Scholars will receive $5,000 toward the first year of the three-year on-campus summer program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
The SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox (SWGSB), a nationally renowned source for banking executive education, has announced a new $5,000 scholarship toward the first year of study in SWGSB’s flagship executive education program, a three-year graduate course of study designed to develop our nation’s leaders in banking. The scholarship is for active military, former military, honorably discharged veterans, or family members who have lost a loved one in the military. The SWGSB program prepares future leaders in the banking community for greater responsibilities with peer networking, team-building experiences, case studies, a tailored curriculum, and an exceptional student-faculty ratio. The atmosphere during the two-week summer resident sessions for three consecutive years fosters friendships and professional growth.
The new scholarship will be awarded annually to a Year 1 candidate who has been accepted to the program and has the support of their employer to attend the on-campus program. Preference is given to students paying their own tuition. Candidates may apply at swgsb.org/scholarships before January 31 of the year attending.
LTC USAR (Ret.) Joseph D. Hansen, a SWGSB faculty member for more than 12 years and Senior Vice President at Hillcrest Bank, a division of NBH Bank, has launched the effort to endow the SWGSB Military Scholarship to provide access to the world-class banking school.
“Many veterans who enter banking after military experience are ahead of their peers in leadership, discipline, and other qualities but are behind in financial experience,” said Hansen, who spent 35 years of service in U.S. Army, Reserve, and National Guard. “SWGSB is an excellent opportunity for veterans to accelerate their careers to be competitive in the banking industry. As a military veteran and SWGSB graduate, I would not be where I am in my career without SWGSB. I hope to attract support to endow the scholarship from other veterans in banking, SWGSB graduates who are veterans, and institutions who know how military experience builds leaders.”
“We’re excited about the potential of this scholarship, which invests in the next generation of banking leaders. It’s a proven investment in the future of banking. Our graduates are in the C-suite, using knowledge gained at SWGSB to strengthen their careers, organizations, and communities,” said William T. Chittenden, Ph.D., president and CEO of SWGSB.
To learn more about supporting the endowment, contact joe.hansen@hillcrestbank.com. To learn more about SWGSB’s nationally renowned program that propels careers, visit www.swgsb.org/summer2025.
