It pays to invest in student athletes!
Montreal, March 19, 2025 – The Aléo Foundation is proud to celebrate its long-standing partnership with National Bank, which hosted the 33rd edition of the National Bank Bursary Program on Wednesday. This year, a total of $100,000 in bursaries and services was awarded to 22 recipients from 18 different sports.
At a ceremony held at National Bank’s brand-new head office, bursary recipients were given not only a cheque but also lifetime access to the services provided by the Aléo Foundation. Upon receiving their first bursary, student athletes become lifelong members of the Aléo family. This grants them access to guidance, mentoring, career transition support, communications services and many other benefits, both during and after their athletic careers.
In the presence of Patrick Charlebois, Senior Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager at National Bank, who is also an ultramarathoner, the 2025 bursary recipients were presented individually and commended for their athletic and academic achievements.
Among the more than 425 student athletes supported by National Bank during its long partnership with the Aléo Foundation, many have achieved impressive international success. Notable examples include three-time Olympic medallist and winner of multiple world championships Mikaël Kingsbury, Olympic medallists Jennifer Abel, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard and Marianne St-Gelais, tennis star Félix Auger-Aliassime and cyclist Hugo Houle, whose achievements include winning a stage of the Tour de France.
In their own words:
“For over three decades, National Bank has been an extremely important partner to the Aléo Foundation, supporting hundreds of student athletes who have become exceptional citizens contributing to all sectors of our society. This substantial support has allowed the Aléo Foundation to advance, develop as an organization, innovate, and make a significant impact on sports in Quebec.”
– Martin Lavigne, President of the Aléo Foundation
“With the 33rd edition of its bursary program, National Bank is proud to support student athletes from all over Quebec and celebrate their achievements. Once again this year, we are delighted to support these athletes in their pursuit of fulfillment and wellbeing in performance.”
– Patrick Charlebois, Senior Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager at National Bank
About National Bank of Canada
With $484 billion in assets as at January 31, 2025, National Bank of Canada is one of Canada’s six systemically important banks. The Bank has approximately 30,000 employees in knowledge-intensive positions and operates through three business segments in Canada: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and Financial Markets. A fourth segment, U.S. Specialty Finance and International, complements the growth of its domestic operations. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank’s activities at nbc.ca or via social media.
About the Aléo Foundation
Created in 1985, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $25 million in bursaries to nearly 5,000 student athletes from all over Quebec. 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 Aléo Foundation. It continues to provide bursaries and support services to the leaders of tomorrow and aspires to offer a personalized approach focused on the overall development and wellbeing of its bursary recipients.
For more information, visit fondationaleo.ca and the Aléo Foundation’s official social media pages on:
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Annie Dubé
Communications and Marketing Director
Aléo Foundation
438-884-6626
annie.dube@fondationaleo.ca
Alexandre Guay
Senior Advisor – Public Affairs
National Bank of Canada
514-412-5125
alexandre.guay@nbc.ca