The Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence Awards $126,000 to 38 Student Athletes through the National Bank Bursary Program
Montreal, December 16, 2019– As part of the 28th National Bank Bursary Program, the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has awarded $126,000 in individual bursaries of $2,000 or $4,000 to 38 student athletes. The ceremony was held today at National Bank’s head office.
The National Bank Bursary Program recognizes student athletes in the Hopeful, Elite, and Excellence categories between the ages of 13 and 26 from all over Quebec.
“We’re very happy to be continuing our long-standing collaboration with the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence. As well as encouraging young people who are models of perseverance and determination, we believe that each and every recipient can encourage other young people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, continue their studies and get involved in the community,” said Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank.
“We’re very proud to be associated with National Bank, a prestigious institution and loyal partner. Over the years, the National Bank Bursary Program has effectively supported more than a hundred student athletes, some of the most inspiring in the province,” stated Claude Chagnon, President of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence.
For this edition of the National Bank Bursary Program, 21 Academic Excellence bursaries were awarded, 16 Athletic and Academic Support bursaries were distributed to promote the balance of sport and education, and one Perseverance bursary was awarded to highlight the determination of an athlete facing difficult circumstances.
From among the hundreds of student athletes supported by the Bank over the past decades, some have truly made their mark internationally. They include tennis playerFélix Auger-Aliassime, who is one of the top 25 tennis players in the world; freestyle skierMikaël Kingsbury, Olympic Gold medalist in moguls; cross-country skierAlex Harvey, double World Champion; weightlifterChristine Girard, Olympic gold and bronze medalist; hockey playersMélodie Daoust,Charline LabontéandCaroline Ouellette, several-time Olympic gold and silver medalists; and diversJennifer AbelandRoseline Filion, winners of multiple medals internationally.
2019-2020 National Bank Bursary Program Recipients
| Last name | Sport | Age | Amount | * | City | School |
| Haitam Aboufirassi | Tennis | 14 | $2,000 | S | Montreal (Verdun) | Académie les Estacades |
| Louella Allana | Basketball | 16 | $4,000 | EX | Laval | École Saint-Laurent |
| David Baillargeon | Squash | 23 | $4,000 | EX | Lévis (Saint-Nicolas) | TÉLUQ |
| Caroline Beauchamp | Alpine Skiing | 19 | $2,000 | EX | Mont-Royal | Collège André-Grasset |
| Alex Bellemarre | Weightlifting (81 kg) | 21 | $4,000 | S | Macamic | Université de Montréal |
| Antoine Bouchard | Judo (73 kg) | 25 | $4,000 | EX | Saguenay (Jonquière) | Université du Québec à Montréal |
| Jules Burnotte | Biathlon | 22 | $4,000 | S | Sherbrooke | Cégep de Sherbrooke |
| Emilia Cabrera Mallette | Table Tennis | 16 | $4,000 | EX | Laval | École secondaire Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry |
| Olivia Chamandy | Diving | 19 | $4,000 | P | Westmount | Collège André-Grasset |
| Maude Charron | Weightlifting (63 kg) | 26 | $4,000 | S | Rimouski | Université du Québec à Rimouski |
| Maksim Chelmaev | Figure Skating | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Laval | École secondaire Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry |
| Mélodie Collard | Tennis | 16 | $4,000 | EX | Gatineau | Académie les Estacades |
| Antoine Cyr | Cross-country skiing | 21 | $4,000 | S | Gatineau | Cégep à distance |
| Noémie Fiset | Long Track Speed Skating | 24 | $4,000 | EX | Quebec City | Université Laval |
| Sarah-Maude Fortin | Tennis | 17 | $4,000 | EX | Montreal (Verdun) | University of Nebraska High School |
| Matys Gagnon | Baseball | 16 | $2,000 | S | Montreal (Lachine) | École secondaire Dalbé-Viau |
| Alisson Gobeil | Paralympic Swimming | 14 | $2,000 | S | Alma | Pavillon Wilbrod-Dufour |
