Scotiabank partners with The PREP Academy to prepare African Nova Scotian students for college and university.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, March 4, 2022 – Scotiabank today announced a commitment of $55,000 to The PREP Academy, a community-based non-profit organization committed to inspiring and preparing African Nova Scotian students for college and university directly after high school.
The PREP Academy’s mission is to inspire and prepare African Nova Scotia students to recognize their inherent potential and equip them with the skills to succeed and chart their own path for success - ultimately having an economic and social impact in the historic African Nova Scotian communities.
"Students need access to post-secondary options and support navigating resources, experiences and opportunities, and they deserve to receive that support from people who look like them and share similar lived experiences."
"Many of our students are the first in their families to attend a college and university. Many students are discouraged because they don’t see themselves represented. Students have shared their feeling of uncertainty about the range of educational options, courses and skills needed to prepare them for career choices."
"We are so grateful for this partnership with Scotiabank, together we are committed to supporting post-secondary preparation for African Nova Scotian students."
Ashley Hill
Founder and Executive Director
African Nova Scotians have traditionally been economically disadvantaged in Nova Scotia, and have faced systemic difficulties accessing post-secondary education. Today, African Nova Scotian students continue to experience barriers and challenges in their pursuit of an education.
The PREP’s culturally informed programs and services create a strong foundation and offer the necessary guidance that support students’ transition to college, university and beyond. African Nova Scotian students from across the province are supported and receive free coaching on career interests and fields of study, admissions and assistance applying, financial literacy, scholarships and bursaries, first year expectations, workload and time management, writing and reading expectations, studying tips, mentorship, networking and much more.
“The Prep Academy is thrilled with the generous support from Scotiabank. This enables The Prep Academy to reach more African Nova Scotian students and deliver on our mandate, building thriving and prosperous communities.” says Laurissa Manning, Board Chair with The PREP Academy.
Scotiabank’s commitment to The PREP Academy is an investment within ScotiaRISE, the Bank’s 10-year $500 million initiative that aims to promote economic resilience among disadvantaged groups.
“We are proud to support the PREP Academy and help remove barriers to advancement by increasing access to education opportunities for African Nova Scotian students across the province,” says David Noel, Atlantic Region Senior Vice President. “Through ScotiaRISE we are supporting organizations that help students complete high school and increase post-secondary participation and we commend The PREP Academy for their important work in this area.”
For more information on ScotiaRISE and Scotiabank’s initiatives concerning diversity and inclusion, visit: https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/about/our-company/diversity-and-inclusion.html
About The PREP Academy
The PREP Academy is a community based non-profit organization that inspires and prepares African Nova Scotian students for college and university. PREP supports students with accessing and navigating resources, experiences and opportunities and we equip them with the skills to succeed and chart their own path for success.
PREP’s purpose is to ensure African Nova Scotian students are prepared and succeed in college, university and their chosen careers. The ultimate goal is to have an economic and social impact in the historic African Nova Scotian communities by influencing the number of African Nova Scotian students who are prepared for and complete college and university. For more information, please visit: https://www.theprepacademy.ca
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: “for every future”, we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success 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 approximately 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.2 trillion (as at January 31, 2022), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.
Media Inquiries
Ashley Hill, Founder & Executive Director
The PREP Academy
ashley@theprepacademy.ca
Stephanie Cangelosi, Global Communications
Scotiabank
stephanie.cangelosi@scotiabank.com