Since 1958 MLUWC has encouraged students to pursue post secondary education by awarding scholarships and bursaries. The MLUWC Scholarship Fund (CRA# 85457 5289 RR0001) is a registered charitable organization established in 2002 to accept donations, administer funds for educational awards and issue receipts for tax purposes.
Currently the Scholarship Fund makes available to the Scholarship Committee over $14,000 annually, to be awarded to West Island women continuing their education including:
Margaret Manson Scholarship $4,000
Alberta Shearer Scholarship $4,000
Amy Williams Scholarship $4,000
Heidi Schaaf Memorial Scholarship $4,000
Total bursaries awarded to students at LBPSB Place Cartier Adult Education Centre and CSSMB Centre d’Éducation des adultes Jeanne Sauvé $4,200
John Abbott Technical Bursary $600
Proceeds from Club fundraising activities and donations from members and friends of MLUWC make it possible for us to continue to provide financial support to qualified and deserving students.
For over 60 years the Montreal Lakeshore University Women’s Club (MLUWC) has offered scholarships and bursaries to female residents of the West Island. Five scholarships are awarded annually to women enrolled in university studies. Three of the scholarships are named after former MLUWC presidents: Margaret Manson (1922-2000), Alberta Shearer (1918-2012) and Amy Williams (1927-2010). These women served their communities and the MLUWC in numerous roles and were instrumental in founding the Lakeshore chapter. The Margaret Manson, Alberta Shearer scholarships and the two Memorial scholarships are available to university students who meet the requirements provided on the Scholarships page. The Amy Williams scholarship is available to female students graduating from John Abbott College who will be attending a Quebec university.
Margaret Manson’s career included teaching positions and principalships in several West Island primary and high schools. Ecole Primaire Margaret Manson in Kirkland is named after Margaret and honors her contribution to education. She continued her career as an education consultant until her retirement in 1988. Margaret was a founding member of many community organizations, including the Pointe Claire Public Library, the Stewart Hall Library, and St. Columba-by-the-Lake Presbyterian Church. She was a quiet advocate for women’s rights and champion for those who learned differently. Margaret is honored by the Pearson Education Foundation as the namesake of an award that recognizes a graduating student in each of the board’s high schools and centres who has overcome a significant challenge or obstacle.
Margaret Manson and Alberta Shearer were among the founders of the Montreal Lakeshore University Women’s Club, which received its charter in June 1958. Margaret served as the first president and Alberta as the archivist and publicist.
In the early 1960s, Alberta Shearer represented the MLUWC on the Montreal Council of Women. She served from 1960 to 1963 on the Education Committee of the Quebec Government Commission that produced the Parent Report. Alberta led the MLUWC’s environmental study group, which was the only one in the CFUW, in the late 1960s. This group produced a recommendation to the Minister of Human Resources regarding clean water and the banning of pollutants. It also pioneered recycling initiatives in several West Island municipalities. Alberta Shearer served as vice president of the MLUWC from 1968 to 1970 and as president from 1970 to 1972. Alberta was a member of the MLUWC for over 50 years.
No task was too small or challenge too large for Amy Williams. Motivated by a deep concern for social justice and the rights of women, she became by turns president of the Montreal Council of Women, the Canadian Federation of University Women and the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC). Amy served as president of the Montreal Lakeshore University Women’s Club from 1968 to 1970 and was a charter member of the club. Amy also represented Canada on the International Council of Women of which she was vice president. As president of the NCWC, she was a full-time advocate representing the voice of women of Canada on such issues as health, education and the environment. Amy chaired a two-year study of the financial status of older women across Canada; subsequent lobbying resulted in fundamental changes to pension legislation for older women. For this, in addition to all her other efforts on behalf of her various communities, Amy was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1985.
Heidi Schaaf was the daughter of one of our members, Joyce Schaaf. Her brother Rod Schaaf and his family have set up this scholarship in her memory. Heidi was one of the first mentally disabled children integrated into a regular nursery school and then into kindergarten at a public school in Quebec. She was identified as a pioneer who paved the way proving that integration was possible and broke the glass ceiling for special needs kids. Thousands of children have benefited over the years from Heidi’s achievements. Heidi loved to learn and try new things through activities. Experiencing art, music, travel and through listening to others, were her ways of challenging herself and growing. She was a participant in the Special Olympics for over 25 years and worked at CEGEP Maisonneuve for 30 years. Heidi was a sports enthusiast and greatly enjoyed following a wide variety of sports. The Montreal Canadiens were her passion; Go Habs Go!