Montreal, March 28, 2018 – The Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) is very pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership with National Bank as part of its scholarship programs. The Bank has announced a new investment of one million dollars in the Foundation for Athletic Excellence, at a rate of 200,000 $ per year between 2019 and 2023. This morning, as part of the 26th edition of the National Bank Scholarship Program, 39 outstanding student-athletes shared $130,000 in individual scholarships.
The National Bank Scholarship Program provides financial support to the top student-athletes in the Rising Stars, Elite, and Excellence categories. This program rewards academic excellence, encourages the balance between sports and studies, and recognizes the perseverance of student-athletes aged 12 to 25 from across Quebec, through individual scholarships of 2,000 $ or 4,000 $.
The 2018 group includes figure skaters Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau, who finished 9th at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, and para-swimmer Aurélie Rivard, a four-time Paralympic medalist at the Rio 2016 Games. Notably, in the past, National Bank has also supported Pyeongchang medalists Mikaël Kingsbury, Olympic champion in freestyle skiing, as well as Olympic silver medalists in ski cross and women's hockey, Brittany Phelan and Mélodie Daoust.
«For over 25 years, National Bank has partnered with the Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence to support young athletes in their academic and athletic journeys. During this period, more than 360 student-athletes have received financial support, and I am proud to see that many more young people will be able to pursue their goals following the renewal of our agreement with the Foundation. Talent, discipline, and determination characterize the scholarship recipients. I encourage them to keep up the good work, said Mr. Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank.
As President of the FAEQ, Mr. Claude Chagnon is naturally very pleased to be able to count on the trust of National Bank, a long-standing partner. «The success of our Foundation is closely tied to the loyalty of prestigious sponsors like National Bank. That is why today's announcement regarding the extension of their support for us is particularly gratifying.»
This year, 17 academic excellence scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who have impressed with their academic results, 21 academic and athletic success support scholarships are granted with the objective of encouraging the balance between sports and studies, and a perseverance scholarship is given to highlight the singular determination of an athlete facing a challenge.
