Gate City Bank Donates $500K to Local Schools Through Debit Card Program

The My School Spirit program allows customers to customize debit cards with school designs and generates donations to participating institutions.

Mar. 26, 2026 at 10:55pm

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Gate City Bank has donated over $500,000 to local schools and colleges in North Dakota through its My School Spirit program, which allows checking account customers to customize their debit cards with designs from over 70 high schools and colleges. The bank makes a one-time $10 donation to the participating school when a customer orders their first My School Spirit debit card.

Why it matters

The My School Spirit program provides a simple way for Gate City Bank customers to support their local schools and universities. The donations help offset costs for student programs and activities, allowing more resources to go directly toward enriching the student experience.

The details

Launched in 2015, the My School Spirit program has generated the largest donations for North Dakota State University, with over $150,000 contributed since the start of the program. Moorhead High School has received the largest high school donation, totaling just over $24,000. Funds from the program are used to support student programs, activities, and resources like food pantries at participating schools.

  • The My School Spirit program was launched in 2015.
  • In 2025, North Dakota State University received over $14,000 in donations from the program.
  • Since the start of the program, North Dakota State University has received over $150,000 in donations.

The players

Gate City Bank

A regional bank that launched the My School Spirit program, which allows checking account customers to customize their debit cards with designs from local schools and colleges.

North Dakota State University

The university that has received the largest donation from the My School Spirit program, with over $150,000 contributed since the program's launch.

Moorhead High School

The high school that has received the largest donation from the My School Spirit program, totaling just over $24,000 since the program began.

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What they’re saying

“Seeing our communities rally behind their local schools through the My School Spirit program is truly inspiring. Every debit card ordered represents pride in our hometown teams and a meaningful investment in students' futures.”

— Kim Settel, Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Banking Officer at Gate City Bank

“Gate City Bank's My School Spirit program is a strong branding opportunity and a unique way to support the college's fundraising efforts. These additional funds allow us to enhance the overall student-athlete experience by providing resources and programs that directly benefit our athletes.”

— Troy Goergen, NDSU Senior Associate Director of Athletics

“Gate City Bank's My School Spirit program is a simple but powerful way to support local schools. The funds we receive help offset costs for student programs and activities, allowing more resources to go directly toward enriching the student experience.”

— Dr. Brandon Lunak, Superintendent of Moorhead Area Public Schools

What’s next

The bank plans to continue the My School Spirit program, allowing more customers to support their local schools and universities through debit card customization.

The takeaway

The My School Spirit program demonstrates how a simple banking product can have a meaningful impact on local communities by providing much-needed funding for student programs and activities at schools and universities.