Cindy (Levangie) ’78 and Archie Morrison ’79 establish a scholarship to help an incoming female varsity athlete
Cindy (Levangie) Morrison ’78 and Archie Morrison ’79 met at St. Francis Xavier University. They raised six children who all went on to study there. Inspired by the doors that StFX opened for them and their family, the Halifax, NS couple has generously established a new scholarship to open that same door for a young woman who combines athletic dedication with strong character, campus involvement, and financial need.
The Levangie Morrison Scholarship will help remove financial barriers for an incoming female varsity student-athlete who meets these criteria. The scholarship is valued at $10,000 in the first year and is renewable with good academic standing at $7,500 a year for a further three years.
The first recipient is Gwyneth Galloway, a first year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student from Upper Dyke, NS, who plays with the X-Women rugby team.
The Morrisons say they hope the award does more than ease a financial burden. Their goal is to help students realize their potential, on and off the field.
“StFX is a big part of our lives,” says Cindy, who played two varsity sports and was named female athlete of the year during her student days.
For the couple, the decision was simple.
As the third of eight children from a Moncton, NB family, Cindy knows personally the difference that scholarships can have. “If it hadn’t been for government bursaries and scholarships, I don’t think I would have landed outside of my community.”
There are a lot of people who can’t afford to attend university, despite good marks, she says. They wanted to help ensure an education was available to everyone. “That was most important to me.”
Service to others was also central to their story.
“It’s important for people to give back to the community. That could be financial, that could be as a volunteer,” says Cindy. “We’re trying to do our part,” adds Archie, a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Over the course of his career, he participated in numerous surgical missions to Vietnam and North Africa to operate on babies, children, and some adults with cleft lip and cleft palate.
A FAMILY OF X ALUMNI
The Morrisons’ connection to StFX runs deep. Archie’s father and two siblings, five of Cindy’s siblings, and two sons-in-law are StFX grads.
Cindy played varsity field hockey and basketball. Archie played junior hockey while he attended StFX. All six of their children attended StFX, and four played varsity soccer. One also played a year of both varsity basketball and soccer before concentrating on soccer. Now, they are watching grandchildren play sports.
The couple attends homecoming reunions, and other alumni events in Halifax. They visited campus often for soccer games when their children were StFX students.
Archie says it was his idea for the award to support a female athlete.
Cindy points to another reason they wanted to support the university. “StFX has a long history of looking after people, right back to the Antigonish Movement and the Coady Institute.”
They also see the value of a small university as it can be the right place for an undergraduate student. “It’s a way to not be a small person in a big university, it’s a way to be seen,” she notes.
MEET THE FIRST RECIPIENT
Gwyneth Galloway graduated from Horton High School, where she played soccer, hockey, and rugby.
“Receiving the Levangie Morrison Scholarship is an incredible honour, and I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude and pride to have been selected as this year’s recipient,” she says.
“I am incredibly grateful to the donors for their generosity and for investing in student-athletes like myself. Knowing that there are people who believe in and support our goals, both on and off the field, makes this award even more meaningful.”
She says nursing and rugby are both passions, and balancing them can be a challenge.
“I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue both. This scholarship has helped make that possible, and it motivates me to continue working hard, representing StFX with pride, and making the most of every opportunity that comes my way.”
Her first few months have already been rewarding.
“Being part of the women’s rugby program has given me friendships, opportunities, and a support system that have made the transition to university so much easier.”
She says she was fortunate to have had two StFX alumni, Richard O’Malley ’05 and Ashley Brooker ’15, as coaches throughout her rugby journey. Both shared stories about StFX. “Hearing about their experiences played a big role in my excitement about becoming an X-Woman,” she says.
“Although I have only been at StFX for a short time, I have already experienced that same sense of community and belonging they spoke so highly of. I am beginning to understand what it truly means to wear the X and be part of something bigger than myself.”
