Kirsten Ashleigh Small, age 19, and a recent matriculant of Westville Girls’ High School in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, has been chosen as one of 43 winners of a James E. Casey Scholarship. This annual award is presented by The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS® (NYSE:UPS), and is awarded to children of UPS employees for their outstanding academic excellence.

Expanded internationally in September 2013, the James E. Casey Scholarship is named after one of the founders of UPS. The small Seattle, Washington (U.S.) - based messenger service that was started in 1907 has become a global leader in logistics. The scholarship amount of $2,500 USD (approximately R35 950,00 ZAR) annually is for up to four years of university study. Winners are determined through a competition conducted by Scholarship America.

"UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $118 million (approximately R170 million) in charitable giving around the world, including 2.9 million hours of volunteer service, to local communities around the world in 2017," said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer. "We are proud to continue that spirit of giving by supporting the families of our employees.

The James E. Casey Scholarship is one of the broadest programs in the world … offering scholarships to UPS employees in over 72 countries.”

The local scholarship winner, daughter of Annette and Werner Small of Durban, is attending Vega College this year. Annette is employed as a Credit Controller at the UPS office in Durban.

“The Scholarship is such a big success for me as I can continue my studies and it has motivated me to succeed. It has been a great achievement and has allowed me to keep doing what I love and reach my goals to become a Graphic Designer. I’m so grateful to UPS for this award. This is going to help me further my achievements and have the future I have been working so hard for. Thank you UPS for making my dreams come true,” said Small.

During her matric year, Small received two distinctions in Visual Arts and Dramatic Arts. She was the first ever recipient of the Spinelli Bauer trophy for combined arts.

Small was awarded her scholarship certificate by Koos Booysen, Branch Manager Durban, in a handover ceremony on Founders Day 28 August 2018.