StFX Athletics is pleased to announce that Antigonish, N.S. runner Siona Chisholm is the most recent recipient of the Danny Gallivan Memorial Scholarship.
The Danny Gallivan Memorial Scholarship is StFX Athletics most prestigious scholarship and is awarded to Canadian male and female varsity athletes who combine qualities of leadership with academic excellence. The award is currently valued up to $5000 per year and is renewable for up to four years as long as the recipient remains on the academic Dean's List.
StFX Cross Country & Track head coach Eric Gillis notes, "Our program is very grateful for the commitment the Danny Gallivan Memorial Scholarship fund gives to student-athletes at StFX each year."
"Danny Gallivan's legendary career in sports broadcasting is remarkable, and for his beginning to occur in Antigonish while attending StFX University is something we can all be proud of. Siona Chisholm has made her mark in the Town of Antigonish as one of the top high school runners for many years and the X-Women Cross Country & Track team is very proud of Siona for receiving this prestigious award."
He continues, "It is well deserved, and we believe - just like Mr. Gallivan - that sports will be a constant theme for Siona while attending StFX."
The Danny Gallivan Memorial Scholarship was established in 1992 to honor Danny Gallivan, an outstanding Canadian and widely respected StFX alumnus. Gallivan (1917-1993) was a native of Sydney, N.S. and graduated from StFX in 1942. He was an outstanding radio and television personality who became known as 'the voice of the Montreal Canadiens' after covering play-by-play for over 1800 Canadiens hockey games. He became involved in numerous community fundraising initiatives after his 32 year broadcast career and was inducted into the Canadian Broadcasters Hall of Fame (1991), the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1989), the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Media Honouree (1984), and the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame (1980). Danny Gallivan received an honorary doctor of laws degree from StFX University in 1985.
Chisholm is well known in the provincial and national running circuit, having been one of the top recruits out of Nova Scotia this year. She has competed and medaled in numerous provincial middle and long distance races over the years, and was the 2020 NSSAF provincial senior girls cross country champion. Siona lead her Dr. J. H. Gillis Regional high school team to its first ever senior girls provincial track & field championship banner in 2019, where she was the gold medalist in the 3000m, 1500m, 800m, and 4x400m relay. Chisholm placed fourth overall in the 3000m at the 2019 Legion national championship, and claimed second place in the largest high school cross country race in New England with over 30 teams competing, leading her team to a podium finish. She was a key leader on five high school provincial championship teams, amidst numerous high school accolades and awards over her career.
Chisholm is a driven student-athlete, consistently improving athletically each year of her high school career. Coach Gillis comments that "Siona's ability to manage a multifaceted high school life gives us confidence that she will excel with the demands of both university academics and varsity team training and competition. I believe she will play a major role in multiple AUS championship banners for our X-Women and has the ability to reach the podium at the U SPORTS level."
In the classroom, Siona had a 96+ average in her first semester in high school in the International Baccalaureate program and is an honour roll student and member of the Student Council as head of the awards committee. She also facilitated the Healthy Relationships for Youth program for grade nine students, and participated in the Buddies program to develop meaningful relationships with community living class members experiencing intellectual and mobility needs. Chisholm has also volunteered at numerous track & field meets, has coached local youth in the sport, and has given back to her community through involvement with the local food bank and nursing home.
Chisholm is excited to compete with the X-Women this fall and upon learning of her candidacy as a Danny Gallivan Memorial Scholarship recipient she commented, "I am honoured and thankful for the committee in selecting me to receive the prestigious Danny Gallivan Scholarship."
"I am looking forward to the opportunity of competing as an X-Woman and furthering my academics at STFX this coming fall."
She joins fellow current StFX Gallivan Scholarship recipients Jacob Benoit (X-Men Cross Country & Track), Sarah Lapansee (X-Women Soccer), and Gabriel Gaspar (X-Men Soccer). X-Women Hockey student-athlete Amy Graham was also a Gallivan Scholarship recipient who recently graduated with a BSc Human Kinetics degree and will be attending medical school at the University of Toronto in the fall.
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