Scholarships and Awards

The Allan Quigley Adult Education Access Award will be available to students beginning the StFX MAdEd program. The funds are made possible by donations from Dr. Allan Quigley as well as students, graduates, and other faculty members in the program. It may be awarded to a student(s) accepted into the program who demonstrates the need for financial assistance to be able to participate in the program. Program tuition, necessary books, and academic resources would be examples of how this award is intended to help students access and complete the program.

Preference will be given to those working in the field of adult literacy but adjacent fields of literacy practice can be considered.

If there are no applications from students accepted into the program in any given year, this award may be granted to those doing program-based research and a thesis. In this case, travel to conduct program-based research would be an example of how this award could be used. Again, preference will be given to those working in adult literacy or allied fields of literacy practice.

The Marie Gillen Award, created to honour a retired MAdEd faculty member and professor, was made possible by funds donated by graduates and current students of the adult education program. The first award was given in the 2002–2003 year. At the request of Marie Gillen, students eligible for this award are females currently enrolled in good standing in the program who have completed both the ADED 505 and ADED 510 phases of the program. Preference will be given to women who are fostering, through their master’s program research, the development of women in Canada. Applicants should be engaged in the field of education, health care, social services, or another closely allied helping profession, and working directly with women. 

The John Dobson Award is given in honour of a faculty member who died tragically while he was a member of this department in the 1980s. Again, the funds were made possible by donations from students, graduates, and the Dobson family. This award is given to a student who is at the exam stage, or at/near the thesis stage. The topic must be one that honours the legacy of John Dobson in international work. Preference will be given to those who have conducted projects with an international focus or context.

To acknowledge a graduating student, we offer the Audrey Fenwick Memorial Award in memory of Audrey Fenwick’s proud and close association with St. Francis Xavier University.  Audrey decided to pursue post-graduate studies later in life and completed her Masters of Adult Education from St. FX in 2004, at age 75. in 2014 her family established an award in recognition of excellence and scholarship for a graduating student in the Master’s of Adult Education program. This award is awarded once a year to a graduating student who has demonstrated academic excellence throughout the program.

The StFX Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award is awarded to students who have completed a thesis in the current academic year. The thesis should represent the highest level of scholarship and a significant contribution to the understanding of current issues, problems, or interests in the field. The conclusions of the research should advance theory, knowledge, and/or professional practice. The scope of the research should be adequate for the problem or issue under consideration. The thesis should demonstrate a high caliber of writing. The thesis should be nominated by the thesis advisor with a letter of support from one other faculty member and an external evaluator. Nominations and supporting documentation must be received by the Chair of Graduate Studies no later than March 15 for Spring Convocation. Announcement of the award will be made at the convocation at which the candidate will graduate.

CASAE Student Paper Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize the best student paper presented at the annual conference of the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education. See the CASAE website for information on the annual conference at / 

CAUCE Graduate Student Research Award for Continuing Education

The purpose of the award is to recognize a graduate thesis or dissertation that makes a distinct contribution to university continuing education. The deadline is February 1 each year (may vary). For more information, visit the CAUCE website.

Canadian Federation of University Women

The CFUW Charitable Trust provides funds for a range of post-graduate awards and fellowships to women. The CFUW Fellowships and Awards Program is an affirmative action program as provided for in the Constitution of Canada and eligibility is restricted to women. CFUW's Fellowship and Award winners have produced work in a variety of academic areas, including international humanitarian efforts, feminist and gender analysis, advanced science, medicine, social justice, and human rights for women and girls. Please see their website for a list of awards and eligibility criteria.

Government of Canada: International Scholarships

Eligibility varies and programs are subject to change.