Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland (right), was pleased to accept a check recently for the Bookbag to Briefcase program from BB&T, the program’s title sponsor. The check was presented by Elizabeth Snyder, vice president at BB&T, St. Mary’s County region.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland recognizes BB&T and Regional President Chris Holt ’86 for supporting the College’s Bookbag to Briefcase program as the title sponsor for the 2017-18 academic year.
The Bookbag to Briefcase program, formed several years ago, is designed to connect St. Mary’s College students with industry experts in small group settings.
“This program has a lasting impact on our students as they develop into professionals,” said Kate Shirey, director of career development at St. Mary’s College. “We thank BB&T for supporting the Bookbag to Briefcase program, making it possible to provide students with access to financial literacy education, online learning opportunities through the BB&T Financial Foundations platform, and professional networking sessions.”
Bookbag to Briefcase was re-imagined this year, moving away from a three-day conference format to a year-long program that provides TED Talk-style workshops, alumni panel discussions, and networking opportunities that are open to all students. The program also provides professional development discussions on topics including financial literacy, personal budgeting and establishing credit, understanding insurance policy language, and steps to job success.
Holt explained at a recent financial literacy workshop at the College that part of BB&T‘s corporate philosophy is to support its community by providing financial literacy education. “At the end of the day, a business is a reflection of its community’s strength. So we believe it’s our responsibility to invest in that strength,” he said.
BB&T is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the U.S. with $220.3 billion in assets and market capitalization of $37.0 billion as of Sept. 30, 2017. Building on a long tradition of excellence in community banking, BB&T offers a wide range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, investments, insurance, wealth management, asset management, mortgage, corporate banking, capital markets and specialized lending. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., BB&T operates over 2,100 financial centers in 15 states and Washington, D.C. A Fortune 500 company, BB&T is consistently recognized for outstanding client service by Greenwich Associates for small business and middle market banking. More information about BB&T and its full line of products and services is available at BBT.com.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education through 2024-2025. St. Mary’s College, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 1,600 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary’s River in Southern Maryland.