In the 18th edition of its program with the Québec Foundation for Athletic Excellence - Hydro-Québec Rewards 30 Highly Promising Student-Athletes for their Academic Excellence, Sport/Study Balance and Leadership

MONTREAL, Sept. 23, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Hydro-Québec and the Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence du Québec (Québec foundation for athletic excellence, or FAEQ) have announced the names of the 30 student-athletes who will receive a total of $88,000 in individual scholarships of $2,000 or $4,000 in this 18th year of the Hydro-Québec Scholarship Program with the FAEQ.

Three types of scholarships have been awarded this year: 11 academic excellence scholarships to recognize outstanding academic achievements, 17 academic and athletic support scholarships to encourage a healthy sport/study balance and 2 leadership scholarships to reward athletic and academic achievements coupled with particularly significant and inspiring community involvement.

Several Hydro-Québec scholarship winners have gone on to make their marks on the international scene. They include tennis players Eugénie Bouchard, Aleksandra Wozniak and Marie-Eve Pelletier; divers Jennifer Abel, Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion; alpine skiers Éric Guay and Marie-Michèle Gagnon; cyclists Lyne Bessette, Keven Lacombe and Guillaume Boivin; rower Andréanne Morin; swimmer Katerine Savard; taekwondoist Karine Sergerie; judoka Antoine Valois-Fortier; wrestler Dorothy Yeats and boxer Mikaël Zewski.

"On the occasion of FAEQ's 30th anniversary, we are delighted and grateful to be able to count on the loyalty and generosity of Hydro-Québec, which has been contributing to FAEQ since 1987," said FAEQ president Claude Gagnon. The Hydro-Québec Scholarship Program, established in 1997, rewards student-athletes identified as hopefuls or elite, in order to support emerging talents well before they are known and renowned. For over 25 years, Hydro-Québec and the foundation have been united for the academic, athletic and professional success of our winners."

Eligibility Criteria

Student-athletes must have postcareer plans, which often include a secondary, college or university education. Besides being selected as Hopeful or Elite athletes by their sports federations, student-athletes must meet the eligibility criteria to represent Canada at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games or World Championships for their sport. The Hydro-Québec's Scholarship Program also requires that a scholarship be granted to at least one student-athlete from each of the regions where Hydro-Québec operates.

2015 Hydro-Quebec Bursary Program recipients

Academic Excellence - $2,000 bursaries - Relève Category
Name	Age	Sport	Hometown	School
Gauthier, Sophie	12	Table Tennis	Repentigny	É. secondaire Jean-Baptiste-Meilleur
Villotte, Raphaëlle	18	Tumbling /Trampolining	Saint-Lambert	Collège Sainte-Anne
Cristofanilli, Zachary	19	Cross-country Skiing	Orford	Cégep Garneau - Cégep@distance
Fillion, Océane	17	Snowboarding	Saguenay	Cégep de Sainte-Foy
Carier Bergeron, Camille	15	Equestrian Sport - Dressage	Mascouche	Collège Saint-Sacrement
Makolo, Roxane	15	Basketball	St-Hubert	É. secondaire De Mortagne
Academic Excellence - $4,000 bursaries - Élite Category
Brimo, Brooke	19	Synchronized Swimming	Montreal (Pierrefonds)	Collège Vanier
Dusablon, Jade	21	Swimming	Québec City	University of Montreal
Lalonde, Lauriane	16	Archery	Saint-Constant	Collège Charles-Lemoyne
Burnotte, Jules	18	Track and Field / Biathlon	Sherbrooke	Cégep de Sherbrooke
Verret, Alexanne	16	Fencing (sword)	Québec City	Collège Jésus-Marie de Sillery
Academic and Athletic Support - $2,000 bursaries - Relève Category
Paquet, Charles	18	Triathlon	Port-Cartier	Cégep Garneau
Soucy, Jean-François	18	Cycling (track and road)	Amos	Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Valois, Jacob	17	Judo	Boucherville	É. secondaire De Mortagne
Pigeon, Nicholas	20	Cross-Country Skiing	Gatineau	Collège Héritage
Marsillo, David Joe	14	Soccer	Montreal (St-Léonard)	É. secondaire Lester B. Pearson
Chenard, Jérémy	16	Karate / kumite	Gatineau	É. polyvalente Nicolas-Gatineau
Lacasse, Marcel-Maxime	17	Baseball	Gatineau	Cégep Ahuntsic
Bouffard, Félix-Antoine	19	Weightlifting	Île Bizard	Cégep de St-Hyacinthe
Academic and Athletic Support - $4,000 bursaries - Élite Category
Provost, David	18	Speed Canoeing/Kayaking	Lachine	Cégep André-Laurendeau
Portuondo Isasi, Adriana	18	Judo	La Prairie	Cégep Marie-Victorin
Sanchez, Teo	18	Biathlon	Wakefield	Université Athabasca
Moore, Alex	18	Wrestling	Montreal (CDN-NDG)	Collège Vanier
Morais, Linda	22	Wrestling	Montreal (CDN-NDG)	Concordia University
Murray, Samuel	22	Racquetball	Baie-Comeau	École de technologie supérieure
Pratte, Simon	18	Weightlifting	Sainte-Anne-des-Monts	Cégep de Rimouski
Chénier, Virginie	21	Archery	Laval	McGill University
Djaozandry, Michel	17	Soccer	Laval	Collège Montmorency
Leadership - $2,000 bursaries - Relève Category
Fortin, Mélyssa	18	Cycling (track and road)	Montreal (Ville-Marie)	Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf
Saint-Jean, Keven	18	Taekwondo	Terrebonne	Cégep régional de Lanaudière à Terrebonne

About the Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence du Québec: UNITED FOR SUCCESS

In 2015, FAEQ is celebrating 30 years of success, conviction and commitment. With the new theme United for Success, the foundation will announce, throughout the year, several new and renewed partnerships with a number of companies. The foundation stands out for its customized approach, its careful management and its influential role in sports and education. It will grant nearly $1.2 million in scholarships to over 425 student-athletes from all parts of Quebec. The foundation's scholarships reward academic excellence, encourage balancing high-level sports and study, highlight leadership skills and honour perseverance. FAEQ is inspired by a genuine desire to unite with its partners and former recipients for the success of its recipients, and to make a difference in their academic, athletic and/or personal journeys. Visit the foundation's website at faeq.com and like the foundation's Facebook page: FAEQ – Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence du Québec.

SOURCE Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence

Annie Pelletier, Communications Director, Fondation de l'athlète d'excellence du Québec, 514 252-3171, poste 3538, [email protected]; Mathieu Rouy, Media Officer, Hydro-Québec, 514 289-2311, [email protected]