CommunityAmerica and the University of Missouri-St. Louis Partner to Expand Financial Well-Being in St. Louis
St. Louis, Mo. (August 27, 2025) – CommunityAmerica Credit Union and the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) are proud to announce a partnership designed to strengthen financial well-being for students, faculty, staff, and the community. As the exclusive on-campus banking partner, CommunityAmerica will have a branch on campus, expand access to financial education through a collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Financial Counseling (CEFC), and foster the advancement of entrepreneurs through their work with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EIC).
“I am passionate about leading a people-first organization that focuses on helping our members achieve financial peace of mind,” said Lisa Ginter, CEO of CommunityAmerica. “Our partnership with UMSL underscores our commitment to education as a key driver for improving the wage-earning potential of young adults and non-traditional students alike. We’re excited to open our branch on campus and offer full banking capabilities – as well as join forces with UMSL to develop a new financial literacy curriculum for students. I know we’ll make an incredible impact on this community together!”
“This isn’t just a partnership, it’s an innovative collaboration that reflects our shared mission to uplift the region through education, opportunity, and community engagement,” said Kristin Sobolik, chancellor of UMSL. “By pairing financial services with practical education, this partnership will help us achieve our mission of transforming lives.”
Exclusive On-Campus Banking Partner
Located in the Millennium Student Center (MSC), the new CommunityAmerica branch will provide students, faculty, staff, and the community with convenient access to banking services where they learn, work, and live. The branch features the same full-service banking capabilities available at other CommunityAmerica locations and will offer UMSL students internship and employment opportunities.
"We’re honored and excited to work with UMSL to provide much needed financial services to students, faculty, alumni, and the community, while also co-creating programs that will have a positive impact on the entire region,” said Kathy O'Neill, president of the St. Louis market. "This is about more than a branch on campus – it’s about building on our 30-year legacy of serving St. Louis and investing where we can help the most to build a stronger future for all.”
Triton Financial Wellness Program Powered by CommunityAmerica
The partnership extends well beyond banking and into the classroom through the sponsorship and development of a comprehensive financial education initiative. In collaboration with the UMSL Center for Excellence in Financial Counseling (CEFC), the credit union will design a comprehensive program that includes financial education activities, hands-on workshops, and personalized coaching sessions. The CEFC is targeting spring 2026 for the official program launch.
EIC Anchor Accelerator Program Powered by CommunityAmerica
In addition, CommunityAmerica will work closely with UMSL’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EIC) to support the Anchor Accelerator Program (AAP). The AAP is designed to help early-stage, scalable businesses in the Greater St. Louis area grow through capital, mentorship, and experiential learning. CommunityAmerica will provide mentorship, financial services, and learning opportunities to help this next generation of business leaders succeed.
“Partnering with CommunityAmerica underscores our commitment to prepare students for success well beyond graduation,” said Shu Schiller, dean of the Ed G. Smith College of Business at UMSL. “From financial wellness to entrepreneurial opportunity, this collaboration will empower our students to build stable, independent lives while also fueling innovation and ensuring diverse voices have the support to thrive.”
This announcement reflects CommunityAmerica’s ongoing dedication to building upon more than three decades of serving the St. Louis community. This is the eighth CommunityAmerica location in St. Louis, with a flagship location coming to Des Peres in early 2026. It also represents the first partnership of this kind in the region since the credit union announced expansion plans in 2023.
About CommunityAmerica Credit Union
CommunityAmerica Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with more than 375,000 member-owners nationwide and more than $5.3 billion in assets, ranking it among the nation’s 100 largest credit unions and the largest in Missouri. The credit union serves individuals and businesses, providing a full suite of financial products and services ranging from checking and savings to mortgages, a variety of loan products and commercial banking. CommunityAmerica also offers wealth management, retirement planning, private banking and insurance. As a not-for-profit credit union, CommunityAmerica offers highly competitive rates on deposits and loans with fewer, lower or no fees at all. Other convenient products and services include a co-op network of more than 30,000 ATMs, 24-hour online banking and a top-rated mobile banking app. Ranked as the Best Credit Union in Missouri by Forbes Magazine.
About University of Missouri-St. Louis
The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) is the largest public research university in eastern Missouri, and the third largest in the state, priding itself on creating greater access to higher education and opportunity for its nearly 15,000 students. UMSL confers nearly 3,000 degrees annually and offers a wide range of baccalaureate and master’s degrees, two education specialist degrees and 17 doctoral degrees, including the only professional doctor of optometry program in Missouri. Established in 1963 as the fourth campus of the University of Missouri System, UMSL boasts more than 117,000 alumni, 73 percent of whom live and work in the St. Louis region.
