Congratulations Graduate School of Banking at LSU 2013 Graduates
On June 7, 2013, the Graduate School of Banking held its 62nd graduation ceremony. It was a time to acknowledge the hard work and success of our students, as well as to reflect back on the many classes that have come before. In his graduation speech, Doug Weimer of LSU eloquently detailed the importance and diversity of our graduating class:
“Congratulations upon your completion of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. You are the 62nd class to graduate from the program, the first being in 1952, which means this is the 64th session of the school. With your graduation, a total of 5,227 have completed the program. Last year we graduated the 15,000th banker. That first class had less than 100 bankers compared to your class of 155. You come from 19 states and Mexico.
The objective of the school is to provide professional education to young bank officers to enable them to assume greater responsibilities in their banks and to rise to higher levels of management. In meeting its objective in its 64-year history the school has been very successful and indicated by the fact that a majority of the banks in the
southeast have at least one officer in a senior position.
About a third of you are in the 30-40 age category and about a third of you are over 40 years of age. Approximately 60% of you are employed in banks having assets less than billion dollars, and about half of you consider yourselves to be in middle management of your banks. In terms of education about 60 two thirds of you have bachelor degrees
and approximately 25% have graduate degrees.
You have completed 10 bank study problems which probably took an average of 20 hours each to finish. And you have sat in class about 270 hours and listened to approximately 65 lecturers, some were better than others but all were designed to enhance your professional education.
You have missed three Memorial Day holidays with your family and friends.
Your class is distinguished in several ways. First, there are 27 lady students graduating, which is the second highest number ever completing the school. Congratulations to these ladies. Second, you are distinguished in that your class has had one of the lowest attrition of any class in the history of the school. Only nine of the bankers who
started the program in 2011 are not with us here today, a drop- out rate of about 5% which is less than half the historical rate. This accomplishment is especially noteworthy in view of the many changes that have occurred in the industry since your enrollment.”
The pride of GSBLSU has always been in our students and their success. We are delighted to have such a diverse background of graduates receiving their diplomas this year, and we look forward to continuing this trend. If you are considering attending the Graduate School of Banking, please contact our office or click here to learn more about our admissions. We look forward to including you in a future graduating class!
