July 30, 2007

UWF ANNOUNCES $25,000 GIFT COMMITMENT FROM VANGUARD BANK

PENSACOLA - Vanguard Bank has pledged an endowment gift of $25,000 to the University of West Florida Foundation. The gift will be used to provide an annual scholarship of $1,000 to a full-time business student from the Emerald Coast area who meets UWF admission criteria.

"We are delighted to partner with the University of West Florida Foundation," said Fred Leopold, president/chief operating officer of Vanguard Bank. "A number of University of West Florida graduates have made significant contributions to Vanguard's success. We are excited to enhance our partnership to enable more local students to achieve their educational and career goals."

Many UWF students in the Northwest Florida region transfer from community colleges, which provide a seamless 2 + 2 education tract. The scholarship created from Vanguard Bank's gift will help support area students with substantial financial need in the Okaloosa, Walton and Bay Counties. In selecting a scholarship recipient each year, preference will be given to community college transfer students who qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. Candidates for the scholarship will be recommended through the community colleges and final selection will be made by the UWF College of Business based on applications. Ed Ranelli, dean of the UWF College of Business, said that Vanguard Bank's generous gift to provide scholarship funds to transfer student from Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay Counties will allow area students to continue their business education at the UWF College of Business and, in doing so, advance the educational and economic development of the region.

Vanguard Bank was established in 1922 and serves Okaloosa, Walton and Bay Counties through a full range of financial products and services. An affiliate of Synovus Financial Corp., Vanguard Bank prides itself on customer service and is committed to the communities it serves.

For more information or to make a gift to UWF, contact Gretchen VanValkenburg, UWF associate director of Development, at (850) 863-0755 or e-mail gvalkenb@uwf.edu.