Valley First Credit Union has launched a new scholarship program to assist top Okanagan high school students planning to attend UBC Okanagan.
"We were looking for a way to partner with UBC Okanagan. One way was to set up a perpetual $5,000 scholarship to be awarded to one of the top students from the Okanagan enrolling at UBC Okanagan," says Jackie Horton, Vice President of Administration for Valley First.
Horton says Valley First wanted a long-term program for UBC Okanagan students. "As a result, our initial commitment is to provide a $5,000 scholarship each year for 10 years," she notes.
"As a company we pride ourselves in being a community leader. We have provided scholarships to high school and college students for many years as a means of supporting our young people to excel in furthering their careers."
"This is the first company based in the valley to establish a UBC Okanagan scholarship," says Paul LaGrange, Associate Director of Development for UBC Okanagan. "This is significant in that it shows other local companies that they can make a difference, help students succeed, and help build UBC Okanagan."
In addition to this new UBC Okanagan scholarship, Valley First Credit Union provides 15 other scholarships -- 11 to graduating high school students, and four to post-secondary students at Okanagan College in Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon and at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.
UBC Okanagan welcomes its first students this week. Official opening ceremonies take place Sept. 8.
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