WILBERFORCE — Central State University and Union Savings Bank will create a summer banking institute to train CSU students for careers in banking.

The innovative partnership combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience at a Union Savings Bank location. The USB Summer Banking Institute, which starts Monday, June 5, is an eight-week program. Student participants will spend the first four weeks in classes taught on Central State’s campus by CSU faculty and USB officials. The remaining four weeks will be a paid internship at a participating branch bank site.

“We teach the students what they need to know in the classroom and then they have an opportunity to gain field experience,” said Dr. Fidelis Ikem, dean of the CSU College of Business.

The curriculum is designed with the banking industry in mind. Topics include basics of mortgage processing, retail banking, building and retaining customer relationships, relationship selling, data management, monetary policy and bank operations.

The Institute is the brainchild of Union Savings Bank, whose branches serve Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The goal is to create a pipeline of talent for the banking institution. The bank has announced the opening of a new branch in Xenia.

“We are excited about collaborating with CSU in building future diversity and inclusive talent in the Banking industry,” said Louis Beck, chairman of Union Savings Bank. “For us, having a presence in a community like Xenia, Ohio, is even more meaningful with a partnership with Central State University, a historically black college and university. We look forward to working with the students in the 2017 Summer Banking Institute and to building a robust talent pool through internships and deepening the understanding, familiarity and trust in the banking industry.”