PRESS RELEASES

31st National Bank Bursary Program: $130,000 Awarded to 37 Student-Athletes

Montreal, March 29, 2023

Photo of the Bursary recipients

The Fondation Aléo is proud to celebrate its strong, long-standing, successful partnership with National Bank, which hosted the 31st edition of the National Bank Bursary Program on Wednesday. Thirty-seven student-athletes received individual bursaries with a combined value of $130,000.

The 2023 cohort had the honour of attending an awards ceremony at National Bank’s head office. It was the first edition of the bursary program to be held since the formerly named Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence changed its name to Fondation Aléo.

 

In the presence of Patrick Charlebois, Senior Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager at National Bank and a dedicated runner, the recipients were commended for their outstanding achievements and for their commitment to their studies and their sports. The event was a rare occasion for the student-athletes to gather together and forge a tight, inspiring community. Year after year, the Fondation Aléo and National Bank take great pleasure in seeing the bursary recipients continue to excel, both athletically and academically.

The ceremony was hosted by Charles-Antoine Sinotte, columnist for Salut Bonjour and former Fondation bursary recipient.

Some of the hundreds of student-athletes who have been supported by National Bank in recent years have achieved impressive international success, including two-time world champion in 2019, 2021 and 2023 Mikaël Kingsbury, Olympic athletes Jules Burnotte and Antoine Cyr, and Emy Legault, bronze medallist at the most recent Americas Triathlon Championships.

 

In their own words:

“Over the years, National Bank has been instrumental in helping the Fondation carry out its mission. Thanks to its unwavering support over the past 30 years, we have been able to support hundreds of promising athletes while also building the reputation and credibility of the Fondation. We are very grateful for their dedication and very proud to award National Bank the title of “Building Partner.” 

- Martin Lavigne, President, Fondation Aléo

 

“This 31st edition of the program once again reflects National Bank’s steadfast support and ongoing commitment to athletes from across the province. Supporting student-athletes from all regions as they strive to achieve fulfillment and well-being through performance remains a priority for the Bank.” 

- Martine Dessureault, Vice-President – Commercial Banking, Quebec City and Eastern Quebec, National Bank

 

New identity, same mission!

The Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has adopted a new name and a new brand image: ALÉO – Elevating Athletes Beyond Sport. The change aims to further highlight the organization’s personalized approach, where the overall development and athletic well-being of its bursary recipients are central to its activities.

 

2023 National Bank Bursary Program Recipients

 

Name

Discipline

Age

Amount

City

Region

School

Noémie Beaulieu

Triathlon

19

$4,000

Gatineau

Outaouais

Cégep (distance learning)

Rosalie Boissonneault

Artistic swimming

19

$4,000

Drummondville

Centre-du-Québec

Cégep (distance learning)

Thessalie Bruneau

BMX

16

$4,000

La Tuque

Mauricie

La Tuque High School

Cristella Brunetti-Burns

Artistic gymnastics

15

$4,000

Kirkland

Montréal

John Rennie High School

Jérémy Chartier

Trampoline

22

$4,000

Montreal (Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie)

Montréal

Université de Montréal

Alexia Chevrier

Softball

16

$2,000

Saint-Lazare

Montérégie

Collège Bourget

Jean-Nicolas de Broeck

Biathlon

17

$2,000

Gatineau (Aylmer)

Outaouais

Cégep de l’Outaouais

Laurence Demers

Tennis

13

$2,000

Boischatel

Capitale-Nationale

Séminaire Saint-François

Olivier Desrosiers

Fencing (sabre)

18

$4,000

Rosemère

Laurentians

Collège Bois-de-Boulogne

Audréanne Foster

Figure skating

18

$4,000

Forestville

Côte-Nord

Cégep de Baie-Comeau

Ariane Fournier

Long-track speed skating

19

$4,000

Lyster

Centre-du-Québec

Cégep Garneau

Julien Frascadore

Judo (66 kg)

23

$4,000

Quebec City (Beauport)

