Polytechnique victims honoured through 14 scholarships

The 14 victims of the Dec. 6, 1989, tragedy, were honoured on Monday through 14 scholarships at Polytechnique Montréal.

Scholarships of $50,000 were awarded to Canadian female engineering students pursuing graduate studies.

“Today is such an honour to commemorate the victims but also to bring awareness to the subject matter,” said one recipient, Angela Wang, who studied biomedical engineering at McGill University.

The scholarships are part of the 12th annual White Rose campaign, which is a fundraiser to encourage women to join the engineering field. The Order of the White Rose was established in 2014 to pay tribute to those killed or injured, as well as the families, faculty, staff and students who found themselves at the heart of the tragedy.

“It’s truly an honour and I’m super happy to have the responsibility, I would say, to continue to pursue their dreams,” said Marie-Ève Fecteau, who studies biomedical engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, speaking about carrying forward the legacy of the 14 women who were killed.

“We’re delighted to dramatically increase the number of scholarships this year, thanks to exceptional new donors who share our values,” said Maud Cohen, president of Polytechnique Montréal. “I thank them for supporting our 14 recipients this year. Like their predecessors, these young women possess the passion and determination to truly make a difference in the world. The new donors who have embraced the cause of women in engineering make it possible for the Order of the White Rose to bloom more fully than ever.” 

Recipient Grace Ciarniello from the University of Alberta added: “It’s nice to see the level of support that women in engineering are getting and that there are so many people out here who are willing to help us achieve our goals.”

The Order of the White Rose says the recipients embody the courage, curiosity and determination that drive the world forward. 

“Being here with 13 other amazing women is… it’s just really inspiring and really shows me hope for the future,” said Ashna Jain from the University of Toronto. “We can have a lot of momentum to move the dial forward in terms of women in science and engineering in general.”

The jury selected by Polytechnique Montréal comprised the deans of engineering of Dalhousie University, McGill University, Queen’s University, Université de Sherbrooke, the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo. The evaluation criteria for the Order of the White Rose scholarship include the student’s academic record, technical achievements and commitment to the common good. 

The 2025 recipients of the Order of the White Rose scholarship are:  

• Rabab Azeem, bachelor of computer engineering, Queen’s University 
• Megan Chang, bachelor of mechatronics engineering, University of Waterloo 
• Grace Ciarniello, bachelor of engineering physics, University of Alberta 
• Marie-Ève Fecteau, bachelor of biomedical engineering, Polytechnique Montréal 
• Ashna Jain, bachelor of industrial engineering, University of Toronto 
• Catherine Ko, bachelor of biomedical engineering, University of Calgary 
• Samantha Krieg, bachelor of civil engineering, UBC Okanagan 
• Angéline Lafleur, bachelor of electrical engineering, University of Ottawa 
• Brooke MacNeil, bachelor of computer engineering, Queen’s University
• Marissa Myhre, bachelor of aerospace engineering, York University 
• Kaitlyn Root, bachelor of biological engineering, University of Guelph  
• Hanna Sigurdson, bachelor of biomedical engineering, University of Toronto 
• Angela Wang, bachelor of biomedical engineering, McGill University 
• Ruth Yu, bachelor of biomedical engineering, University of British Columbia

“As the first cohort of 14 recipients, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the selection committee, Polytechnique Montréal, and especially the Circle of Benefactors of the Order of the White Rose,” said Angéline Lafleur of the University of Ottawa. “Thanks to their support, we have the honour of carrying forward the memory of the 14 victims while helping to build a better future. Each of us has followed a different path; we all have our own experiences and perspectives. But this program unites us around a common aspiration: working together for a better and more just world. The Order of the White Rose means much more than academic support: it inspires us to persevere and innovate, for we hold the buds of the future in our hands.” 

Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the Dec. 6, 1989 massacre who later became the secretary of state for nature under Mark Carney, was inducted into the new Order of the White Rose Hall of Fame in recognition of her longstanding commitment to women in engineering in this country.

“They can fulfill their dreams even when they will fall. I fell and I stood up again,” Provost said, reflecting on resilience.

She also recalled the classroom that day: “I was in the first class on December 6th. We were gathered all together in the corner of the classroom. So seeing them today all together like that was extremely emotional and powerful to me.”

Provost called Polytechnique her home. “When I came up here, even if my leg was still hurting, even if my concentration was not excellent, people were around me to help me like we do in a family. So yes, Polytechnique is home.”

“They chose engineering, even though it demanded courage,” said Minister Mélanie Joly, adding that the victims “persevered, despite being challenged in their field, and they paved the way for all the women who followed.”

Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montréal is one of Canada’s largest engineering education and research institutions.