RBC Bank has pledged $45,000 to establish a new Distinguished Lectureship Series at the University of South Alabama Mitchell College of Business, the first lectureship at the Mitchell College. The pledge will provide for the costs of two annual lectures on banking or a related field. The lectures will be held in the spring and in the fall, with the series beginning this fall. The lectureship will be open to all USA students, faculty and staff, and also the community.

“We are pleased to announce this gift to the Mitchell College of Business,” said Cedric Hatcher, RBC Bank Market Executive for Mobile. “The distinguished lectureship series strongly aligns with RBC Bank's commitment to education, and we are glad to be able to show our support.”

Mitchell College of Business Dean Dr. Carl Moore said, “We are very pleased that RBC has provided a gift to the Mitchell College of Business to create the RBC Bank Distinguished Lecture Series. This gift will support a program that will provide executive guest speakers each semester. Through this program our students will have an opportunity to interact with top business executives on real world topics. As a relative newcomer to the Gulf Coast region, we are proud that RBC Bank elected to support our academic programs.”

Dr. Joseph F. Busta, USA vice president for development and alumni relations, said, “This gift from RBC Bank underscores their commitment to our community and education of the next generation of banking leaders. It demonstrates the margin of excellence that Campaign USA offers our campus.”

The RBC gift is part of Campaign USA, the University’s first comprehensive fund-raising campaign for USA programs, faculty, students and construction. Campaign USA was launched in March 2006 and, to date, has raised $80.2 million. Led by Jim Yance, the Campaign USA Leadership team is comprised of local civic, business and national leaders, many of whom are alumni.

Campaign USA will enrich all aspects of USA, from its academic colleges and schools to its hospitals, athletic programs, libraries and campuses. The money raised will be used to fund such items as undergraduate and graduate scholarships, professorships, classroom and laboratory equipment, and health care innovations. Funds will also be used for capital enhancements to USA’s athletic facilities and a campus bell tower.

For information on Campaign USA, visit www.campaignusaleadership.com or call (251) 460-7032.

The University of South Alabama

Since its founding in 1963, the University of South Alabama has been one of Alabama’s fastest growing universities, currently enrolling more than 14,000 students in a wide range of academic programs in Allied Health Professions, Arts and Sciences, Mitchell College of Business, Computer and Information Sciences, Continuing Education and Special Programs, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The University has awarded 63,740 degrees.

In addition to teaching and research, USA is one of the largest health care providers in the Mobile region, with its faculty physicians and two hospitals – USA Children’s & Women’s and USA Medical Center – involved in more than a quarter million patient encounters annually. USA is also home to the Mitchell Cancer Institute, the first academic cancer research institute in the upper Gulf Coast region.

RBC Bank

RBC Bank, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., offers a wide range of financial services and advice to individuals, businesses and public institutions throughout the Southeast. RBC Bank's network includes more than 430 full-service banking centers, an extensive ATM network and telephone and online banking. RBC Bank is the 40th largest U.S. bank by consolidated assets, according to the Federal Reserve Statistical Release June 30, 2008. RBC Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) (RY on the TSX and NYSE), Canada's largest and most stable bank as measured by assets and market capitalization. Global Finance Magazine named RBC the best bank in Canada in October 2008, and the safest bank in Canada for 10 consecutive years, from 1999-2008. RBC is also one of the world's financial, social and environmental corporate leaders for the past eight years as on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. Additional information about RBC Bank may be found at www.rbcbankusa.com..