Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas — Albert Guajardo, senior executive vice president and chief lending officer at Rio Bank, said the Bank On INT internship program is helping local banks identify, develop, and retain talent from the Rio Grande Valley.
Guajardo spoke at the June 5, 2026, memorandum of understanding signing ceremony that launched the second year of the Bank On INT paid internship program. The initiative is a partnership among the City of Edinburg, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), and regional banking institutions.
Reflecting on the program’s first year, Guajardo said interest among financial institutions has grown as more banks recognize the value of connecting students with careers in community banking.
“I remember a year ago we were all here and there were many other banks inquiring and seeing what this program was about,” Guajardo said. “It speaks volumes that local banks decided to take on the initiative and try to retain this local talent that is homegrown here in Edinburg.”
Guajardo also shared the success of one of Rio Bank’s interns from the inaugural cohort.
“We also have one of our interns from last year, Marcus Casarez,” Guajardo said. “We retained him full-time. He is in our credit department now as a credit analyst.”
Addressing the students selected for the second cohort, Guajardo encouraged them to make the most of the experience by building relationships, asking questions, and learning as much as possible from banking professionals.
“Take it all in, network, be a voice for all of your other counterparts in your classes,” Guajardo said. “We understand there’s a tremendous amount of talent here locally, and we need to leverage that at local community banks.”
Guajardo said the internship offers students a direct look at career opportunities available in the financial sector and provides employers with a way to develop future professionals from within the region.
“Take it all in, ask a lot of questions, take a lot of notes, and you get out what you put in,” he said.
Dr. Giorgio Gotti, dean of the UTRGV Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, said the partnership provides students with valuable exposure to the financial industry while strengthening connections between higher education and employers.
“Banking is a profession that is rooted in trust, relationship, and service to the community,” Gotti said. “For our students, it’s important not only to learn about financial products and banking products, but also how these local banks help families, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities to grow.”
The Bank On INT program was created to provide undergraduate students with paid, hands-on experience in banking and financial services. Organizers have described the initiative as a workforce development effort designed to strengthen the local talent pipeline while supporting the long-term growth of the Rio Grande Valley.
The ceremony concluded with representatives from participating organizations signing the memorandum of understanding officially launching the program’s second year.
