Jackson State University senior finance major Bryan McKinney was selected as the 2024 Orrin H. Swayze Scholar by the Mississippi Bankers Association Education Foundation and the Mississippi Young Bankers section of the MBA.
“We’ve had College of Business students as finalists in the past; however, we are extremely proud that Bryan McKinney finished on top,” said College of Business Dean Fidelis Ikem, Ph.D. “He is a bright young man with a future in the wealth management industry. I’m sure Bryan will excel in his career path like those who preceded him.”
Among other honors, activities, and recognitions, McKinney is a Morgan Stanley HBCU Case competition winner, he won the MYB Leadership Scholarship in 2023, and he is a member of the Sonic Boom of the South.
“It’s an honor to be named the winner of such a prestigious award. Most of all, I’m elated to have been the first student from Jackson State [to win the award] and to be a representative of HBCUs in Mississippi,” said McKinney.
McKinney was chosen from applicants across Mississippi to receive the $5,000 scholarship, which is given annually to Mississippi’s most outstanding banking and finance students. McKinney, who graduates this May, plans to pursue a career in wealth management and volunteering his time to provide free financial education.
The Orrin H. Swayze Scholastic Awards, first awarded in 1979, are given each year to five outstanding college seniors majoring in banking and finance at state-supported universities. The awards are presented in honor of Orrin H. Swayze, a widely respected banker in Mississippi and a pioneer in continuing education in the field of banking.
Professors nominate students, and the Mississippi Young Bankers Scholarship Committee selects five finalists. During the MYB convention, interviews are conducted, and the Scholarship Committee determines the Swayze Scholar, who receives a $5,000 scholarship.
Each of the four Orrin H. Swayze Scholastic Award Finalists receive a $1,500 scholarship. The Swayze Scholastic Awards are funded by the MBA Education Foundation.