Competition Overview

The Community Bank Case Study Competition, facilitated by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), is a nationwide academic competition for undergraduate students. Through this competition, undergraduate student teams will partner with local community banks to conduct original case studies on relevant topics. 

In addition to providing undergraduate students with an excellent opportunity to engage and gain valuable knowledge of the banking industry, the case study competition serves as a platform for community banks to tell their individual stories. It is an opportunity to build a further understanding of the community bank business model and the role community banks play in local communities, and it is a mechanism for connecting academics and millennials with the community banking industry. 

  • Student teams will consist of 3-5 undergraduate students.
  • All case study work will be conducted under the guidance of a school faculty advisor.
  • Student teams will have discretion to meet with and interview the members of their partner community bank as often as agreed upon by the bank.  
  • Each student team will be responsible for submitting a paper that thoroughly discusses their case study findings, and a 5-minute video that highlights their case study paper. The paper is to be no more than 25 pages, and include visualizations that illustrate student findings.

 

Guidelines for Paper & Video

  • Write a brief case study paper, up to 25-pages in length, that includes a 1-2 page executive summary and up to 10 pages in tables and charts, that thoroughly discusses the case study findings.
  • All case studies must be written in 12-point Times New Roman with double spacing.
  • Teams should use MLA style.
  • Student teams must submit a video of no more than 5 minutes that highlights the teams’ case study findings while showcasing the partnered community bank. 

 

Rules of Conduct

  • Student teams will be expected to develop original work; plagiarism will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
  • While faculty advisors will be expected to help in the case development process as references and consultants, the case study papers and video presentations must be conducted solely by the students.
  • Student teams may receive outside help in producing the case study video using university provided student resources only. This may include the assistance of a video production or communications student(s), or campus camera equipment available as a student resource. Professional university resources such as university A/V staff or equipment is not included.
  • The timetable will be followed to the utmost punctuality and late submissions will not be accepted.
  • Failure to comply with these rules will result in immediate disqualification.

 

Winning Teams

First Place Team:

  • Each student and faculty advisor on the first-place winning team will receive a $1,000 CSBS scholarship;
  • An opportunity to present their case study at the annual Community Banking Research Conference; and
  • Their case study published in a journal of academic research that will be released during the Community Banking Research Conference.

Second Place Team:

  • Each student and faculty advisor on the second-place team will receive a $750 CSBS scholarship; and
  • Their case study published in a journal of academic research that will be released during the Community Banking Research Conference.

Third Place Team:

  • Each student on the third-place team will receive a $500 CSBS scholarship; and
  • Their case study published in a journal of academic research that will be released during the Community Banking Research Conference.