to reflect the needs of their markets.
Cox said one of the biggest advantages of these programs is that graduates arrive with a stronger grasp of both the fundamentals and the practical realities of the business.
“I often describe it as the ‘Paul Harvey version’ of banking education, where students learn not only the fundamentals of finance, accounting and management, but also the rest of the story,” he said.
Where campus meets community banking
That bridge between campus and community is at the heart of the program’s success.TBA began making meaningful investments around 2018 and 2019 in university-based banking programs at schools such as Sam Houston State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. That early support, combined with buy-in from banks across Texas, created momentum. Universities saw the opportunity. Bankers saw the need. Students saw a pathway.
The result has been a true partnership model built on mutual benefit. Universities create stronger and more specialized career tracks. Banks gain access to better prepared talent. Students discover a profession with long-term opportunities. And communities benefit from stronger hometown banks staffed by people who are equipped to lead.
Brent Cox’s role in the growth
Cox has had a front-row seat to it all.
After a long career in corporate America, much of it spent in national sales leadership roles, Cox stepped into this work nearly seven years ago after being approached by TBA President and CEO Chris Furlow. Since then, he has become one of the most visible and effective champions for building deeper ties between banks and universities.
Cox is not simply coordinating a program from afar. He has been in the work. He has helped universities envision and structure programs, served on advisory boards, mentored students, organized field trips, supported fundraising and, when needed, stepped into the classroom himself. Along the way, he has helped channel the goodwill of bankers who have long wanted to give back to their alma maters in a way that is practical and lasting.
That hands-on approach helps explain why the initiative has grown so quickly and why Texas has become, in many ways, the epicenter of university banking programs in the country.
Building more than entry-level talent
This experience also explains why Cox speaks about these students not just as future hires, but as future bank leaders.
Many will begin as credit analysts, operations managers or specialists in other disciplines. But the point is bigger than first jobs. The goal is to help build the next generation of executives, presidents and CEOs who understand both the business of banking and the communities banks serve.
One moment in particular stands out for Cox. While helping develop the first banking program at a Historically Black College through Texas Southern University, he saw firsthand what can happen when industry leaders rally around a shared mission. That effort eventually led to a campus visit from Jamie Dimon and a $1 million contribution to support the program. It was a headline-grabbing moment, but it was also a powerful reminder of what is possible when banking chooses to invest in people early and intentionally.
“My long-term goal is for every program we support to reach a level of self-awareness and self-sufficiency,” Cox said. “I often describe this as a four-way win: The university wins, the banks win, the students win and the communities they serve win.”
The Real Story
The four-way win is the real story here.
The University Partnership Program is not just about recruitment. It is about renewal. It is about making sure Texas banking remains strong, competitive and connected to the communities it serves. It is about proving that the best way to secure the industry’s future is to start building it now.