Edgard Demers Commemorative Scholarship (OSOTF)

Award created thanks to the generosity of the estate of Edgard Demers

Award Overview

Value of the award:
Minimum $5,000
Number of awards:
Variable
Award frequency:
Annual
Level or program of study:
Undergraduate and graduate
Application Type:
Online Scholarship and Bursaries portal, accessible via uoZone.
Application Deadline:
November 3
Renewable:
No

Purpose of this Award

To provide financial assistance to students in French-language journalism, whose education would otherwise be compromised.

Eligibility Criteria

The candidate must:

  1. be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
  2. be registered full-time in the French language programs: Honours Bachelor of Digital Journalism, Master’s or Doctorate in Communication offered at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
  3. be an Ontario resident, as per OSAP rules
  4. demonstrate financial need, as determined by the Financial Aid and Awards Service

How to Apply

Submitted in the Online Scholarship and Bursaries portal, accessible via uoZone, and must include:

  1. the Financial Questionnaire
  2. a portfolio of at least three written, audio or audio-visual pieces of a journalistic nature (essays, interviews, reviews, etc.). The portfolio must be sent directly to the email address cmnsec@uOttawa.ca
  3. a letter of recommendation from a professor

About this Award

The only son of Lorenzo Demers and Lucienne Plouffe of Ottawa, Edgard Demers soon discovered the two passions of his life: journalism and theatre. During his studies at the University of Ottawa High School, he was involved in many student activities: the student council, the year book committee, the student newspaper Le Matric, the football team and student theatre groups.

Admitted in political science at the University of Ottawa, he soon decided to take the plunge to journalism by working for Le Droit, the local French language daily, which remained his principal employer for most of his career. In addition to his professional activities, Edgard Demers spent much time travelling abroad. He also devoted 50 years of his life to the local arts scene. A man of many talents, he played many roles: journalist, actor, stage director, theatre arts teacher, summer festival director, artistic director, control operator, researcher and writer, interviewer and playwright. In total, Edgard Demers was involved in almost 125 theatrical performances, as actor, dancer, stage director and producer. 

In retirement, while remaining actively involved in many social and cultural organizations, he also devoted much time to writing. He published five books: Aladin et la lampe merveilleuse (1993),Blanche-Neige et les sept nains (1995),Princesse Cendrillon (1998),Les obsessions d'un ex-obèse (2001) and Le gros cadeaux du petit Adam (2003). 

Edgard Demers died on January 22, 2004. Among his last wishes, he mandated his executors to create a scholarship fund with the objective of contributing to journalism studies, in French, with a focus on the arts, performance and culture. 

Edgard Demers bequeathed his personal archives to the Centre for Research on French Canadian Culture of the University of Ottawa: manuscripts, photographs depicting his career in journalism as well as the theatre, and documents relating to the theatre group Les trouvères. 

The Estate Executors of this fund thank the Government of Ontario for their matching contributions through its Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund program.