| Rébéka Groulx | Artistic gymnastics | 13 | $4,000 | EX | Longueuil (Saint-Hubert) | École secondaire Gérard-Filion |
| Annabelle Guay | Softball | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Terrebonne | École secondaire des Trois-Saisons |
| Anton Jacobs-Webb | Para hockey | 19 | $4,000 | S | Gatineau | Heritage College |
| Sophia Jensen | Sprint kayaking | 18 | $4,000 | S | Chelsea | John McCrae Secondary School |
| Vincent Jourdenais | Sprint kayaking | 21 | $4,000 | EX | Trois-Rivières | Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières |
| Rose Kanemy | Water Polo | 17 | $4,000 | EX | Pointe Claire | John Abbott College |
| Sarah L’Allier | Tennis | 13 | $2,000 | S | Montreal (Verdun) | Collège de Montréal |
| Emy Legault | Triathlon | 23 | $4,000 | S | Notre-Dame de-l’Île-Perrot | TÉLUQ |
| Jessica Li | Figure Skating | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Brossard | École secondaire De Mortagne |
| Gaby Malenfant | BMX | 22 | $4,000 | S | Drummondville | Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières |
| Alexis Marceau | Short Track Speed Skating | 21 | $4,000 | EX | Rivière-du-Loup | McGill University |
| Audrey McManiman | Snowboard (snowboard cross) | 24 | $4,000 | S | Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare | Université Laval |
| Léa Morin | Karate (kata) | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Sherbrooke | École secondaire Le Salésien |
| Benjamin Nadon | Freestyle Skiing (Moguls) | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Laval | Collège Laval |
| Mathieu Ouellet | Swimming | 16 | $2,000 | S | Alma | Pavillon Wilbrod-Dufour |
| Louis Paradis | Freestyle Skiing (Moguls) | 16 | $2,000 | EX | Quebec City | Collège François-de-Laval |
| Aurélie Rivard | Paralympic Swimming | 23 | $4,000 | S | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Université de Montréal |
| Josie-Anne Synnott | Judo (78 kg) | 18 | $4,000 | EX | Sept-Îles | Collège de Maisonneuve |
| Loïc Tremblay | Diving | 13 | $2,000 | EX | Quebec City (L’Ancienne-Lorette) | École secondaire Cardinal-Roy |
| Annabelle Xu | Tennis | 15 | $4,000 | EX | Montreal (Saint-Laurent) | Académie les Estacades |
| Tommy Xu | Table Tennis | 18 | $4,000 | S | Brossard | Cégep à distance |
| * EX: academic excellence / S: athletic and academic support / P: perseverance | ||||||
“Rose Kanemy est accompagnée de M. Martin Lavigne, président de la Financière Banque Nationale, gestion du patrimoine, membre du conseil d’administration de la Fondation ainsi que de M. Louis Vachon, président et chef de la direction de la Banque Nationale.”
About National Bank of Canada
With $281 billion in assets as at October 31, 2019, National Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada’s leading integrated financial groups. It has more than 25,000 employees in knowledge-intensive positions and has been recognized numerous times as a top employer and for its commitment to diversity. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank’s activities at nbc.ca or via social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ)
The FAEQ (faeq.com) is recognized for its personalized approach, rigorous management style, and influence in sport and education circles. In 2019, it awarded $1,500,000 in individual bursaries to 500 student athletes from all over Quebec, to whom it will also provide academic guidance and sport/study conciliation services. Two public events benefitting the FAEQ will take place next year:URBAN SUGAR SHACKwith Laurent Duvernay-Tardif on Tuesday, April 7 at 11:00 a.m. at Windsor Station (visit faeq.com for details) and the fourth edition of theDÉFI 808 BONNEVILLE, a festive cycling and corporate event on September 18 and 19, 2020 at Mont Tremblant (visit defi808bonneville.com for details).
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For more information:
Annie Pelletier
Director of Communications and Partnerships
Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence
annie.pelletier@faeq.com
Tel.: 514-252-3171 ext. 3538
Stéphanie Rousseau
Senior Advisor – Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility
National Bank of Canada
stephanie.rousseau@nbc.ca
Tel.: 514-394-5684
