GSBC Announces 2026 Session Theme: Level Up

At GSBC, each Summer Session is designed to challenge, connect and strengthen the next generation of community bank leaders. In 2025, GSBC introduced its first session theme, Rooted for Growth, highlighting the foundational strength of community banking and showcasing possibilities for its evolution.

In 2026, GSBC builds that foundation with a new theme focused on what comes next.

Level Up at GSBC: Skills, Choices, Impact

This year’s theme shifts from foundation to forward motion. It invites students to think intentionally about how they advance as leaders through what they learn, the decisions they make and the impact they can create.

“One of the most powerful traits of the GSBC experience is its ability to meet bankers where they are [in their careers] to help them take their learning, leadership and ability to contribute to the next level,” said Josie Bunch, GSBC’s vice president of strategy and experience. “Level Up will set the stage for that mindset and provide a tangible reminder to our students to be intentional about what they are at GSBC to do: transform their banking careers.”

A Theme for Today’s Leaders

Community banking continues to evolve rapidly, and so must its next generation of leaders. Students may come to the GSBC experience with varying backgrounds and responsibilities, but share one important characteristic: they enroll at GSBC to grow.

GSBC’s rigorous curriculum gives them the information they need to expand their knowledge and banking skillset. One’s return on investment, however, depends on the degree to which they engage with the information, ideas and connections afforded through their time in the program.

For students, this means taking personal ownership over where they are today, and how they will lean in and grow intentionally during their two weeks in Boulder. At the center of Level Up is a simple question, ‘What does leveling up look like to you?‘

Throughout the session, students will have opportunities to reflect on how each class and conversation is transforming their growth and leadership trajectory relative to their goals.