 During his professorship at Williams College, he invested his own time and money to found the Williams College men's rowing team, despite some resistance from the Williams faculty and administration at the time.In recognition of Shaw's perseverance, one of the shells in the "John A. Shaw Boathouse" is named Pride and Persistence.Additionally, a Silver Goblet bearing his name is given out each year to a male rower who epitomizes his will to keep fighting in the face of adversity.