Deb Steacy Academic All-Canadian Scholarship Fund needs support

By Lethbridge Herald on December 15, 2023.

UNIVERSITY of LETHBRIDGE ATHLETICS PHOTO Pictured here with husband Graham, Debby Steacy, centre, enjoys the Olympic experience.

*EDITORS NOTE * The website was incorrect in the article and should say http://www.gohorns.ca/give.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

University of Lethbridge Pronghorn Athletics is calling for support to assist with the Deb Steacy Academic All-Canadian Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship provides financial assistance to those student athletes who display excellence in both the classroom and in their sport and have a 3.4 Grade Point Average.

“We’ve been in the lucky position that we’ve had lots of our student-athletes… (achieve)  that over the last few years, and as a result it’s dwindled our account that we pay the  scholarship out of ,which is all donated funds,” said Neil Langevin, Pronghorn Athletics executive director.

“We’re in need of replenishing that fund and yeah we thought of a time really well. We just did award our Academic All-Canadians last week and so thought it’d be a great time to highlight Deb Steacy, and her legacy and everything she’s done.”

The scholarship was awarded to 57 Pronghorn student-athletes that achieved Academic All-Star status, which accumulated to 39.8 % this year.

A total of $14, 250 will be dispersed among these this year’s recipients.

“It’s going to be (a )continuous project of reaching out to the community and those around southern Alberta to help that,” said Langevin.

“So there’s no firm timeline. It’s an ongoing need. Over 40 per cent of our student athletes are achieving Academic  All-Canadian status and so that’s going to continue to put pressure on that fund.”

U of L is one of very few post-secondary institutions to provide a financial award to  its Academic All-Canadians recipients.

The scholarship was named in honour of Steacy, whose dedication to Pronghorn Athletics left an indelible mark.

Steacy was a long time booster club member and Operation Red Nose volunteer coordinator before tragically passing away in 2014 and leaving behind a legacy of support for both athletic and academic excellence.

“Steacy’s involvement with the Pronghorn Booster Club and Operation Red Nose was instrumental in generating funds for Pronghorn Athletics,” as read in the release.

Contributions to fund can be made by going to http://www.gohorns.ca/give.