A team of business students from Rosemont College is proudly representing the institution in the 2025 Community Bank Case Study Competition, a national academic challenge sponsored by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS). Rosemont is one of only 27 colleges and universities across the United States selected to participate, and one of just three institutions from Pennsylvania.
This marks the seventh year that Rosemont College has partnered with Asian Bank, a Philadelphia-based community bank. The longstanding collaboration gives students a unique opportunity to apply classroom concepts to real-world financial challenges.
About the Competition
The 2025 National Community Bank Case Study Competition explores how rising interest rates and inflation are impacting community banks. Students were asked to analyze and propose forward-looking strategies focused on branch planning, technology adoption, and managing regulatory requirements.
The Rosemont team is led by David McKinney and includes students John Woods, Conor Gallagher, Jared Sullivan, and Larson Greenlee. They worked under the guidance of Christine Hagedorn, Chair of Rosemont’s Business Department, and Ken Romanowski, retired adjunct faculty member.
“This was an incredible learning experience,” said Gallagher. “Thank you to Asian Bank and CSBS for this opportunity. Working alongside such a dedicated group of classmates and mentors gave me hands-on insight into the inner workings of community banking, interest rate risk, and the importance of strong relationships between banks and the communities they serve. I am grateful to Asian Bank and proud to have represented Rosemont College.”
As part of the project, the team also had a chance to meet with Brandon Lam, a 2023 Rosemont graduate now working as an underwriter at Asian Bank. Lam’s success story illustrates the strong pipeline Rosemont has built with local businesses and financial institutions.
Now in its eleventh year, the Community Bank Case Study Competition offers undergraduate students nationwide an opportunity to gain real-world experience in banking, finance, and regulatory affairs. Participation is open to students of all majors. The competition includes three rounds of judging, with the top teams advancing based on the quality of their research and analysis.
Next Steps
Key competition dates include:
June 3: Announcement of teams advancing to the second round
July 14: Announcement of the top three teams
The first-place team will be invited to present at the prestigious Community Banking Research Conference. Winners will also be published in the Journal of Community Bank Studies, and each student and faculty advisor will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Second and third-place teams will also receive scholarship awards and publication opportunities.
For Rosemont students, participation in this competition underscores the college’s commitment to experiential learning and professional readiness. With a curriculum grounded in ethics, leadership, and real-world application, Rosemont’s business program continues to prepare students to thrive in today’s dynamic economy.
