Smith School Joins American Bankers Association Partner Network

New partnership expands industry‑aligned learning, strengthens career readiness, and deepens connections with the banking sector

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has joined the American Bankers Association (ABA) Partner Network, a move that expands the school’s industry‑aligned finance curriculum and strengthens its long‑term strategy to prepare career‑ready graduates for the banking and financial services sector.

The partnership positions the Smith School among a select group of academic institutions recognized by the ABA for integrating employer‑validated content into business education. Through this collaboration, Smith students will gain access to ABA‑developed coursework and certificates shaped directly by banker input on the skills most needed in early‑career hires. The move also follows the Maryland Bankers Association and Smith launching a statewide Smith Banking Fellows Program.

Smith Associate Clinical Professor of Finance Michael Padhi, who guides both partnerships, says the alignment with ABA advances the school’s commitment to relevance, rigor, and industry connectivity—particularly for MBA and undergraduate students pursuing banking careers.

“By being an academic institution member of the ABA, students can earn credentials from courses created from banker input about what skills are needed in entry‑level employees recently graduated from college,” Padhi says. “Based on an ABA survey of their members, 80% are more likely to hire a candidate with a skills‑based banking credential, and 66% will pay more to new hires who have such credentials. The Robert H. Smith School is listed on the ABA Partner Network directory, which means banks looking for job candidates with these credentials will identify us as the place to find them.”

The integration of ABA‑recognized content will complement Smith’s academically rigorous finance curriculum by bridging high‑level conceptual training with the operational realities of banking roles. Padhi notes that while Smith students learn to analyze balance sheets, manage interest‑rate risk, and understand the strategic challenges facing financial institutions, new graduates entering a bank must also be prepared for compliance, policy training, and day‑one responsibilities.

“The academic nature of instruction in Smith finance courses uniquely prepares students for handling the challenges of leading financial institutions at the highest levels,” Padhi says. "However, a recent graduate entering a bank will also need to be trained in matters like compliance and standard banking policies. "This is where the ABA partnership comes in. It will allow students to transition into their roles as employees of a bank before their start date, making them more attractive candidates to bank recruiters and setting them up for faster promotions once they start.”

As part of the Partner Network, Smith students and faculty will gain access to ABA’s industry‑validated learning modules, banking certificates, and a growing library of “Cliff Notes”‑style resources designed to translate complex banking topics for non‑bankers. Twice a year, ABA subject‑matter experts will deliver virtual, TED‑style briefings directly into Smith classrooms, offering real‑time insights on trends shaping the banking landscape. The school will also receive a dedicated profile in the ABA Partner Network directory, increasing visibility among employers seeking graduates with industry‑recognized credentials.

“We’re delighted to welcome the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business as a Charter Advisor of the American Bankers Association’s Partner Network. Through this new membership, UMD students can earn ABA certificates that credential them with the skills bank CEOs desire most in new hires,” says Russell Davis, ABA's executive vice president of member experience. “Four in five bank HR leaders indicate that an ABA certificate influences their hiring decisions, and two-thirds say it also may affect starting salaries. ABA’s reputation as a trusted source of banking education will help colleges and universities boost graduates’ employment prospects while strengthening the banking workforce pipeline.”

This partnership, Padhi says, “underscores the Smith School’s commitment to strengthening career readiness, enhancing employer alignment, and differentiating its programs in a competitive business education environment.