Horatio Alger Association Honours Canadian Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Serge Godin, and Awards Nineteen Quebec Students with a Scholarship

MONTREAL, March 31, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, a charitable organization dedicated to education and the belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles, will induct Serge Godin as a lifelong Member in April. Mr. Godin is one of Canada's leading business figures, founding CGI Group Inc. in 1976 and now serving as its Executive Chairman. The Association annually inducts individuals who have achieved great success despite facing significant challenges into the Association.

Concurrently, nineteen Quebec students have been awarded scholarships through the Association's Quebec scholarship program, named in honour of Canada's 18^th Prime Minister and Horatio Alger Association of Canada Member, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney. Association Members and Scholars are selected based on their integrity and determination to succeed in the face of significant adversity, and Members often become mentors to this future generation of leaders.

"On behalf of my fellow Members, I am proud to formally induct Mr. Godin as a lifetime Member of the Horatio Alger Association," said Dominic D'Alessandro, President of the Horatio Alger Association of Canada and a Member since 2005. "Mr. Godin built CGI from the ground up. He turned a two-person operation into to a global tech powerhouse. The effects of Mr. Godin's humble background can be seen through his excellent work ethic, his immense success, and his philanthropic endeavors. There is no doubt that he will be a shining example for this year's winners, and others for years to come. The Members look forward to working with Mr. Godin to advance the Association's mission."

The Association is named for renowned author Horatio Alger, Jr., who wrote about the merits of honesty, courage and perseverance as the means to success. Since 2009, the Horatio Alger Association of Canada has offered scholarships to full-time high school students in select Canadian provinces who have a critical financial need and have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, as well as strength of character, a good academic record, a commitment to pursue higher education, and a desire to contribute to society.

The following students from Quebec have been recognized for their exceptional accomplishments with the 2015 Horatio Alger Right Honourable Brian Mulroney Quebec Scholarship in the amount of $5,000:

Jayana T. Auger, École secondaire Camille-Lavoie, Alma
Natasha V. Lalonde, Centennial Regional High School, Brossard
Kayliane Degray, Laurentian Regional High School, Brownsburg-Chatham
Fidelia Longchamps, École secondaire Massey-Vanier, Cowansville
Lara C. Mouillet, École secondaire Massey-Vanier, Cowansville
Emilie Fortin-Lapointe, École C.-E.-Pouliot, Gaspé
Erin L. Gooding, Macdonald High School, Île Perrot
Tania Adam, Collège Sainte-Anne, Lachine
Andrea Winters, Polyvalente Montignac, Lac-Mégantic
Karolanne Sears, Polyvalente de Matane, Matane
Sarah-Rose R. Mestel-Groinig, M.I.N.D. High School, Montreal
Vanessa A. Walker-Plusquellec, New Carlisle High School, New Carlisle
Brandon J. Kinnear, Beaconsfield High School, Pincourt
Hannah D. Fitzsimons, Macdonald High School, Pincourt
Paula Ward-Renomeron, Centennial Regional High School, Saint-Hubert
Léonie Girard, École Secondaire Paul-Germain-Ostiguy, Saint-Césaire
Anne-Frédérique Meilleur, École secondaire Augustin-Norbert-Morin, Sainte-Adèle
Marie Jomphe-Lemay, École secondaire Manikoutai, Sept-Îles
Lydia Toussaint, Alexander Galt Regional High School, Sherbrooke

"We received nearly 3,500 scholarship applications throughout Canada. This group of young Quebecers act as a beacon of hope for the future of the country," said Mr. D'Alessandro. "Like me, they believe that hard work and higher education pave the road to success. On behalf of the Members and the Association, I congratulate them all on their great accomplishment."

Mr. Godin and his fellow new Members will be formally inducted into the Association at the 68^th Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on April 9-11, 2015. The annual three-day event honours the achievements of the Members and also recognizes the 2015 scholars.

To view the complete list of Horatio Alger Members selected for the Class of 2015, please visit here.

About the Horatio Alger Association of Canada

The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, the Canadian affiliate of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., is a charitable organization dedicated to education and to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honours the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and who encourage young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association of Canada currently awards scholarships annually to deserving young people in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia with plans to initiate a nationwide scholarship program later this year. Members of the Association include Dominic D'Alessandro, Murray Edwards, David Foster, Wayne Gretzky, Rebecca MacDonald, the late G. Wallace F. McCain, The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Jim Pattison, Isadore Sharp, Prem Watsa, and Rick Waugh. Serge Godin will be inducted as the newest Canadian Association Member in April 2015. For more information, visit www.horatioalger.ca.

SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Canada

Adam Daifallah, HATLEY Strategy Advisors, 514.316.7089, [email protected]