Scotiabank Announces $200,000 Donation to University of Saskatchewan at First Annual Meeting held in Saskatoon

Gift to Support Aboriginal Business Students

SASKATOON, SK, April 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Aboriginal students pursuing undergraduate and graduate business degrees at the University of Saskatchewan's Edwards School of Business can now access increased scholarship, bursary and award funding thanks to a contribution from Scotiabank. The $200,000 donation is the second major gift that Scotiabank has given to Aboriginal students at the University of Saskatchewan and is provided through Scotiabank's Bright Future global philanthropic program.

"We are very proud, on the occasion of our first Annual Meeting held in Saskatoon, to provide this donation to the Edwards School of Business. In addition to recognizing the importance of this local resource, this funding demonstrates our strong belief in education, recognition of the academic excellence of the University of Saskatchewan and our commitment to Canada's Aboriginal communities and individuals," said Rick Waugh, President and CEO, Scotiabank.  "We have long believed in providing students with the necessary tools to achieve their full potential and are particularly pleased to know that this gift will help remove financial barriers for Aboriginal students seeking a business education and shaping the future of Canadian business and Aboriginal communities."

Mr. Waugh continued, "We are also very proud to have a number of Scotiabankers who are alumni of the Edwards School of Business, including two who are among our Prairie Region banking team and are important contributors to our growth. George Marlatte is the Senior Vice President of Scotiabank's Prairie Region and Kim Braun is the District Vice President of Scotiabank's Saskatchewan and Manitoba North Districts. We are very fortunate to have their expertise and skills, originally developed here in Saskatchewan."

The donation will provide Student Bridging Awards to financially assist top students entering the Edwards School of Business with an Aboriginal Financial Management diploma, an Employment Bursary to provide valuable work experience and peer-to-peer mentorship for upper-year Aboriginal business students, and an Aboriginal Business Education Award for Aboriginal graduate students pursuing studies in the Master of Business Administration program at the University of Saskatchewan.

"The Edwards School is delighted with Scotiabank's generous support of Aboriginal business students," said Dean Daphne Taras. "Scotiabank has had a long-standing commitment to the Edwards School and this gift continues the tradition. We are planning more effective recruitment and we are creating internships that will make a major difference in the lives of our Aboriginal students."

The donation was presented at the Scotiabank Customer Reception held in advance of the Bank's 180^th Annual General Meeting, to be held in Saskatoon on April 3, 2012.

In 2011 Scotiabank received a gold rating from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) for its comprehensive program of Aboriginal Relations. Offering a network of 24 Aboriginal Banking Centres, including four on-reserve branches, Scotiabank was the first chartered bank to open a branch on a First Nation reserve in 1971.

Through its Bright Future program, Scotiabank offers Aboriginal youth mentoring and last year partnered with the Martin Aboriginal Initiative Program to sponsor the first-of-its-kind, on-reserve entrepreneurship program for youth of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Scotiabank also supports a number of Aboriginal community cultural celebrations across the country both financially and through employee participation.

Scotiabank's history in Saskatchewan dates back to March 1906, when it established its first office in Saskatoon. Today Scotiabank has 43 branches in Saskatchewan.

About  Edwards School of Business at University of Saskatchewan
At the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, we develop business professionals to build nations. Over the past nearly 100 years, we have become a comprehensive business school with over 100 faculty and staff, four degree programs, three certificate programs and five specialized centres across two campuses.

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $45 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

Jessica Wallace: Advancement Officer Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan, 306-966-7743 [email protected]

Deborah Clark, Scotiabank Media Communications: 416-933-0646, [email protected]