Oceanic Bank has donated seven laptop computers to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt for presentation as the Vice-Chancellor’s prize to the Best Performing students Year One students in the institution’s seven faculties during the 2007/2008 academic session.

The computers were duly presented to the seven brilliant students  last week in Port Harcourt at the university’s 28th matriculation.

Oceanic Bank, by this gesture, has introduced a new dimension, being the first known financial institution, or corporate body to make a donation at a university matriculation in the country.

Presenting the computers on behalf of the bank, Mr. John Iyoha, regional manager, South Zone Region II of the bank, stated that the gesture was in line with the bank’s drive to promote excellence among the students and the larger society and to fulfill its corporate social responsibility obligations.

He explained that the bank decided to sponsor the prize for the best performing foundation students during the last academic session in order to ginger the university’s students to take their studies seriously, strive for excellence and engender keen but positive rivalry in their academic pursuit as the prize is given annually.

“Oceanic Bank is committed to partnering with the government, the academia, organized private sector, and Nigerian communities to forge strategies that will ensure that our youth are engaged in rewarding pursuits. By engaging our youths positively we give them an opportunity to exercise leadership, build skills and self-confidence, and practical knowledge that will transform them into healthy, happy, and self-sufficient adults”, he added.

 Speaking at the occasion, Professor Barineme Fakae,   vice-chancellor of the RSUST, praised the bank for the gesture as he called on other banks and corporate bodies to emulate Oceanic Bank.

Oceanic Bank, he stated, “has sown in the leadership of tomorrow” by donating the computers to the students, adding that the bank should continue to take interest in the academic progress of the recipients.

It would be recalled that Oceanic Bank has been intervening in the educational system as a way of giving back to society.  In Nassarawa State University, it donated a lecture theatre. At Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Anambra State, it also rehabilitated students’ hostels devastated by rainstorm, and also recently donated a N20 million science block at the Cross River University of Technology. Similar gestures have been extended to Jigawa, Kebbi and other states in the federation.

Responding on behalf of all the recipients of the computers, Miss Chidimma Izuegbumen, of the Faculty of Science, who with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.79 percent is the best overall, thanked Oceanic Bank for the gesture. She promised that they would strive to meet expectations of the bank and the RSUST academic community of their academic progress through their studies, and would not forget Oceanic Bank’s encouraging initiative.