Released on December 17, 2014
The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to announce that Viterra Inc., Canada’s grain industry leader, is contributing $150,000 in scholarship funds for post-secondary students at regional colleges across the province over the next three years.The funds will be matched by the Provincial Government through its Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarship Program (SIOS), generating a total of $300,000 in student support from the initiative.
“This generous investment by Viterra in Saskatchewan is much appreciated and it will have a significant impact on students who are pursuing a post-secondary education close to their home communities,” Advanced Education Minister Kevin Doherty said. “This scholarship program is focused on innovation and excellence, and is helping our long-term plan to support the province’s growing economy.”
“We’re excited to be launching this program which will have a positive impact on post-secondary students through the 27 communities across Saskatchewan that are part of the regional college network,” Viterra’s President and CEO for North America Kyle Jeworski said. “This is an investment in the youth of our province, and one that is an ideal fit for our company given our ubiquitous presence across rural Saskatchewan. As we move forward, we will look to expand our commitment to education through other institutions across Western Canada.”
Nearly 10,000 scholarships have been awarded since the SIOS program was launched in 2011. The government has allocated $18 million for this program, with an additional $11 million in matched donations.
The colleges that will receive SIOS scholarship funding through the Government of Saskatchewan and Viterra initiative are: Carlton Trail, Cumberland, Great Plains, Northlands, North West, Parkland and Southeast.
The SIOS scholarship funding is focused primarily on innovation and excellence and is targeted at students in new and emerging areas of study or fields of study where innovative work is being done. A secondary objective allows the public post-secondary institutions to target scholarships in key priority areas of their strategic plan.
For further details on the SIOS program, please visit www.saskatchewan.ca/informationforinstitutions.
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For more information, contact:
Bill Stovin
Advanced Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0926
Peter Flengeris
Viterra Inc.
Regina
Phone: 306-569-4810