La Capitale Continues to Support Student-Athletes by Awarding $80,000 in Bursaries through FAEQ

Montreal, June 3, 2020 – At the eleventh edition of the La Capitale Bursary Program, which is run by the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ), La Capitale Insurance and Financial Group CEO and board president Jean St-Gelais reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Quebec’s student-athletes by awarding 21 individual bursaries worth a total of $80,000.

The social distancing measures currently in place have led to the temporary closure of many training centres, leaving young student-athletes more reliant than ever on financial support, encouragement and direction to keep them engaged and motivated for the upcoming season. The names of the 2020 bursary recipients were unveiled by the FAEQ, in conjunction with La Capitale, at a virtual awards ceremony that was streamed on Facebook Live.

Since its inception in 2010, the bursary program has been a remarkable success. Many of its recipients have gone on to excel in their sports, including Samuel Girard and Kim Boutin in short track speed skating, Laurence Vincent-Lapointe in canoe/kayak sprint, Cindy Ouellet in Paralympic basketball and cross-country skiing, and Olympians Andréanne Langlois in canoe/kayak sprint, Joseph Polossifakis in fencing, Katerine Savard in swimming, Élise Marcotte in artistic swimming, Julie Labonté in athletics (shot put) and former recipient David Veilleux who was the first Québécois to complete the Tour de France. Several other bursary recipients have achieved remarkable success in their afters-sports careers, such as doctors Marie-Ève Beauchemin-Nadeau (weightlifting), Rémi Pelletier-Roy (track and road cycling) and Marie-Claude Surprenant (mountain biking).

In their own words:

“The career of any student-athlete is filled with challenges and obstacles. The resilience student-athletes must develop to be successful in both sports and academics serves them well throughout their lives. We know that the financial support La Capitale has been providing for over 10 years is crucial because it allows them to keep their focus on their scholastic and athletic achievements. In this particularly difficult year, we are especially proud to contribute to their success!” 

- Jean St-Gelais, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, La Capitale

“Thanks to the La Capitale Bursary Program, the FAEQ has been able to leverage its resources to support and mentor young, little-known student-athletes who have gone on to become leaders in their athletic disciplines, their professional careers and their communities. We feel honoured to have been able to count on such a generous, loyal and reliable company for the past decade. During the current period of uncertainty that is causing so much upheaval in student-athletes' careers, together we can continue to carry out our mission and make a difference. Thank you, La Capitale!” 

- Claude Chagnon, President, Foundation for Athletic Excellence

For the 2020 edition of the program, individual bursaries worth $2,000 or $4,000 were awarded in three categories: eight Academic Excellence bursaries to highlight outstanding academic results, ten Academic and Athletic Support bursaries to promote the conciliation of sport and studies and three Perseverance bursaries to recognize extraordinary determination in the face of a difficult situation.

Recipients of the 2020 La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services Bursary Program

About La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services         
Created in 1940, La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services has a strong presence across Quebec and throughout Canada. With over 2,800 employees, and guided by the values of mutualism on which it was founded, La Capitale works with clients to build, protect and value what they feel counts for their financial security. It offers insurance products and financial services to the general public as well as to Quebec public service employees. With assets of $8.8 billion, La Capitale occupies a choice position among leading insurers in Canada.

About the FAEQ     
Since its creation in 1985, the FAEQ has distributed no less than $18 million in bursaries in the form of 6,000 individual bursaries awarded to 3,000 different recipients. Not only does the FAEQ provide financial support to Quebec’s student-athletes, but it also offers resources in areas such as academic counselling, conciliation of sport and study, corporate internships, etc. The FAEQ is recognized for its personalized approach, rigorous management style and influence in sport and education circles. faeq.com

- 30 -