St. Catharines Student Receives Scholarship from The UPS Foundation

St. Catharines, August 31, 2011

Michelle Murray, a recent graduate of Laura Secord Secondary School in St. Catharines, has been chosen as one of 41 winners of the George D. Smith Scholarship, an annual award presented by The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS. The scholarships are awarded to children of full-time and part-time UPS employees.

George D. Smith scholarships range in value from US$500 to $2,000 for each year of study. Winners are determined through a nationwide competition conducted by Scholarship America (SA), an independent organization.

"Higher education can open up many opportunities and is the first of many steps toward a successful future," said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation. "We are proud to support the children of UPS employees as they work toward achieving their dreams."  

The 18-year-old scholarship winner is the daughter of Paul Murray and will attend Niagara College in St. Catharines in the fall. Paul is employed as a package car driver at UPS's St. Catherines facility.

Michelle enjoys a number of hobbies including sailing, camping, rollerblading and swimming, in which she has a Bronze Cross Certificate. She has also volunteered with the St. Catharines' Stay and Play children's program.

Established in 1983, the George D. Smith Scholarship is named for the former UPS chief executive who succeeded Jim Casey, the company's founder. Since its inception, 1,049 George D. Smith Scholarships have been awarded, totaling more than US$2.5 million.