Fondation Desjardins Awards $528,250 in University Scholarships and Bursaries

MONTREAL, Oct. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of the first Rendez-vous du Savoir, Fondation Desjardins awarded 17 of 200 university scholarships and bursaries totalling $528,250. Monique F. Leroux, co-spokesperson of the Rendez-vous du Savoir and Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group was present at the ceremony attended by individuals from the educational, business and cooperative communities. During October, Desjardins caisses across Québec will be awarding 183 Fondation Desjardins university scholarships and bursaries.

Two Doctorate-level scholarships of $10,000 each were awarded to Marie-Hélène Brunet, of Montréal, history didactics student, and to Nataliya Labiau, of Québec City, music student at Université de Montréal.

Six scholarships were granted to Master's level students: Marie-Christine Ladouceur-Girard, of Montréal, received $7,500 for her international administration studies at École nationale d'administration publique (ÉNAP). Two other $7,500 scholarships were given in partnership with Desjardins Financial Security, to Pierre-Olivier Riou, of Chicoutimi, student at Université de Sherbrooke in taxation and to Charlène Joyal, of Québec City, for her Master's in Geriatrics at Université Laval. Michel Ohayon, of Montréal, received the Desjardins Emeritas award, granted in partnership with the Association des MBA du Québec, and Amélie Favaro, of Montréal, was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Fondation and the Association des femmes en finances du Québec. Finally, Jonathan Frangoli, of Laval, took home a scholarship of $3,500 for a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in financial services at Université du Québec à Montréal.

At the Bachelor's level, nine bursaries of $1,250 to $2,500 were given.  The fields of the students are: elementary level education, social work (2), public relations, administration (2), electrical engineering, industrial design and sculpture.

About Fondation Desjardins

Fondation Desjardins has been fulfilling its mission to provide educational support for the past 40 years. In Québec, Fondation Desjardins is well known for distributing more university bursaries than any other private foundation. It encourages research, training, acquiring skills and employability. The Fondation rewards cooperative spirit, volunteerism and entrepreneurship. As a component of Desjardins Group, the largest cooperative financial group in Canada, the Fondation will distribute nearly $750,000 in 2010. Over the last four decades, it has granted nearly $12 million to more than 9,300 people. To find out more, consult www.desjardins.com/en/fondation.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of more than $173 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario, and its subsidiaries across Canada, it offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.8 million members and clients. Desjardins specializes in Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance, in Property and Casualty insurance, in Personal Services, in Business and Institutional Services. As one of the largest employers in the country, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 42,200 employees and the commitment of over 6,200 elected officers. For more information, visit www.desjardins.com.

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