From Books to Bank Vaults

Mammel Hall –
Every year, students from the FNBK3650 Commercial Bank Management class and the Maverick Banking Association (MBA), a student club from the College of Business Administration, pack their bags for a trip to Kansas City. Led by Dr. Wei Rowe, a Finance, Banking, and Real Estate professor, also the NBA-endowed banking professor, and the club’s faculty advisor, the group visits the Federal Reserve Bank for an inside look at one of the country’s most influential financial institutions.

Dr. Rowe, who has organized this trip for the past decade, says, “There’s nothing quite like seeing the Federal Reserve in action. It brings classroom lessons to life.” She’s already planning the next trip for spring 2025, so any student interested can email her at wrowe@unomaha.edu to get on the waitlist.

This year, twenty students joined the trip. They toured the Money Museum and observed cash operations, witnessing the scale and intensity of the Federal Reserve’s daily activities. “It was amazing to learn how the Fed operates on the inside. They even showed us the vaults (and cash operation), and gave us a rundown on the history of the U.S. monetary system,” said Mirsada Demirovic, a senior and president of the MBA.

Senior Alex Ellefson shared his excitement, saying, “It was cool to see just how massive the money supply is in Kansas City. (The KC Fed handles $15 billion dollars.) You read about these things, but seeing it firsthand is something else.”

Many students found the experience eye-opening. “I know we have these Federal Reserve banks across the country, but I never realized how large they are or how critical their operations are until I saw it for myself,” said Jaden Beaugard, a senior in the program.

Jacob Atchinson, another senior, added, “My family has been in the banking industry for a while, so I grew up hearing about this stuff, but to see the Fed’s security measures and watch the whole process unfold was really interesting. It’s so much bigger and more complex than I imagined.”

Along with their tour of the Federal Reserve, the group spent time at the National World War I Museum and Memorial. This museum, located in downtown Kansas City, is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to World War I. “The WWI Museum was incredibly touching,” shared Nick Merlo, a senior. “Seeing artifacts and learning about the experiences of people who lived through that time made history feel very real.”

Beaugard echoed this sentiment. “The museum gave me a much deeper understanding of WWI. We cover these topics in class, but to actually stand there and see the artifacts—that was something I’ll remember for a long time.”

Atchinson agreed, adding, “Seeing those exhibits really brings to life everything we’ve only read about in textbooks. It was a moving experience.”

The day ended on a delicious note with a barbecue dinner at Jack Stack Restaurant in Kansas City’s popular Country Club Plaza. “You can’t go to KC without trying the barbecue,” laughed Ellefson.

Overall, the students loved the chance to get out of the classroom and connect with the banking world in real-time. “It’s so different from reading about it. Being there with classmates made it an even more memorable experience,” said Atchinson.

This hands-on learning trip is one that students look forward to each year, and it’s clear that for these future bankers, the impact will stick with them far beyond their college days.