Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Rozanna Vakhapova immigrated to the United States by herself in 2009. She had dreams of developing a career in the financial services industry. After discovering BankWork$ and meeting instructor Julian Hampton at JVS SoCal, Rozanna knew she had found her pathway to her dream career.
In September of 2020, after moving to Los Angeles, she signed up for the program. Rozanna says, “I was so excited to get accepted! I loved coming to class every day throughout the winter. My classmates came from all different places in life, but everyone shared a hunger for chasing a career.”
Upon graduating from BankWork$, all graduates attend a hiring fair with local financial instructions. Rozanna describes the interviewing process as “feeling like a celebrity. I have never experienced getting to do six interviews in one day. BankWork$ had trained me well for all their specific interview questions and I had answers prepared. I felt so confident in my abilities.”
In February 2021, Rozanna accepted a position with Bank of America, starting as a Relationship Banker. She enjoys all the opportunities working at Bank of America has given her. “Every day I speak to different people. I also get to do many volunteer events through Bank of America. Every Saturday, I go to different foundations, where we teach financial skills to children. I’m also getting to take classes with my support team. I love working with clients and meeting so many different kinds of people. I remember the location where I first opened my Bank of America account; now I want to make sure all my clients remember me.” Rozanna is now the Relationship Manager Business Owner Specialist, and provides financial expertise for small business clients.
Rozanna credits BankWork$ Instructor Julian Hampton for being a key figure in shaping her career. “Julian is an amazing mentor. He always knows the words to say to give you perfect life advice. I’m so happy he’s impacted so many people that were not sure about themselves. He taught me to ask questions and be willing to learn.”
Julian also speaks highly of Rozanna, saying, “Rozanna was a stellar student who consistently yearned for knowledge. As much as I pushed her to be her best, she also pushed me to be my best by asking questions and looking for the reason behind the answer. She would look up articles and videos about the economy and historical events and share them with me. This is what made Rozanna a joy to teach. She has brought the longing for knowledge to Bank of America and used it to advance. I couldn’t be prouder of her.”
Looking forward to her future, Rozanna is excited to continue to develop relationships and help her clients at Bank of America. Rozanna recently spoke at the last JVS SoCal graduation, congratulating the newest group of graduates. She commends BankWork$ for giving her the drive to pursue excellence. “Bankwork$ taught me to go the extra mile; whether that be calling back a customer, helping my coworkers, or staying focused to achieve a goal, I’m grateful for the skills I’ve learned from my time at BankWork$.”
To learn more about BankWork$ and our partnership with JVS SoCal, click here.