Capitale-Nationale

Université de Montréal

Alisson Gobeil

Para-swimming

18

$4,000

Alma

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Pavillon Wilbrod-Dufour

Charles Guimont

Baseball

17

$2,000

Terrebonne

Lanaudière

Armand-Corbeil High School

Isabelle Harris

Judo (63 kg)

21

$4,000

Montréal (Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve)

Montréal

Concordia University

Étienne Jolicoeur

Weightlifting (67 kg)

16

$2,000

Lachute

Laurentians

École polyvalente Lavigne

Sarah L’Allier

Tennis

17

$4,000

Montréal (Verdun)

Montréal

Collège de Montréal

Juliette Larose-Gingras

Mountain biking

20

$4,000

Lac-Beauport

Capitale-National

Cégep Garneau

Patrick Lebeau

Alpine skiing

20

$4,000

Montréal (Outremont)

Montréal

Collège André-Grasset

Tristan Lemire

Mountain biking (downhill)

18

$4,000

Bromont

Estrie

Cégep Édouard-Montpetit

Émeraude Maheux

Snowboard (freestyle)

17

$4,000

Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré

Laurentians

Les Estacades Academy

Siméon Martin

Table tennis

17

$4,000

Montréal (Le Plateau-Mont-Royal)

Montréal

TÉLUQ University

Léa Morin

Karate (kata)

20

$4,000

Sherbrooke (Saint-Élie)

Estrie

Cégep de Sherbrooke

Benjamin Ouellet

Para-athletics (T12)

22

$4,000

Saint-Pascal

Bas-Saint-Laurent

Bart College

Mathieu Ouellet

Swimming

19

$4,000

Alma

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Cégep Garneau

Louis Paradis

Freestyle skiing (moguls)

19

$4,000

Québec (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge)

Capitale-Nationale

Collège Mérici

Loïc Petrecca

Tennis

15

$2,000

Montréal (Ville-Marie)

Montréal

Selwyn House School

Reily Provost

Swimming

18

$2,000

Val-d’Or

Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Andres Esteban Riano Rodriguez

Boxing (57 kg)

20

$4,000

Lévis (Sainte-Hélène-de-Breakeyville)

Chaudière-Appalaches

Laval University

Babette Roy

Climbing

21

$4,000

Montréal (Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie)

Montréal

Cégep du Vieux-Montréal

Victor Roy-Lafrance

Short-track speed skating

19

$4,000

Boucherville

Montérégie

Collège de Maisonneuve

Loïc Tremblay

Diving

16

$4,000

L’Ancienne-Lorette

Capitale-Nationale

Cardinal-Roy High School

Magalie Trempe

Cross-country skiing

19

$2,000

Lévis (Saint-Jean-Chrysostome)

Chaudière-Appalaches

Cégep de Lévis

Roxane Vermette

Mountain biking

22

$4,000

Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges

Capitale-Nationale

Laval University

Tommy Xu

Table tennis

22

$4,000

Brossard

Montérégie

Cégep André- Laurendeau

Jung Hee You

Tennis

17

$4,000

Montréal (Verdun)

Montréal

University of Nebraska High School

Raymond Zeng

Table tennis

17

$2,000

Laval

Laval

Marianopolis College

 

About the National Bank of Canada
With $418 billion in assets as at January 31, 2023, National Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada’s leading integrated financial groups. It has approximately 30,000 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 our social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

About the Fondation Aléo
Created in 1985, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $20 million in bursaries to nearly 4,000 student-athletes from all over Québec. In order to better reflect the organization's mission of elevating athletes beyond sport, the FAEQ changed its name and brand image in 2022, becoming the Fondation Aléo. In addition to continuing to provide financial support through its various bursary programs and services, Aléo aspires to provide a personalized approach to helping student-athletes flourish in a safe environment and in every aspect of their lives. For more information, visit fondationaleo.ca.


Information:

Patricia Demers

Executive Director
Fondation Aléo

Stéphanie Rousseau

Senior Advisor – Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility
National Bank of Canada

 

To request an interview with one or more bursary recipients, please contact Josée Robitaille at josee.robitaille@fondationaleo.ca .