Founded in 2008, the purpose of the Center for Banking and Financial Services (CBFS) is to build a vital partnership between San José State University's College of Business and local financial institutions. In particular, the focus of the center's efforts is to create a link between talented SJSU students and the banking and financial services industry. This is especially important as there may be a discrepancy between the career opportunities in the financial sector and students' understanding of those opportunities. As a result, the partnerships built by the center benefit SJSU, its students and the companies represented on the CBFS Executive Board.