For eight decades and counting, the Canadian Federation of University Women Fredericton (CFUW Fredericton) has had strong ties to UNB and its students.
The group’s 80th anniversary this year happens to align with another milestone: over $400,000 in donations from the group to CFUW scholarships at UNB.
The national CFUW was founded in Winnipeg in 1919. The Fredericton CFUW chapter — or club — is one of 94 CFUW clubs nationwide. It was founded with the aim of enlarging and deepening educational interests, promoting friendship, and stimulating interest in and action on the problems of the day. The goals of CFUW Fredericton continue to be those established in 1944 while encompassing a broader community of women. Social justice is at the forefront of the club’s advocacy today.
Promoting women’s education through scholarships is a priority for CFUW Fredericton. Through the group fundraising efforts — primarily comprised of an annual spring book fair — scholarships are funded at several post-secondary institutions. The vast majority of these awards are through UNB.
“Historically, there has been a strong connection between the CFUW and UNB, with many members being UNB faculty members,” says CFUW Fredericton’s past president, Baukje (Bo) Miedema (BA’87, MA’90, PhD’96). Today, the group welcomes and advocates for women from all educational backgrounds, whether or not they have attended university.
One of the CFUW’s earliest scholarships was established in honour of the club’s co-founder, Bea Phillips (1901-1985), who worked tirelessly to establish a thriving library at Fredericton High School. Today, the Bea Phillips CFUW Fredericton Scholarship is valued at $2,000 and awarded annually to a graduate of a high school in Fredericton.
CFUW awards run the gamut of women students at UNB, with awards for undergraduate students, graduate students, part-time students and adult learners juggling many responsibilities. The 10th UNB award to be added to the CFUW roster is the CFUW Fredericton 80th Anniversary Adult Learner Scholarship, which comes into effect in the 2024-25 academic year.
More than 200 women’s lives have been changed through scholarships funded by CFUW Fredericton. Hundreds more will be changed in the decades to come.
