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Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards

The Sara Dunkley Award

Awarded to the best undergraduate student assignment (research essay or creative work) in the field of art history/visual culture submitted in the Department of History. Students are to be nominated for the prize by the course instructor, with the winner determined by the History Department Awards Committee. The prize winner will be announced in April. The prize was established by the Department of History and named in honour of Ontario artist and humanitarian, Sara Dunkley.

  • Deadline to apply: Oct. 1
  • Value: $300

Dwinnell-Steffler Scholarship

Eligibility: Granted to full-time undergraduate students entering Year 4 of the Honours History program, with a minimum cumulative GPA in history of 9.00 (B+) at end of Year 3. Applicants are judged on their interest in historical studies, academic achievement in history courses in the first three years, contribution to the history program and are required to submit a statement of academic and professional goals following completion of an honours degree in History. Applications for this scholarship are available and should be sent to the Department of History upon completion.

Waterloo Historical Society Local History Award

Eligibility: The Waterloo Historical Society offers an annual award of $500 for an outstanding research paper relating to the history of Waterloo region.  The Waterloo Historical Society was established in 1912 to record the history of Waterloo County, and since 1973, the Region of Waterloo.  Recipients of this award must be enrolled in the third or fourth year of an undergraduate program in History at the University of Waterloo or Wilfrid Laurier University.  The research paper should be suitable for publication in the Annual Volume of the Society, although neither submission nor acceptance for publication are conditions of the award.  The selection is made by the Department of History.

  • Deadline to apply: Oct. 1

Awards Administered through the Student Awards Office for History Majors

Please see Applying for Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries for further information and important dates for the following awards that are administered through the Student Awards office.

Daniel G. Watt Scholarship for Second-Year Honours History

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students in Year 3 of the honours History program. Eligible students must have completed the first two years of a single or combined honours program in history at Laurier and be currently registered in Year 3 of the same program. Granted to the student who has the highest cumulative GPA after Year 2.

Doug and Joyce Lorimer Award

Eligibility: Applicants must demonstrate financial need, be registered and in good standing as a third-year Laurier honours History major, and be a long term resident of Ontario. The successful applicant will be chosen by the Student Awards Office and preference will be given to the student with the greatest financial need. This award is renewable in fourth year if the incumbent is registered and is in good standing within a full-time honours History program (Year 4), adequately demonstrates financial need and continues to reside in the province of Ontario.

George G. Blackburn Award

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate student who has completed in good standing the third year of the honours History program with a concentration of study in Canadian History and has registered as a full-time student in the fourth year of the same program. Special consideration will be given to a candidate who is enrolled in a fourth year Canadian History Seminar.  

J.C. Herbert Award in History

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students entering their third or fourth years for the honours History program; high level of academic performance with a contribution to the University community at large.

Joe Vaillancourt Leadership Scholarship

Eligibility: Eligible candidates are full-time undergraduate students entering Year 4 of the Honours History or the Honours Political Science Program who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 9.0 (B+).  Candidates from each department must demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities within the university or in the local community.  The scholarship will be granted to one candidate from each department who combines good academics with a proven history of outstanding leadership. 

Lewis and Catherine Stephen Award in History

Awarded annually to a full-time undergraduate student in second-, third-, or fourth-year of the honours History program who has a minimum GPA of 9.0 (B+). Applicants must demonstrate financial need, be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident (landed immigrant) or Protected Person, and be a long term resident of Ontario. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate excellent academic achievement in combination with active participation in intramural or community sports.

Robert Leyser Historical Travel Award

Eligible candidates are full time undergraduate students in Year 3 or 4 of the honours History program. Candidates must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.0 (B-) and be registered in the spring semester, in a history course which requires a travel component. Applicants must demonstrate financial need. In cases of multiple qualified applicants, the candidate with the highest overall GPA will receive the award.

The Clara Hazel Haney Memorial Bursary

To be granted to a second-, third-, or fourth-year, full-time undergraduate student majoring in History; satisfactory academic achievement (minimum 4.0 GPA). The recipient must demonstrate financial need and be a long-term resident of Ontario.

The H.W. Edward and Hazel M. Cleghorn Canadian History Scholarship

Eligibility: Granted to the full-time undergraduate student in third year who has completed second year of an honours History program with the highest combined average in both HI292 (History of Canada to Confederation) and HI293 (History of Canada since Confederation). In the event that there is more than one candidate with the highest average in these two courses, the scholarship will be granted to the candidate with the higher overall cumulative GPA.

Vasha Award

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students entering Year 3 of the honours History program; minimum cumulative GPA of 9.0 (B+) in all history courses; active contribution to the history program; demonstrated community involvement; Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident (landed immigrant) or Protected Person; long-term resident of Ontario; proven financial need; applicants with a minimum cumulative GPA of 8.0 (B) in all history courses will be considered if no eligible applicants with a minimum cumulative GPA of 9.0 are identified.

Selection will be based on academic achievement in history courses, contribution to the history program and a required statement of the applicant's academic and professional goals on the completion of the honours History program (this statement must be submitted with the application form but distinct from it); renewable in Year 4 if the incumbent achieves a minimum cumulative GPA of 9.0 (B+) in third-year History courses and continues to demonstrate financial need and Ontario residency. Including renewals, a total of two awards are granted annually.