CALGARY - Local donors and business leaders joined Premier Alison Redford, Sharon Carry, President and CEO of Bow Valley College, and Joanne Stalinski, Chair, Bow Valley College Board of Governors, at the Calgary Petroleum Club for the 18th annual Premier's Scholarship Luncheon.

Premier Alison Redford said it was an honour to support and celebrate Alberta's next generation of leaders and innovators.

"The Premier's Scholarship recipients represent the very best of our future - individuals who have given their all in the pursuit of knowledge, because they want to contribute to the world around them," said Premier Redford. "This luncheon has become a long-standing tradition of celebrating a vital Alberta institution and the calibre of students that graduate from this facility. I'm pleased to be a part of that today."

The Premier's Scholarship Luncheon is a major fundraiser for scholarships at the College and over the past 18 years has helped Bow Valley College students with reaching their academic, career, and life goals. In this time, through matching grants from the Alberta government, the Premiers Scholarship Luncheon has raised more than $2 million, in addition to changing many lives.

"We appreciate the support and commitment to our College from Premier Redford and The Government of Alberta," said Sharon Carry, President and CEO of Bow Valley College. "Of course we are also thankful to our donors, including many from the business community, for their support which we know helps our learners create pathways to success."

To qualify for the Premier's Scholarship, students had to display academic excellence, qualities of citizenship, and financial need.  The 2012 recipients of the Premier's Scholarship are ( see below for recipient biographies):

•           Chelsea Bartling, School of Health, Justice, and Human Services

•           Mayol Dut, Centre for Excellence in Immigrant and Intercultural Advancement

•           Richard Gallimore, Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning

•           Javaria Masood, Centre for Excellence in Immigrant and Intercultural Advancement

•           Ambreen Muqaddam, School of Health, Justice, and Human Services

•           Kristian Rebillaco, School of Business

•           Susanne Roberts, School of Business

•           Laurissa Wheeler, Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning

Bow Valley College helps learners reach their goals at our Calgary campus and at locations throughout southern Alberta. For more information Bow Valley's donor programs visit:

http://www.bowvalleycollege.ca/about-bvc/giving-to-bvc.html

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Bow Valley College - Calgary and region's only Comprehensive Community College - with more than 12,500 full- and part-time students, is a leader in business, health, justice, and human services career training, adult upgrading, and English as a Second Language. BVC's Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), workplace training for immigrant professionals, and employment services provide a wide range of services for businesses and professionals. Established in 1965, Bow Valley College is in the midst of a multi-million dollar expansion, creating state-of-the-art facilities and doubling its student capacity by 2013.