The University of Northern British Columbia and the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club have created an innovative fundraising appeal that will generate full-tuition awards for Nordic athletes who study at UNBC in Prince George.

The UNBC Otway Nordic Legacy Scholarship Fund will be endowed, meaning that the awards will be offered each year—forever.

“We can create something unique in Canada,” says Kevin Pettersen, a graduate of UNBC’s MBA program, and president of the 1,800-member Caledonia Nordic Ski Club in Prince George, the largest ski club in Western Canada. “We have a passionate membership who want to be part of building something that will be here long term. The transformational presence of high-profile athletes, who are also students, will inspire the youth. We’re building a strong future for the sport and UNBC.”

The goal is to raise $150,000 by February 2015, which will allow the club to highlight the scholarship at the 2015 Canada Winter Games and provide the first full-tuition scholarship in September 2015.

“This fund will provide the first full-tuition award at UNBC that is designed to marry high-performance athletics and education,” explains Katherine Scouten, UNBC’s Development Manager. “To have a community partner champion this cause, and help us develop such a creative fundraising initiative is testament to the passion of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club members and UNBC’s willingness to engage with the community in areas of common interest. We are looking forward to supporting the success of this appeal.”

All donations to UNBC are eligible for a charitable tax receipt. All contributions will be included in UNBC’s donor recognition program, and a donor wall will be created and installed at the Otway facility. To donate online, please use the UNBC Donation Form. You can also email us at giving@unbc.ca or contact the UNBC Development Office at 250-960-5750.