The future of community banking requires bold leaders—leaders who think and act critically and creatively to solve problems in their customers’ and communities’ best interest. The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) is pleased to continue empowering community bankers through its newest curriculum addition: a Committed to Lead micro-credential.

Beginning in 2023 at the 72nd Annual School Session, GSBC students will have the opportunity to engage in Committed to Lead, a focused subset of coursework engineered to build bold, future-oriented community bank leaders. By completing Committed to Lead coursework, students will better understand what it takes to boldly lead a high-performing community bank into the future.

“Leadership always matters. Leaders with a future-oriented mindset and a solid foundation in the essential elements of banking are the formula for a resilient bank and industry,” states GSBC President Michael Stevens. “The industry needs leaders who are positioned to lead through change and turmoil. It needs leaders who will continue to innovate the community banking business model to meet the needs of our economically diverse country. Committed to Lead is designed to contribute to this effort and identify those individuals who, when given the opportunity, demonstrated that they were committed to lead.”

To successfully receive the micro-credential, participants must participate in the CEO Perspectives interviews, hearing the perspectives and practices of future-oriented community bank CEOs. They will also attend the Development Needs of New CEOs lecture based on GSBC’s experience with our Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers®. Students will complete the Committed to Lead workbook to capture lessons learned and takeaways from the courses and create a personal development plan to achieve career goals. Finally, the student must graduate from GSBC upon completion of their third year.

About Bolder Banking

GSBC’s Bolder Banking campaign launched in April 2022 and aims to highlight bold leaders in the community banking industry by sharing innovative information and ideas with fellow bankers. To date, a podcast and scholarship program are part of the Bolder Banking initiative. By adding the Committed to Lead micro-credential to the mix, GSBC hopes to inspire and empower those who pursue the distinction to lead innovatively in their organizations.

For more information on curriculum, visit GSBC’s Career Tracks & Course Curriculum page.