Women Supporting Women: CFUW-Ottawa Continues Historic Impact at Carleton
By: Lara Vronick
According to the latest study on behaviours of women philanthropists, women far outpace men when it comes to supporting the advancement and health of girls (29% of women versus 12% of men).
In other words, women are each other’s greatest resource.
International Women’s Day acknowledges the significant contributions of both time and capital that women are making to the advancement of women and girls in society.
At Carleton, this is felt every day through its community of donors who give generously to help women students reach their full potential.
Sophie Drache, fourth-year history and women and gender studies student at Carleton, is the 2025-26 recipient of the Ruth Bell Centennial Scholarship.
“Awards like this make such a huge difference. I think women should always be the first to have each other’s backs and lift each other up,” says Drache.
The Ruth Bell Centennial Scholarship was established by CFUW-Ottawa — formerly Canadian Federation of University Women — in honour of all its club members nationwide and dedicated to the legacy of Ruth Bell (MA/64), honourary Doctor of Laws degree recipient from Carleton and author of the book, “Be A Nice Girl.”
Donor-funded scholarships not only provide financial assistance that makes a difference in the lives of recipients — they also provide encouragement and instill pride in academic achievement.
“Being a working student is really hard to balance, so awards like this make a huge difference,” says Drache, “It was such a generous award and such an honour to receive it. It gave me a lot of motivation.”
CFUW-Ottawa is the local chapter of a national organization of 90 clubs dedicated to “achieving equality and social justice for women through continuous learning and empowerment.”
Some donors like CFUW-Ottawa, who believe that universities have a role to play in building an equitable future, choose to support initiatives through student aid — both scholarships and bursaries — as a way to create meaningful impact.
“From very early on in our club’s history, we began providing scholarships to women who had made the brave decision to attend university. At that time, women with higher degrees were few and far between and all of them experienced struggles and discrimination,” says Past President of CFUW-Ottawa, Catherine Smith.
“The remarkable growth and impact of our scholarship program over the years is a strong testament to our commitment to this goal,” says Smith.
For more than 70 years, CFUW-Ottawa has supported women students who are pursuing higher education at Carleton. Throughout this history, thousands have received awards established by the organization that are named in honour of CFUW members and women leaders throughout history.
“The founders of our club personally understood the challenges faced by women in attaining a higher education degree. They experienced the struggles and the rewards firsthand. They were steadfast in their desire to make the path easier for those who followed and they knew that funding was central to this mandate,” says Smith.
There are currently 18 awards established by CFUW-Ottawa at Carleton, and more at other colleges and universities in the region.
Each award recognizes women who, for generations, have fought for equity in education, earned their degrees, pursued careers in male-dominated fields and, through organizations like CFUW, help pave a path for those pursuing higher education for years to come — women like Susan Scott Parker (BA/73) — another Carleton alum and a global ambassador for accessibility and people with disabilities based in London, England.
“Being awarded the Susan Scott Parker Scholarship is both a great honour and a valuable source of support in my academic journey,” says Vanessa Pasqua, first year psychology student and one of the 2025-26 Susan Scott Parker Scholarship recipients.
“This award not only helps ease the financial pressures of post-secondary education but also upholds the importance of investing in women-identifying students. It has given me the freedom to continue my education and pursue my passions without the added burden of financial stress,” says Pasqua.
On March 2, CFUW-Ottawa hosted this year’s cohort of student award recipients at their annual awards ceremony. The event celebrated the network of club members, women community organizers, global leaders for whom these awards are named, and the next generation of women like Sophie Drache, Vanessa Pasqua and all student recipients of CFUW-Ottawa awards.
“It’s always great to see women in positions of leadership. As a history student I have a huge interest in this area and the intersection of women and leadership throughout history. I find it really inspiring and gives me a push to move forward,” says Drache.
CFUW-Ottawa was recognized as the winner of the Outstanding Philanthropic Group award in 2023 for their exceptional philanthropic contributions to the community by the Ottawa chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Recently, trustees of the Scholarship Trust Fund (STF) of CFUW-Ottawa pledged an additional $150,000 over five years for Carleton women students to continue the long-standing and positive relationship with the university.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is celebrated annually on March 8 and marks a call to action for advancing gender equality around the world.