TORONTO, July 4 /CNW/ - Melora Mackey of Parkhill, Ontario, is the
recipient of a $3,000 scholarship from Scotiabank and a summer internship
hosted by Studentawards Inc. The 18 year old won the award by entering the
"Get Ahead" Scholarship Program.
    The "Get Ahead" Scholarship Program asked graduating high school students
to answer personality and mind-bending questions, as well as showcase their
creativity and innovation by writing a blog about emptying the dishwasher.
Melora was one of five finalists chosen out of 1,960 applications by a team at
Studentawards Inc. and Scotiabank. The winner was decided by an Internet vote.
    Melora will be attending the University of Guelph in the fall, pursuing
an honours degree in molecular biology and genetics. For now, she is
concentrating on her internship duties and is very excited about the $3,000
scholarship.
    "Winning this internship and scholarship means a lot to me," she said. "I
am very excited to begin my internship with Studentawards and to begin writing
my blogs. I am thankful for this scholarship, which will greatly help me pay
for university. Thank you to Scotiabank for this scholarship and to
Studentawards, for the internship."
    "We are pleased to offer this opportunity to Melora and look forward to
continuing to build on the success from last year's program. We know that
Melora will be able to connect with her peers and represent the student voice
on topical student issues such as education and student financing," said Ray
Baldelli, Vice-President, Retail Loans, Scotiabank. "Our partnership with
Studentawards allows us to reach out and connect with students in communities
across Canada."
    "Studentawards.com is very pleased to have Melora join us as our intern
this summer," said Ron Fehler, President, Studentawards Inc. "Melora will
bring a fresh perspective and wonderful insight to the Fund Your Future
program blog. We know from past experience, that for most students the topic
of funding post-secondary education is uppermost in their mind, as they plan
for their future. Following Melora's blog entries on
www.fundyourfuture.ca/blogger will be an eye opener and a treat for students
and parents alike. We believe that this is an important part of educating our
students as they take this next leap into their future."

    About Studentawards

    Studentawards Inc. provides a North American free scholarship matching
service devoted to helping high school, university and college students find
information on scholarships, bursaries, grants and other forms of financial
assistance. We also offer unique scholarships to our online members that are
only available on studentawards.com plus, a member forum to allow for lively
discussions on student issues. Studentawards Inc. was founded in 1998 and
boasts over 1.5 million members to date.

    About Scotiabank

    Scotiabank is one of North America's premier financial institutions and
Canada's most international bank. With more than 58,000 employees, Scotiabank
Group and its affiliates serve approximately 12 million customers in some 50
countries around the world. Scotiabank offers a diverse range of products and
services including personal, commercial, corporate and investment banking.
With $412 billion in assets (as at April 30, 2007), Scotiabank trades on the
Toronto (BNS) and New York Exchanges (BNS). For more information please visit
www.scotiabank.com.