Prince George, BC – A fundraising project that was created by the University of Northern British Columbia and the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club less than a year ago has reached a significant milestone.

The UNBC Otway Nordic Legacy Scholarship Fund has reached its initial target of $150,000 and will offer one full-tuition award each year starting in September 2015 to elite Nordic athletes looking to take advantage of Northern BC’s exceptional training facilities while studying at UNBC.

“Prince George, Northern BC, and UNBC have a long and proud tradition of producing elite Nordic athletes,” UNBC President Daniel Weeks says. “This scholarship will provide students with the opportunity to receive full support for their education while they continue to perform in their sport at a high level. The UNBC community is very appreciative of all the contributions that have been made toward this endeavour.”

The Otway Nordic Centre is one of the top athletic venues in Northern BC and will host cross-country skiing, biathlon, and para-Nordic competitions at the 2015 Canada Winter Games. The venue has hosted national championships and was recently upgraded in advance of the 2015 Games.

Caledonia Nordic Ski Club members have contributed more than $40,000 towards the scholarship fund.

“When we embarked upon this initiative, we set the bar very high as we wanted to create an unprecedented opportunity to draw together athletic excellence through Nordic sports with academic excellence at UNBC,” says Caledonia Nordic Ski Club President Kevin Pettersen and a UNBC graduate from the MBA program. “This is the first endowed full tuition scholarship specifically for Nordic sports in Canada. We are extremely proud of the legacy we've been able to create with UNBC and we look forward to the benefits this will bring for generations to come.”

Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines pushed the fundraising drive over the top with a $50,000 contribution to the fund.

“Through this Legacy Scholarship Fund, UNBC and the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club are providing a meaningful and sustainable funding option that will assist in the ongoing development of northern athletes,” says Catherine Pennington, Senior Manager, NGP Community Benefits & Sustainability. “Northern Gateway believes deeply in supporting education to help communities maximize their potential and we hope that our contribution will encourage other organizations to support this partnership.”

UNBC currently has a matching program for gifts to new or existing endowed student awards and is matching the funds raised by club members, Northern Gateway, and other donors.

“In the spirit of collaboration UNBC’s Matching Student Award Investment Program has helped create this prestigious award,” UNBC Development Manager Katherine Scouten. “This endowed scholarship will now always be available to help Nordic athletes achieve their goal of pursuing a university degree right here in Northern BC.”

Now that the initial target has been met, fundraising will continue with the goal of offering additional financial awards to eligible students.

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