BUCHANAN, Va. — Riley Price, a recent graduate of Glenvar High School, has been awarded a $2,500 Central/Southside Region scholarship through the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation’s 2026 Bank Day Scholarship Program after participating in Bank Day hosted by Bank of Botetourt.
Price earned the regional scholarship for an essay reflecting her Bank Day experience and demonstrating thoughtful insight into community banking, financial education and career opportunities in the banking profession. This fall, she will attend Princeton University, where she plans to study English with a minor in journalism.
Price’s selection marks Bank of Botetourt’s 12th regional Bank Day scholarship winner since the bank began participating in the program, reflecting its longstanding commitment to financial education and creating meaningful opportunities for local students.
Established in 1991, the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation’s Bank Day Scholarship Program provides high school seniors with an opportunity to experience the banking industry firsthand through interaction with banking professionals and community leaders. This year, more than 680 students participated through 26 Virginia banks, gaining valuable insight into financial services, career opportunities and the important role community banks play in strengthening local economies.
“One of the greatest investments we can make is in the next generation,” said Michelle R. Austin, president and CEO of Bank of Botetourt. “We look forward to Bank Day each year because it gives us the opportunity to invest in students while sharing the meaningful work of community banking. Riley embraced that opportunity with curiosity, dedication and thoughtfulness, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to seeing all she accomplishes in the years ahead.”
Bank of Botetourt hosted 17 high school seniors representing nine schools from across the Roanoke Valley and surrounding region during this year’s Bank Day program at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture at Melrose Plaza in the city of Roanoke. The museum, a valued community asset dedicated to preserving and sharing African American history and culture, served as the host venue for the day’s educational programming. Bank of Botetourt’s nearby full-service Melrose Plaza office reflects the bank’s continued investment in expanding access to financial services, financial education and community partnerships in the city. Throughout the day, students explored a variety of banking careers, participated in discussions with experienced professionals, and gained practical knowledge about financial literacy, lending, technology, business development, and community banking.
The Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation awarded 13 scholarships this year, including six regional winners, six honorable mention recipients and one statewide winner. Since 2012, the foundation has awarded more than $353,000 in scholarships to 162 students while providing nearly 5,800 Virginia students with firsthand exposure to careers in banking.
Investing in financial education has long been part of Bank of Botetourt’s commitment to the communities it serves. Through programs like Bank Day, the bank continues helping students discover meaningful career opportunities while strengthening the communities it has proudly served since 1899.
For more information about the VBA Bank Day Scholarship Program, please visit vabankers.org.
About Bank of Botetourt
Chartered in 1899, Bank of Botetourt is a full-service community bank serving customers through 14 retail offices across Botetourt, Franklin, Roanoke and Rockbridge counties; the cities of Roanoke and Salem; and the towns of Vinton and Rocky Mount, Virginia. The bank also operates Virginia Mountain Mortgage, its residential lending division, and Botetourt Wealth Management, offering financial planning and investment services. Recognized by Forbes as a multi-year Best-in-State Bank in Virginia, Bank of Botetourt continues building on its long-standing tradition of service, financial strength and community commitment.
For more information, visit www.bankofbotetourt.com
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Pictured from left: Marcus Wade, vice president and business relationship officer at Bank of Botetourt; Riley Price, recipient of the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation’s Central/Southside Region Bank Day Scholarship; and Kush Patel, business development officer at Bank of Botetourt. Price received the $2,500 regional scholarship after participating in Bank Day, hosted by Bank of Botetourt.
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