UBC Reports | Vol. 47 | No. 05 | Mar. 8, 2001

New scholarships to draw top students

Bank donates seed money to provide opportunities for young scholars

Four new undergraduate scholarships each valued at $40,000 over four years will be awarded this fall as a result of the largest gift to date by a bank to the university.

A $1.35-million gift from the Bank of Montreal will result in the annual UBC Bank of Montreal National Scholarships aimed at attracting outstanding undergraduate students from across Canada to UBC.

The gift will be matched by the university to create a $2.7-million endowment.

"UBC and Bank of Montreal share the belief that our nation's future social vitality and economic prosperity will depend on the opportunities that we provide young people today," says UBC President Martha Piper.

"We are extremely pleased to expand the university's financial aid program to provide additional access for outstanding students to undergraduate education through this partnership."

The UBC Bank of Montreal scholarships will rank among the premier university awards in Canada.

They will enhance UBC's position as one of the top universities in the country for scholarships and bursary dollars available to students.

"Our support for learning is not just a matter of philanthropy or good corporate citizenship," says Tony Comper, chair and chief executive officer, Bank of Montreal. "It also makes good business sense."

The new scholarships will be awarded to students entering UBC from high school or transferring from other institutions who demonstrate academic excellence in combination with significant contributions to the community through volunteerism, athletics, or artistic excellence.

In four years, the annual scholarships will result in a total of 16 UBC Bank of Montreal National scholars on campus each year.

"These scholarships emphasize the bank's commitment not only to learning, but also to reflecting the diversity of the country and the people of this great city. In this way, they will also reflect Bank of Montreal's own commitment to workforce diversity," says Rob Pearce, president, Personal and Commercial Banking Distribution for the Bank of Montreal.