Florida Banking October 2023

FLORIDA BANKERS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

GO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH FBA’S HELP – APPLY FOR AN FBEF SCHOLARSHIP!

BY LETTY NEWTON, DIRECTOR OF FLORIDA BANKERS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

W hen you were younger, you may have had a plan for your future that seemed simple: go to college and get a good job. But life doesn’t always follow a direct path. Maybe you started working in banking and found that your career left you with no time to continue in school, causing you to put your educational plans on pause. Years later, your career has led you to an area of the bank in which it would be beneficial to have a college or graduate degree. If the time has come for you to go back to school, you are probably looking for ways to pay for your education, and the Florida Bankers Association (FBA) is here to help. Since 1956, the FBA has offered financial assistance through the Florida Bankers Educational Foundation (FBEF) to college students interested in a career in Florida banking. Over the 67 years since the foundation’s inception, college and banking have both changed a great deal, but one thing remains the same: FBEF is here to help bankers. Our mission is simple; we want to help you go back to school so you can move forward in your career. FBEF has a new way to help bankers with their college costs through the FBEF Scholarship Program . Eligible bankers who have worked only one year at a bank or trust company in Florida and who demonstrate their intent to continue in the Florida banking industry after graduation can apply for college scholarships. Funding amounts will vary based on the amount of credit hours left until graduation and the student’s current year in college: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate level. Scholarships range from $500 to $5,000, with funding being approved for both undergraduate and graduate students at colleges around the state who are pursuing banking-related majors. By providing scholarships, FBEF wants to get back to basics and focus on the fundamentals for success in school: tuition and fees, books, and necessary supplies. Funding through the foundation can help pay for these costs, with money going directly to the college

or university where the student is registered. There are 56 Florida colleges and universities that students can attend to be eligible to receive funding from the FBEF, which includes all public universities in the State University System, the public community colleges and state colleges in the Florida College System, and private colleges that meet specific academic and accreditation standards. Application information, as well as the list of FBEF Participating Universities, can be found online at www.FloridaBankers.com/FBEF. The next application deadline is November 1. If you want to advance your career in Florida banking by continuing your education, the foundation wants to help you. For more information, contact FBEF Director Letty Newton at (850) 701-3522 or lnewton@ floridabankers.com. We look forward to hearing from you! All FBA members are invited to participate in supporting the foundation by making a tax-deductible donation, by attending the January 23, 2024, FBEF Welcome Reception in Tallahassee, or by joining the FBEF Board of Trustees. FBEF is here to help Florida bankers who want to advance their careers through education. By educating bankers today, we create a better banking industry for tomorrow. The future of Florida banking depends on it. The FBEF was organized in 1956 to provide financial aid to college students interested in pursuing a career in Florida banking and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Registration #CH7621. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the FBEF, contact Letty Newton at P.O. Box 1360, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1360, e-mail lnewton@floridabankers.com or call 850-701-3522. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800-435 7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM OCTOBER 2023 — 23