WINNIPEG, MB – University of Winnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lloyd Axworthy today announced the establishment of two new graduate fellowships in the history of Mennonite society and culture. The fellowships, which will honour the contributors of two prominent Manitobans – C.P. Loewen and D.F. Flett – will be available immediately to students who wish to pursue a Masters or Doctoral degree in the study of the Mennonite community.
“With these Fellowships, the University’s Mennonite Studies program will expand its involvement with MA and PhD students and will be better able to promote the research and dissemination of knowledge of the Mennonite experience in North America,” said Dr. Royden Loewen, Chair in Mennonite Studies at The University of Winnipeg.
The Chair in Mennonite Studies at The University of Winnipeg was founded in 1978 by generous contributions from the David and Elisabeth Friesen Foundation and the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism. The purpose of the Chair is to promote the study of Mennonites at a public university, to note the contributions of Mennonites to modern society, and to examine the Mennonite understanding of religious faith, community, peace and culture. A well-funded graduate studies program will enhance the Chair’s original objectives.
The founding of the two Fellowships also corresponds with the commitment of the Chair in Mennonite Studies to promote graduate studies in Mennonite History at a public institution in a spirit of openness and excellence.
About the New Fellowships
- The C.P. LOEWEN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN THE HISTORY OF MENNONITES IN NORTH AMERICA has been established through the generosity of the C.P. Loewen Family Foundation, which has committed a total of $50,000 over four years. This Fellowship will provide $12,500 (Canadian) annually for a student registered in the Joint Masters Program in History at The University of Winnipeg or the PhD program in History at The University of Manitoba. C.P. Loewen was an industrialist in Manitoba whose vision of promoting education and faith, seeking poverty alleviation and fostering a community spirit of respect and tolerance among Mennonites around the world is carried on by the C.P. Loewen Family Foundation.
- The D.F. PLETT GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN THE HISTORY OF LOW GERMAN CONSERVATIVE MENNONITES IN THE AMERICAS is funded through the generosity of the D.F. Plett Historical Research Foundation, Inc. This Fellowship provides $10,000 annually for a student at the MA level and $15,000 annually for a student enrolled at the PhD level. The D.F. Plett Graduate Fellowship was created in 2006 to commemorate the contribution of Delbert F. Plett, Q.C. to the story of the Low German Mennonites in Canada and the Americas. This Fellowship is intended to encourage and offer support to graduate students who are pursuing studies and research in the history of the forerunners and descendants of the 1870s Mennonite migrants to Manitoba. The D.F. Plett Historical Research Foundation’s support of up to $25,000 per year represents an ongoing commitment to Mennonite Studies at The University of Winnipeg.
Eligibility Criteria
Both awards are to be granted annually to promising applicants enrolled at the Masters level in The University of Winnipeg’s Joint Masters Program in History or in The University of Manitoba’s Doctoral Program in History. Successful applicants will write a thesis or dissertation on any aspect of North American Mennonite History and will be supervised by the Chair in Mennonite Studies at The University of Winnipeg.
All selections will be made by a committee of university professors who will evaluate the merit of the proposal and its potential to broaden the knowledge of the Mennonite experience in North America. The committee will also evaluate the candidate’s research background in related areas, the likelihood that the project can be completed within the proposed budget and the candidate’s willingness to share results with the community in public lectures and in other forms.
The D.F. Plett awards are renewable for one year, but may not be held in conjunction with any other award.
The C.P. Loewen award is a one-time award, but it may be held in conjunction with other awards such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) award.
Applicants may now apply for these Fellowships for the 2007-2008 academic year by submitting their information to The University of Winnipeg Joint Masters Program or the University of Manitoba Doctoral Program in History. The deadline for applications is Mar. 30, 2008.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ilana Simon, Communications Officer, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.982.7129, C: 204.782.3279, E: i.simon@uwinnipeg.ca
