Polytechnique Montréal has extended its scholarship initiative in memory of the 14 women who tragically lost their lives at the engineering school 36 years ago. The Order of the White Rose scholarship, which was established in 2014, previously granted one scholarship annually to a female engineering student in Canada. This year, additional donors have come forward to fund 14 scholarships valued at $50,000 each, supporting female students pursuing engineering master’s or doctoral degrees in Canada or elsewhere.
These scholarships, created to honor the victims, their families, and those affected by the events of December 6, 1989, were presented during a ceremony at the school. Maud Cohen, the president of Polytechnique Montréal, expressed the need for more donors to sustain the initiative beyond the current 14 scholarships.
The tragic incident 36 years ago, where 14 women were killed and 13 others injured in an anti-feminist attack at the engineering school affiliated with Université de Montréal, is symbolized by white roses and ribbons. Recipients of the 11th edition of the scholarship program hail from universities in Quebec, Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia.
Angéline Lafleur, one of the scholarship recipients, is pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering, specializing in quantum technologies. Lafleur, hailing from a family of engineers, was deeply affected upon learning about the Montreal Massacre and the negative perceptions towards women in the sciences at that time.
The progress in increasing the representation of women in engineering fields has been notable, with the percentage of women in Polytechnique’s bachelor program rising to nearly 32% from 11% in 1989. Cohen highlighted the school’s efforts in early recruitment and support programs to encourage more women to pursue careers in science and engineering.