Northwestel has awarded twelve scholarships worth a total of $30,000.00 to outstanding post-secondary students from across the North. The scholarships were awarded under the 2008-2009 Northern Futures Scholarship Program.

Each student receives a $2,500.00 scholarship to assist with their post-secondary studies during the 2008-09 academic year. Four of the scholarships are available exclusively to Aboriginal students.

"We are proud to provide support and encouragement to outstanding northern students like these twelve recipients," said Paul Flaherty, Northwestel President and CEO. "Our scholarship program is just one of the ways in which we invest in northern people and communities."

"Support from a northern company like Northwestel encourages me to work hard and get a great education," said scholarship recipient Alexandrea Malakoe of Yellowknife, NWT. "This is especially important because northern students must often leave the North to go to school, which is expensive. Receiving a northern scholarship also encourages students to return north and give back to their home towns, so that in turn the northern business community receives well-educated, experienced students with national and global perspectives. Knowing that my community is supporting my efforts drives me to succeed."

"When I got the news about the scholarship, I was so happy and excited that I had to tell everyone I knew," said Aboriginal recipient Molly Duntra of Fort Liard, NWT. "I am using the money for a laptop and other supplies that I need for school. When a northern company like Northwestel supports northern students this way, it's a tremendous financial help. It encourages more northern students to further their educational goals."

The 2008-2009 scholarship recipients are:

Northwest Territories

·  Peter Boggis of Yellowknife - Engineering - University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta

·  Molly Duntra of Fort Liard (Aboriginal recipient) - Business, Management Studies - Aurora College, Fort Smith, N.W.T.

·  Alexandrea Malakoe of Yellowknife - Business Administration, Economics - Bishop's University - Sherbrooke, Quebec

·  Ross Wallbridge of Yellowknife (Aboriginal recipient) - Business Administration - University of Quebec - Montreal, Quebec

·  Xiao Xuan (Lillian) Cao of Yellowknife - Computer Science - McGill University - Montreal, Quebec

Yukon

·  Sheng Choi of Whitehorse - Engineering - University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta

·  Aaron Holway of Whitehorse (Aboriginal recipient) - Business Administration - University of Calgary - Calgary, Alberta

·  Jennifer Matchett of Whitehorse - Business Administration/Commerce - University of British Columbia - Vancouver, B.C.

·  Jasmine Mooney of Whitehorse (Aboriginal recipient) - Business Administration/Commerce - British Columbia Institute of Technology - Vancouver, B.C.

·  Shawn Sederberg of Whitehorse - Engineering - University of Alberta - Edmonton, Alberta

·  Kieran Slobodin of Whitehorse - Business Administration - Queen's University - Kingston, Ontario

·  Kevin Sylvestre of Whitehorse - Computer Science - University of Waterloo - Waterloo, Ontario

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company's operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.