U.S. Bank on Friday announced the opening of a full-service branch in the Kirkwood Community College student center in Cedar Rapids.

Located on the second floor of Iowa Hall at 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, the new 550-square-foot office was created to cater to students, faculty and visitors.

“We’re just really excited that this location will make banking more convenient for the students, faculty and staff at Kirkwood,” said Nancy Kasparek, president of U.S. Bank in Cedar Rapids.

U.S. Bank entered into a 10-year lease for the space, formerly used as a temporary student services facility, Kirkwood Community College Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Choate said. Terms of the lease call for the bank to cover expenses associated with its use of the space, such as heat, air conditioning, lighting and telecommunications, but nothing extra, Choate indicated.

The branch will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and will offer a 24-hour ATM. It will sometimes be closed during college breaks. During those times, the staff will be transferred to the nearby U.S. Bank Westdale Mall branch, Kasparek said. Both branches will be managed by

“Kirkwood Community College is pleased to have a U.S. Bank branch on campus,” said Kristie Fisher, vice president of enrollment at Kirkwood, said in prepared remarks. Besides providing convenience, Fisher said the bank will host free financial wellness seminars.

A grand opening celebration for the branch will take place in January 2012. Dawn Gerber, the branch manager at the U.S. Bank located at 2350 Edgewood Road SW in Cedar Rapids, also manages the branch at Kirkwood.

Choate said the state’s three Board of Regents universities have bank branches on campus, but he is not aware of any other community colleges in the state with a bank branch on campus.