EDMONTON, March 7, 2017 /CNW/ - A $400,000 donation from Scotiabank will benefit NAIT students and help the polytechnic continue to grow to meet the needs of Alberta. Announced today, the gift will be used to fund campus expansion, student scholarships and the NAIT International Student Centre.

More specifically, the $400,000 donation has been earmarked for the following areas:

• Essential: The NAIT Campaign, which supports student success, applied research and the construction of the Centre for Applied Technology – home to the JR Shaw School of Business.
• The operation of the NAIT International Student Centre.
• The establishment of the Scotiabank Trades to Degrees Bursary. Three bursaries of $1,000 each will be available annually to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Administration program by way of the Trades to Degrees pathway.

In recognition of this donation, NAIT's banking and stock trading lab, part of the JR Shaw School of Business, has been named the Scotiabank Banking and Stock Trading Laboratory. The lab simulates the look and feel of both a real stock trading room (including state-of-the-art work stations and a stock-ticker mounted on the wall) and a financial institution, including realistic customer service stations.

Essential: The NAIT Campaign is the largest fundraising initiative in the polytechnic's history. Launched in 2014, the goal is to raise $100 million by 2018. To date, more than $90 million has been raised.

QUOTES

Tracey Scarlett, dean of the JR Shaw School of Business
"We are grateful for this support from Scotiabank and for the new learning opportunities it creates for students. The Scotiabank Banking and Stock Trading Laboratory brings advanced simulation technology into the classroom, helping to train the next generation of financial leaders. And importantly, this gift also supports new opportunities for international students and financial assistance for trades graduates to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration degree."

Don McEwan, District Vice President, Edmonton at Scotiabank
"Scotiabank is proud to support organizations that help young people realize their infinite potential. Through NAIT's focus on the important field of applied technology, the polytechnic is helping to provide students with the vital skills that they will need in their careers. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank's goal is to ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success."

LEARN MORE
Essential: The NAIT Campaign

About NAIT
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic, delivering education in science, technology and the environment; business; health and trades. With nearly 60,000 credit and non-credit students and a 95 per cent employer satisfaction rate, NAIT grads are essential to Alberta's prosperity. Known for hands-on, technology-based learning, NAIT engages with business and industry in applied research and innovation and provides corporate training around the world. Recognized as one of Alberta's top employers, NAIT provides outstanding returns on investment for its graduates, partners, the provincial government and the people of Alberta.

About Scotiabank
At Scotiabank, we aim to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their full potential. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank's goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Together with our employees, the Bank supports causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2016, Scotiabank contributed more than $70 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 88,000 employees and assets of $887 billion (as at January 31, 2017), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

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SOURCE Scotiabank