FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Career Development Center, housed within the Division of Student Affairs, has formed a corporate alliance with Arvest Bank. The $20,000 gift to the center enables Arvest Bank to have more visibility on campus and more direct connections with students who may be interested in entering the banking field after graduation. This is the first corporate sponsorship for the center at this level.

“Arvest Bank’s vision is to be the financial services provider of choice in the trade territories we serve,” said Laura Andress, Arvest Group human resources director. “To fulfill that vision, Arvest strongly believes in partnering with our local communities to make those communities better places for the people who live and work there. Our relationship with the U of A Career Development Center fits squarely in that vision.”

The one-year association will include one signature program that will connect students and Arvest representatives. The bank will have a Web presence through the center and provide materials for the center to distribute to students.

“Many business students see banking as a natural career choice after graduation,” said Barbara Batson, director of the Career Development Center, “but we will work with Arvest Bank representatives to also attract students in all majors and to inform them of the opportunities that exist at Arvest Bank, and in the banking field as a whole. Our hope is that students will open their eyes to career opportunities that are not necessarily obvious for their path of study.”

“Arvest Bank continues to grow, and working closely with the UA Career Development Center will help us attract the best talent in the area to join the Arvest team, so we can continue to offer world class customer service,” Andress said. “Also, our main operations center is in Lowell, Ark., so we hope to be able to attract the University of Arkansas’ best and brightest not only in the area of finance, but also many other fields, such as information technology, logistics, marketing, education and human resources.” 

“We truly appreciate the generosity of Arvest Bank,” Batson said. “I look forward to watching the benefits of this new relationship and the impact on our students and the university community. The gift is just the first step. The personal connections that develop and the new opportunities for students and for Arvest are the key components of this relationship.”