News Releases

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Nov. 30, 2011) -

Editors Note: A photo will be available with this Press Release.

BMO Financial Group has made a $750,000 contribution to address key issues faced by Calgary's communities: the rising costs of higher learning, the capacity challenges at the University of Calgary, and the ever-increasing demand for skilled workers in our region.

The donation was recognized this morning at a special celebration event at Scurfield Hall, home to the Haskayne School of Business (HSB) and more than 3000 students/aspiring business leaders.

The gift, which includes naming of the BMO Financial Group Forum, for a 10-year term, will also fund eight substantial scholarships per year for Haskayne Master of Business Administration (MBA) students. BMO is also funding a workstation in the newly commissioned N. Murray Edwards Trading & Finance lab at HSB.

Located on the third floor of Scurfield Hall, the BMO Forum is the largest multi-purpose space in the building and is used for lectures, public and media events, student meetings, and School gatherings.

"All of our most significant gatherings take place in the BMO Forum," says Leonard Waverman, dean of the Haskayne School of Business. "BMO Financial Group has recognized the importance of what is essentially our core 'learning commons,' and we are grateful for their commitment to perpetuating a strong sense of community engagement at the School."

"BMO Financial Group has a lengthy tradition of support for higher education and life long learning in the communities in which we work and our gift to the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary carries on this tradition and makes for an even stronger relationship within the Calgary business and academic communities," says Shane Fildes, Executive Managing Director, BMO Capital Markets. "BMO is especially pleased to support scholarships for MBA students in the world class Haskayne School of Business."

The BMO MBA scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit to students in the daytime and evening cohorts of the popular graduate program. Six scholarships of $5,000 each will be allocated between the continuing daytime BMO scholars and entering evening BMO scholars each year. Two premier scholarships at $10,000 each will be granted to students in the evening MBA program.

Several of this year's scholarship recipients came out to the early-morning event today.

"Receiving the BMO MBA Scholarship has had a profound impact on my experience in the program," said Laura Higgins, a Haskayne MBA candidate. "I have been able to focus on my coursework, the case team, and expanding my professional network instead of a part-time job, allowing me to capture the full value the program offers."

For photos from today's event, please visit http://www.haskayne.ucalgary.ca/BMOforum.

BMO - Canada's First Bank

BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services organization that includes BMO Bank of Montreal, BMO Nesbitt Burns, BMO Harris Private Banking, BMO Capital Markets and BMO Harris in the U.S. Since its founding in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group has been committed to corporate and social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development. BMO remains one of Canada's largest corporate benefactors. In 2010, BMO contributed $54.3 million in donations, sponsorships and events to support charities and not-for-profit organizations in Canada and the U.S.

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