Texas Southern University's Future Bankers Leadership Program, launched in 2021, is drawing interest from employers as well as students interested in careers in the banking industry.As a child, Kameron Pree was fascinated by banking, even if he didn't realize it at the time. He just knew he wanted to save enough money for field trips and other activities.
"There could definitely be better banking in Houston," said Pree, who is Black, noting that access to banking can be a problem for minority-owned businesses."Just from my own experience, I've been to so many businesses where they're not banked at all — where you go up to the window and they tell you they only take cash."
"Banking is all about relationships, and people trust individuals that reflect their community," said Dorian Cockrell, vice president for global philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase. CEO Jamie Dimon visited the center as it opened and stopped at Texas Southern University, where he announced a $1 million investment aimed at bolstering the recruitment pipeline Chase is building with historically Black colleges and universities.
"I always hear that they can’t find African-American talent," Funches said."We have thousands of bright and talented students here at TSU. We need to put more diversity in the marketplace to meet the community’s needs."