SHERBROOKE, QC, June 12, 2026 /CNW/ - For more than fifty years, the English-speaking communities of Quebec have navigated profound change, their history underexplored and their story still unfolding. Marjorie Elizabeth Goodfellow believed that story deserved serious scholarly attention. The Bishop's University alumna and lifelong community advocate, who passed away in 2024, has made that conviction permanent. Her estate is expected to contribute an estimated $2 million to establish a research chair in her name.
The Marjorie Elizabeth Goodfellow Chair in English Quebec Studies will be dedicated to advancing scholarly research, teaching, and public engagement on the English-speaking communities of Quebec.
"Marjorie devoted much of her life to her community and to English-speaking communities across Quebec," said Scott Stevenson, executor of Marjorie Goodfellow's estate. "That commitment began when English-speaking communities in Quebec were experiencing profound change, in the 1970s, which is still not fully recognized or understood today. Marjorie's decision to make this major donation and to create this Chair for English Quebec Studies at Bishop's University therefore carries on her life's work for the benefit of all Quebecers today and in the future. It is also very apropos that she chose Bishop's, her Eastern Townships' alma mater."
The Chair will serve as a focal point for the study of English-speaking Quebec – its history, culture, language, and social dimensions – and the community's evolving identity within the broader Quebec and Canadian contexts. Its mandate is deliberately interdisciplinary, drawing on fields as varied as history, literature, sociology, political science, education, and linguistics.
The Chairholder will lead research initiatives, contribute to knowledge creation and curriculum development, and mentor students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, helping to nurture the next generation of scholars in English Quebec Studies.
"This new Research Chair in English Quebec Studies represents an exceptional opportunity for our institution," said Dr. Kerry Hull, Vice-Principal Academic and Research. "It will create a privileged space for dialogue that brings together faculty, students, and community partners, fostering rich interdisciplinary exchange. By amplifying the work of our scholars and learners, the Chair will not only strengthen their impact within Québec, but also extend that influence to other minority-language contexts. In doing so, it will deepen understanding, enrich the student experience, and position our university as a leader in research that connects communities and perspectives."
Central to the Chair's mandate will be community outreach and collaboration. The Chair will work closely with English‑speaking organizations, cultural institutions, and other community stakeholders, helping to strengthen connections between academic research and lived experience. Outreach activities will include the organization of conferences, public lectures, and knowledge‑mobilization initiatives designed to foster informed dialogue on the challenges and opportunities facing English-speaking communities in Quebec.
"The establishment of the Chair reflects Bishop's University's longstanding commitment to English-speaking communities of Quebec and its unique position as an institution that has always lived at the intersection of Quebec's two linguistic communities," stated Principal and Vice-chancellor Sébastien Lebel-Grenier. "That perspective will shape the Chair's research, community engagement, and the preservation and understanding of minority-language communities in Quebec."
ABOUT MARJORIE ELIZABETH GOODFELLOW
Marjorie Elizabeth Goodfellow (1938–2024), only child of Edgar and Annie (née McElrea), was born and raised in Sherbrooke and spent much of her life on her family farm on Chemin des Écossais. She earned degrees from Bishop's (1959) and McGill (1960), followed by a Master of Library Science from McGill (1967). After working in Ottawa and Montreal, she returned to the Townships in 1971, continuing as a library consultant and dedicated genealogical and historical researcher.
A founding member of the Townshippers' Association, she advocated for English-speaking communities, especially equal healthcare standards, serving 13 years on the board of the Centre universitaire de santé de l'Estrie (CUSE, now the CHUS). She also represented the Eastern Townships on a provincial committee advising the Quebec Minister of Health.
Deeply committed to local history, she served on the Sherbrooke Historical Society board and helped found the Eastern Townships Heritage Foundation, the Sherbrooke and District University Women's Club, and the Sherbrooke Library Board. A Trustee of Bishop's University from 1985, she served on its planning committee, and in 1993 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Civil Law.
More information regarding the appointment of the Chairholder and upcoming initiatives will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT BISHOP'S UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1843 and located on the traditional territory of the Abenaki people (W8banakiak wdakiw8k), Bishop's University is an English-language institution in the Eastern Townships of Québec – one of Canada's most distinctive academic settings where studying in English while in French-speaking Canada is part of the education itself. Our 550-acre campus is home to a highly engaged community where students are challenged to grow beyond what they already know academically, personally, and experientially.
Research and creativity are central to Bishop's University's mission. We empower our faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students to contribute research, scholarly inquiry, innovation, and knowledge creation across diverse fields of study. Our researchers generate new knowledge driven by collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange that has direct relevance and measurable impact for communities, partners, and end users. Our students participate at every stage, from the first lines of inquiry to publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
Bishop's is home to five Canada Research Chairs, a Jarislowsky Chair, and robust external research funding, anchored by a research culture that pairs rigorous inquiry with close faculty-student mentorship. Innovative and impactful research takes place across Business, Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Graduate offerings include a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Master's programs in Physics, Computer Science, and Education, as well as an Individualized Master's program supporting interdisciplinary research.
SOURCE Bishop's University
MEDIA REQUESTS: Annick Lambert, Bishop's University, [email protected]
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