Applications are now closed. 

Stay tuned for details on our 2025 recipients.

MARK & DOROTHY DANZKER SCHOLARSHIP FOR EXCELLENCE

Together with the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, Folklorama is pleased to present the Mark & Dorothy Danzker Scholarship for Excellence, an annual award of excellence for ethno-cultural heritage preservation. The Scholarship honours the memory of philanthropist and former Winnipeg city councillor Mark Danzker and his wife, Dorothy.

HISTORY

Mark Danzker was born in Poland in 1902. His family immigrated to Canada in 1907, settling in Winkler before moving to Winnipeg in 1911. With his mother’s passing in 1909, his formal education ended, and he entered the workforce at the age of 10. The next year he left home to work in a lumber camp, and by the age of 16, he bought a pharmacy in Lac du Bonnet. Eventually, he was successful with investments, oil exploration, and development companies, as well as the owner of Danzker Dress Limited, a manufacturers’ wholesale company that saw the Danzkers travelling through western Canada working with many independent shop owners.

While the Danzkers did not have children of their own, they were very active in the community. Dorothy worked for many years supporting the Misericordia Hospital as a volunteer in their gift shop. Mark was particularly active in amateur and professional sports, bringing the minor league team, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, to the city in 1954. He also played a major role in attracting the Pan-American Games to Winnipeg in 1967. Mark served as a Winnipeg City Alderman from 1960 to 1968 and was awarded the Manitoba Good Citizenship Award in 1974. He was inducted into the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo in 1957 and named a member of the Order of Canada in 1978.

SCHOLARSHIP OVERVIEW

• Eight (8) post-secondary scholarships of $1,000 each are available
• Scholarships are awarded each September

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for a $1,000 scholarship, the applicant must:

• Be accepted to or be currently enrolled in a university, college, or other recognized post-secondary institution within Canada with a full course load (as defined by the institution)
• Be between the ages of 17 and 25 years
• Be a resident of Manitoba for a minimum of the past six (6) months

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

• Demonstrate active involvement in preserving ethno-cultural heritage through volunteerism and/or employment
• Have achieved a minimum academic average of 70% or a cumulative 2.5 GPA
• Have not been a previous recipient of this scholarship
• Not be a Folklorama Board or staff member or immediate family of same

Applications for next year’s Mark and Dorothy Danzker Scholarship for Excellence will open in early 2026.