MONTREAL, March 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Professional football player and Medical School Graduate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is visiting St. Francis Xavier University to engage students as part of Sodexo’s The Circuit, Powering Athletic Performance program. The 2020 Super Bowl champion is hosting on-campus and virtual visits that focus on healthy eating, how food improves cognitive function, concentration, and energy, and the importance of physical activity.
“I’m excited to meet students at StFX and speak about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle,” said Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. “I look forward to sharing my personal experiences with them and positively influencing their lives.”
The Circuit is an innovative health and wellness program for young people that pairs access to fresh, diverse, exciting meals with easy-to-understand nutrition education. It draws on young people’s increasing curiosity about food and its impact on their body and health. Students learn how different foods can sustain them both physically and mentally, empowering them to make smart, healthy decisions both now and in the future.
“As a professional athlete and medical school graduate, Laurent brings an extraordinary perspective to nutrition and physical activity,” said Martin Lapointe, Vice President Operations, Education Programs, Sodexo Canada. “As we look at our dedication to The Circuit, Powering Athletic Performance program, I can think of no better representative for our work on campuses than a doctor who is a professional football star.”
Duvernay-Tardif will be hosting two events at StFX on March 24, 2023. The first is an Athletic Leadership Breakfast for 120 people from 7:30-9:30am at the McKenna Centre – Schwartz School of Business (4th floor). The second event is an in-person chat with Laurent from 10:30-noon in the Schwartz Auditorium where almost 300 Human Kinetics, Human Nutrition and other students will attend.
About Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
Duvernay-Tardif received the Sports Illustrated’s 2020 Sportsperson of the Year award, the 2021 ESPY Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award as well as being named the co-winner of the 2020 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s Athlete of the Year,. He has also been Quebec’s spokesperson for Hooked on School Days since 2019.
A native of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, he grew up in the Montreal area. When asked to choose between football and medicine, he refused to compromise and pursued both of his dreams. In 2018, he graduated from McGill University with a doctorate in medicine while also playing professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs. As he tells young people he meets during the many talks he gives at schools: It’s all about balance. Don’t give up on your passions!
Believing that both physical activity and creativity are fundamental factors in children’s development and educational success, he and his long-time partner, Florence-Agathe Dubé-Moreau, established the Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Foundation. With Move, Motivate, Inspire as its motto, it promotes balancing sports, arts and studies.
About St. Francis Xavier
Founded in 1853, St. Francis Xavier has a long and proud tradition as one of Canada’s oldest universities. For almost 170 years, we have cultivated our strong and resilient spirit, dedication to intellectual rigour, and commitment to engaging students who aspire to be community-minded citizens of the world. Our motto Quaecumque Sunt Vera, or “Whatsoever Things are True” perfectly captures our values of integrity, dignity, truth, and respect for all.
About Sodexo
Sodexo delivers a wide range of customized solutions, designed to optimize work and living environments. Sodexo has been providing food and facilities management services in Canada for over 40 years, with a focus on enhancing safety, work process and well-being. Sodexo is a market leader in Canada. Sodexo has been recognized as a top employer for the past seven consecutive years. Sodexo is proud to have created the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has raised over $3 million to fight hunger and donated more than one million meals to at-risk youth across Canada since 2007.
Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC 40 ESG, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.
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