BRANDON, MB – Brandon University (BU) is pleased to announce the creation of a new scholarship for female athletes, through a $10,000 gift by BU alumni Brian Pallister, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Fort Whyte.

The Pallister Women's Athletic Scholarship will be awarded to a member of one of the Bobcats Women's teams on the basis of athletic promise. Mr. Pallister's donation is being matched by Brandon University, through the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative, generating a scholarship of approximately $900 per year beginning in 2015.

"Brian Pallister has been donating to sport at Brandon University for over a decade," says BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. "He credits his days playing for the Bobcats as a catalyst for his future success in business, public life and his personal life."

"As a father of two girls, I know how important it is to support female athletes," says Pallister. "My wife Esther and I have both benefitted greatly from the joy of sport and wanted to share that joy with others."

Each year, Brandon University gives scholarships and bursaries to students in excess of $1.2-million, thanks in large part to legacy gifts and new contributions by alumni, students, staff, faculty members, community-minded individuals and corporate sponsors.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.