Western Union® Announces Winner of South Asia Essay Competition

The Adelphi University student is recognized at the Award Ceremony

Englewood, Colo:  The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a worldwide leader in money transfer services, has announced the winner of the “Western Union South Asia Essay Competition,” conducted in April 2008.  The winner was Adelphi University student Nitin Chatriniyom.  Adelphi University will receive a check in the amount of $5,000 in Nitin’s name towards his tuition.   
The essay competition, which ran in April, was open to US legal residents, 18 years or older and enrolled in a NY/NJ public or private collage or graduate school at the time of entry, and in 200 words or less answered the question, “What do you think the benefits are of sending money through a regulated money transmitter like Western Union?”  Over 35 essays were submitted. 
In his essay, Nitin wrote, “Companies like Western Union make it so much easier and convenient to send/receive money across the world within minutes.”  He cautioned readers about the risks of using unregulated or private agents noting dangers such as losing the money, privacy concerns and having others make assumptions about your financial standing by knowing how much money is sent.
Three runners-up also received prizes, picked especially for them from items that are available to members of the Western Union® Gold Card Rewards Program. The first runner up, Kedar Telang from NYU, received a backpack; the second runner up, Saboor Atrafi from Columbia University, received a $125 Best Buy Gift Card; and the third runner up, Sandesh Tuladhar from Adelphi University, received an Ipod Nano.
“We wanted to hear from future money senders and receivers about their perception of the industry,” said Arti Kumar Caprihan, marketing director at Western Union.  “What better group to voice their opinion than the student body – those that presently are the recipients of money transfers,” Caprihan continued.  “I am delighted with the results of this program and will be championing the cause to make it a regular feature of our company,” she said.
Simultaneously, Western Union also has an internship program.  It is inviting students to become a part of the process by submitting resumes for consideration as a candidate to intern this summer at the company’s Montvale, New Jersey location.

 

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