Marguerite Bourgeoys was a 17th-century French religious sister and missionary who helped establish educational institutions in the colony of New France. Born in Troyes, she traveled to Montreal in 1653 to fulfill a request from the governor to start a school. She founded the Congregation of Notre Dame, a community of secular sisters who operated without being cloistered. Through her work, she provided instruction to impoverished children, young girls, and First Nations communities, becoming a foundational figure in the history of Canadian education.