Donor of the Month: Michael Hadley

Mon. May. 2, 2022

By definition, Dr. Michael Hadley is a new donor. Having helped establish The Rev. Dr. Wilfred C. Lockhart Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities through a generous personal bequest, it would seem to some at a glance this act of kindness represents the start of Dr. Hadley’s relationship with The University of Winnipeg—rather than the culmination of many working years spent in service of our campus, students, and community.

For a man who at one point only knew Manitoba and its provincial capital, Winnipeg, by the weather-related stereotypes that made their way into the national consciousness through weather reports and television broadcasts, Dr. Hadley admits the freezing winters and burning summers became part of the province’s “many moods” that added to the regional charm he and his family came to appreciate during his tenure at UWinnipeg. Originally from British Columbia, Dr. Hadley moved to Winnipeg in the early 1960s to teach at the recently chartered University of Winnipeg as a member of what was then called the Department of German Studies, a position he would share with prominent Mennonite scholar and colleague Jack Thiessen.

“I especially enjoyed teaching during those early days in the 1960s at a collegial and burgeoning young university serving a cosmopolitan range of students,” said Dr. Hadley. “I particularly appreciated the sense of community and purpose that gave us room to explore together and have fun with learning.”

It was during this period that Dr. Hadley met Rev. Dr. Wilfred Lockhart. A true leader who helped guide United College’s transformation from a component college to a fully chartered and independent university, and a man who “fostered collegiality at every step”—Rev. Dr. Lockhart was instrumental in building the campus and post-secondary experience countless students have since come to love during their time at UWinnipeg. As the University’s first President and fellow faculty member, Dr. Hadley recalls the deep sense of gratitude felt towards Rev. Dr. Lockhart by many who had the privilege to work with him—"his vision, tenacity, and energy set the University on the firm path that transformed a small, but unique college into the remarkable University of Winnipeg it has become today.”

 Standing as a testament to the dedication and influence that so many admired, the scholarship that bears Rev. Dr. Lockhart’s name is set to be awarded to a deserving student enrolled in any of the undergraduate arts streams. As an endowed fund, The Rev. Dr. Wilfred C. Lockhart Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities will continue to support students for years to come, while also preserving the legacy of Rev. Dr. Lockhart for the next generation of faculty members and students to look up to.