UAH College of Business receives $100K gift from Bryant Bank

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, announced that Bryant Bank has made a $100K gift to the UAH College of Business (COB). This gift marks the second installment of a $1.5 million commitment to the College, one of the largest gifts ever made to the COB. This disbursement will be followed by an additional 13 annual payments in the same amount through 2035.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ken Watson and the Bryant Bank team for their leadership in building a bright future for our community and their continued commitment to helping UAH students thrive,” says Dr. Jason Greene, Dean of the UAH COB. “They are an outstanding partner with us in our mission to launch the careers of our students.”

This continuing pledge will go to support the Bryant Bank UAH Business Scholarships, a non-endowed fund designed to benefit College of Business students. Annual distributions from the fund shall be used for one or more scholarships awarded to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the College of Business. Entering freshman students must have a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

Existing or transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for college-level coursework. Preference shall be given to students based on each of the following: students with unmet financial need; students who are from Alabama communities served by Bryant Bank; and students who are graduates of the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to support UAH and its College of Business,” says Bryant Bank President, Ken Watson. “As economic development continues to fuel the growth in our community, the need for a well-educated and qualified workforce will remain a major focus. UAH’s College of Business will provide clear pathways for not only academic accomplishment, but also occupational fulfillment. Bryant Bank is a community-focused business, and we believe this monetary support will provide necessary resources to promote the development of our future workforce.”

Qualifying students receive awards of $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500, and the larger of these awards are given to students with a demonstrated greater need and who are also receiving less financial support from other UAH scholarships or grants. Scholarship award recipients are selected by the University's Financial Aid Committee.

“Bryant Bank's ongoing support of UAH business students has a tremendous impact on the students, their families and our community,” Dr. Greene says. “Their gift supports scholarships that help students access an outstanding business education in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing and cybersecurity.”

Each scholarship will be in force for one year. Recipients may be eligible for an additional year up to a maximum of four years, or until degree requirements have been met, whichever is shorter, as long as the recipient maintains full-time enrollment and continues to make satisfactory progress toward a degree with a minimum GPA of at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. A scholarship award may, in addition to paying the cost of the recipient's tuition, fees and books, also pay other academic-related expenses. Each scholarship recipient is known as a “Bryant Bank UAH Business Scholar.”

This year’s scholarship recipients include: (Information Systems) Savannah Booker, Jessica Dupin, Malik Jefferson, Daniel Kelly, Sedric Langford, William Mote, Christina Straw and Zachary Swann; (Marketing) Melissa Brown, Daisy Hernandez, Minh Ly and Elise Walker; Shaqiang, Kit Lang and Isaac Priego, Finance; (Accounting) Greta Downing and Ryleigh Murphy, Management; and Kayla Keller, Anna Lam and Samantha Laynard.

Bryant Bank’s contributions to UAH are supporting numerous additional University programs and organizations.

“Bryant Bank’s contributions to the University include the establishment of the Bryant Bank UAH Excellence in Nursing Scholarship,” says Mallie Hale, UAH Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of UAH Foundation. “This scholarship provides support to students in the Early Promotion into UAH Nursing Program (EPNP). Such a scholarship attracts skilled nurses to Huntsville, the state of Alabama and beyond.”

Bryant Bank has made a continuing gift of $25,000 to UAH Charger Athletics as well, a commitment that supports 14 Men's and Women's athletics programs.

About Bryant Bank: Founded in 2005 by Paul W. Bryant, Jr., Bryant Bank’s vision is to see every Alabamian experience a financially stable future and live in a thriving community. Bryant Bankers put care into action to help Alabamians invest in their full potential every day. The Bank offers 16 branches and one loan production office in five of Alabama’s six largest markets and employs over 260 bankers. Bryant Bank provides personal, business and mortgage banking services, as well as Treasury Management Services, Correspondent Banking and Capital Markets.

About the UAH College of Business: The COB contributes to the economic vitality of Huntsville and beyond through its mission to fuel innovation in business, spark ideas through research and launch the careers of students. With its faculty of outstanding teachers and accomplished researchers, it offers accredited business degree programs at the undergraduate level in six major areas and at the graduate level through seven master's degrees programs, including a flexible MBA program that can be taken online, in-person or a combination of both.