NC State’s partnership with PNC Bank officially began mid-June with the opening of a new branch in Talley Student Union and bank representatives tabling during orientation to incoming students. 

Technician spoke with Jim Hansen, the regional president for PNC, who has been an active participant in ensuring that the newly established partnership with the NC State community goes smoothly. Hansen said that the partnership between PNC and NC State is currently stated in the contract to last 15 years. According to Hansen, PNC is familiar working with universities and collaborated with NC State to build a partnership.

Technician: Why did PNC choose to partner with NC State?

Hansen: “We at PNC entered the Carolinas a little over six years ago, but partnerships with universities, bringing our capabilities and financial literacy partnerships, is something we have been doing for many years. In particular, personally I’m an NC State grad, and we know the university well, and so, the university started a process, started the [risk-management] process as they do in many other purchasing and partnership decisions, a few years ago and that’s really what started the discussion between PNC and NC State on building this partnership, but it’s something that the university started to look for and something that we at PNC are very comfortable with doing and have a number of great partnerships at universities across the country.”

Through its partnership with NC State, PNC offers students a free, six-year-long student account, which also gives them access to a virtual wallet checking account. There are also specific offers for NC State faculty and staff who choose to bank with PNC.

T: In terms of the services that PNC is offering NC State, what are some of those for students, faculty and staff?

H: “We looked at the partnership and thought about the time and helping over the long term. One is, we started participation in Financial Literacy Week. You’ll start seeing that, using our team members and what they are doing in financial literacy education… some of those courses offered to the campus and university and the students, from that standpoint. The more tangible pieces that are starting to come together, would be the branch in Talley which is the first bank branch in Talley… and it opened on June 19, it’s about 310 square feet. And it’s a couple offices and an ATM. We had seven ATMs installed across campus, the seventh opened in June and then the eighth will open when the Starbucks construction is completed the next level down there in Talley. So there are ATMs across campus to provide access to students. Students will be able to link their [Wolfpack] One Card to their PNC checking account if they so desire to open a PNC checking account. Their [Wolfpack] One Card will then be able to be used as a PIN-based debit card.”

PNC will be offering programs and workshops year-round for classes, clubs and other campus organizations to be educated on financial literacy and fiscal responsibility. 

T: With the financial literacy education, will PNC primarily be partnering with NC State during Financial Literacy Month, or throughout the year, to help students?

H: “It’s going to be throughout the year and so part of it, we’ll be doing through leadership work with the Poole College of Management and across different colleges and bringing different adult leadership discussions on different topics to campus. We’ll also be doing financial literacy. One of ways we’re engaging our teams here, we have a large team that is in the Triangle and our office is downtown, and our team members are excited about the partnership. A number of our team members will be on campus at different capacities doing financial literacy, everything from working with the athletics department to different student clubs and organizations to different programs that are offered.” 

According to Hansen, partnering with NC State will help PNC build lifelong connections with students, even after they graduate.

T: What are some of the benefits that PNC will be receiving through partnering with NC State?

H: “Obviously one is that PNC and NC State with PNC arena and NC State basketball, our partnership is long-term and we’re invested in this community. NC State is a very invested, long-standing institution in this community and we believe in building this partnership that the capabilities and what we’re offering the students to make sure that students get off on the right foot as they start college and we believe we will build a lifelong relationship with that student. It’s on us to make sure we’re doing the right thing, so we’re taking care of our clients, but that’s part of these partnerships, making sure we are helping students to get off on that right foot and then they go into the workforce, as you know, and the student body of NC State is a high quality student [body] that is going to continue to go on and do great things across our state and country and so we want to be a partner to that student on their lifelong financial journey.”

Hansen also said that having students learn about financial responsibility while in college helps prepare them for after they graduate in the long term.

T: Why is it important for college students to learn financial responsibility?

H: “It comes down to, like anything in life, putting and building the building blocks in life and having your financial house in order allows you to be ready as you step into jobs and doing the right things to build savings over time… It’s very much on the individual to map out their financial future and making sure that they get off on that right step… The more overall we can make sure that people are building and starting off on the right foot, the better they’ll be long term.”

PNC representatives will be on campus throughout student move-in during August and will also have a booth at Packapalooza. The PNC branch in Talley Student Union is located on second floor next to the information desk.