Bank Independent Establishes Endowment at UNA
Feb. 03, 2022
Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – Bank Independent, founded in the Shoals 75 years ago, has established the Bank Independent Leadership Fund at the University of North Alabama. As an endowment, the fund provides a perpetual source of revenue for the University that will allow for ongoing advocacy in the best interest of UNA and the greater Shoals community.
“Economic development and community engagement are a key part of Bank Independent’s mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and a thriving university is necessary to support a vibrant, healthy, and growing community like the Shoals,” said Macke Mauldin, Bank Independent President. “My father, Edward Mauldin, was a firm believer in the power of education to change a person’s life. He was also fond of the quote, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’ We believe this endowment can change not only individual lives through the power of education but change the future of our community by amplifying the continued success of the University.”
The Bank Independent Leadership Fund is the first endowment established for the University’s annual fund and specifically addresses UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts’ signature initiative, Project 208. The distributions from this gift are unrestricted and can be used to meet budget shortfalls, scholarship needs, facility upgrades, and other key campus initiatives.
“UNA’s endowment has grown substantially recently, and this additional gift from Bank Independent gives us greater latitude to make decisions that will be beneficial for the University that will also have a positive impact on the greater Shoals community,” said President Kitts.
The Bank Independent gift will have a transformative impact on UNA, according to Vice President for Advancement Kevin Haslam.
“We are deeply grateful for this visionary gift from Bank Independent,” he said. “This endowment ensures the perpetual vitality of UNA and will make a profound difference in the life of our students for generations to come.”
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a resident al section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of the NCAA Division I’s ASUN and Big South conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/.
About Bank Independent
Since 1947, Bank Independent has taken pride in serving the customers who count on us to be there for them when they need us most. With 29 traditional Sales Offices across North Alabama and one Digital Sales Office, we’re committed to providing the best service, designing the most desired products, and creating an overall excellent experience for each and every customer. As a local community bank, we believe in building relationships that run deep and last. All of our employees reside in our local communities and believe in giving back through volunteering. To become part of a bank that makes a positive difference in people’s lives, visit us at bibank.com.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering credential, certificate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs in the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. The first-choice University for more than 10,000 on-campus and online students, UNA is on a bucolic campus in Florence, Alabama, part of the historic and vibrant Shoals region. Lions Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of the NCAA Division I’s ASUN Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/