Brandes Scholarship Program announces ten $1,000 winners of post-secondary financial literacy scholarship

"Entries from Canadian youth an inspiration for financial learning," says global investment firm president

TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2012 /CNW/ - Brandes Investment Partners & Co. (Brandes Canada) is pleased to announce 10 winners that will receive $1,000 each as part of a post-secondary scholarship from the global investment management firm's Brandes Scholarship Program.

From May 23 to July 20, more than 3,500 young Canadians between the ages of 16 and 22 voluntarily pursued the opportunity to learn lifelong lessons in financial literacy via an online national contest. Each applicant was required to submit a 250-word essay summarizing insights gained from a custom financial profile generated by taking a quiz. The financial self-knowledge quiz and essay required some tough thinking on the part of the applicants, testing their fundamental attitudes and behaviours toward money.

The winning applicants were then selected by an independent judging panel of leading Canadian financial/investment experts: Jeremy E. Clark, Managing Director, Clark Hetherington Financial Ltd.; Caroline Hanna, B.A., CIM, Investment Advisor, National Bank Financial Wealth Management; Don Macfarlane, Senior Financial Advisor, Assante Wealth Management; Rod Tyler, CFP, RFP, CLU and Fellow of FPSC, Financial Advisor, Tyler and Associates.

The winners of the inaugural 2012 Brandes Scholarship Program are (in alphabetical order): 

• Alec, 18, Nova Scotia

• Daryn, 20, Alberta
  

• Irina, 18, Ontario
  

• Jesse, 19, Ontario
  

• Joanna, 20, Ontario
  

• Lauren, 18, British Columbia
  

• Matthew, 17, Ontario
  

• Olivia, 20, Ontario
  

• Sharon, 19, Alberta
  

• Zachary, 17, British Columbia

Carol Lynde, President & Chief Operating Officer of Brandes Canada, was pleased with the overwhelming response to the Brandes Scholarship Program (www.brandesscholarship.com): "The entries from Canadian youth are an inspiration for financial learning.  Supporting and introducing programs that foster large-scale financial literacy is a priority for Brandes that we are deeply committed to."

The Brandes Scholarship Program was specifically developed to address recommendations from the federal Task Force on Financial Literacy. In February 2010, the Canadian government launched a task force to investigate the financial literacy of Canadians of all ages. It released its recommendations on how to improve financial literacy for all Canadians in February 2011 in a report titled, "Canadians and Their Money".

Lynde is also excited to announce that the Brandes Scholarship Program will be an annual event with next year's contest opening in the spring of 2013.  Stay tuned for more details.

Brandes Investment Partners & Co. (Brandes Canada) is the Toronto-based manager of the Brandes Funds and affiliate of Brandes Investment Partners, L.P. (Brandes), of San Diego, California, which is one of the subadvisors in respect of the Brandes Funds. Brandes is a leading global investment advisory firm, managing assets for institutional and private clients worldwide, including assets for Canadians in separate accounts for institutional, wrap, private client investors and through Brandes Canada's family of mutual funds.

SOURCE: Brandes Investment Partners & Co.

Contact: Olena Gisys
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