Inside the Award-Winning Culture at USF Credit Union

Today, we're taking you behind the scenes of two programs that help make  USF Credit Union a Top Workplace  year after year - Business College and Strategic Leadership.

Designed to develop USF CU employees at every stage of their careers, these programs challenge participants to grow as leaders, collaborate across teams, and step outside their comfort zones.

And we recently celebrated the graduation of two new classes of employees who dedicated hundreds of hours to learning, developing new skills, and preparing for what's next.

Growth Doesn't Stop After You're Hired

The Business College program welcomes newer employees into a year-long journey that helps them better understand every corner of USF CU.

Through monthly sessions, conversations with leaders, and cross-department collaboration, participants discover something that's hard to learn from an org chart alone - how every team works together to serve our members.

For Business College graduate Carolina R, one of the biggest takeaways wasn't found in a presentation.

"It's about the genuine conversations we have and the meaningful connections we make with people who you normally wouldn't meet in the credit union," Carolina said.

Those relationships often become just as valuable as the lessons themselves, breaking down silos and creating connections that last long after graduation.

Leadership Is a Journey, Too

Learning doesn't end when someone becomes a leader.

In fact, according to Christina M, Director of USF CU Human Resources, it often becomes even more challenging.

"The higher you go, the harder the adjustment can be," Christina explained. “Leaders aren't just responsible for their own work anymore. They're balancing competing priorities while helping their teams succeed. Making time to grow requires intentional effort.”

That's exactly why Strategic Leadership exists.

Designed for directors and senior leaders, the program helps participants shift from thinking operationally to thinking strategically- preparing them to lead the credit union into the future.

For Shawn R,  graduate of the Strategic Leadership, the experience was motivating.

"After 30 years in the business, it's been a while since I've been through a training course. To have a course developed for existing leaders is wonderful," Shawn said.  "I learned just as much from my peers as I did from the guest speakers."

That's one of the hidden strengths of programs like this. The classroom isn't just at the front of the room. It's sitting beside you.

The Best Part? Watching People Succeed.

Ask Christina what graduation day means to her, and the answer comes quickly.

"I feel immense pride," she said.  "It's great to hire people. But it's even better to watch them succeed, give them the tools they need, and see them accomplish something great in their careers."

For her, development is about recognizing potential - and helping employees reach it.

When she looks around graduation day, she doesn't just see certificates. She sees the future of USF CU.

"We've equipped our new people. They're still here. They love it. And when I see our leadership graduates, I think the future looks pretty bright."

Building the Future- Together

The lessons learned in Business College and Strategic Leadership extend far beyond the classroom.

They reinforce the culture that has helped make USF CU one of Tampa Bay's Top Workplaces year after year - a culture where curiosity is encouraged, collaboration is expected, and growth is celebrated.

Congratulations to Our Graduates

Strategic Leadership

• Christina Musial
• Shawn Robertson
• Jael Rodriguez
• Ty Schroeder
• Thomas Smith
• Brandon Thompson
• Jamie Walls

Business College

• Lucy Martinez-Lebron
• Judie Norwood
• Zachary Robinson
• Carolina Rodriguez
• Cameron Lovern

Congratulations to each of our graduates for investing in themselves, challenging one another, and helping make USF Credit Union an even stronger place to work.