Student Wins National Engineering Memorial Scholarship
April 27, 2006 - News Release
A University of Guelph student is one of eight women across the country to receive a 2006 Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation (CEMF) Scholarship. The awards were created to encourage women to choose a career in engineering and to honour the memory of the 14 women who were slain at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique in 1989.
Melanie Mullen, an environmental engineering student and member of Guelph’s Engineers Without Borders, was awarded one of five undergraduate scholarships. Three graduate scholarships are also awarded by CEMF. Recipients are chosen for being community leaders, active volunteers and role models, especially for girls and young women. Scholarship winners also promote engineering as a career through local schools and community programs.
“The Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation believes in change and positive enlightenment within the engineering profession,” said Mullen. “I am honoured to represent the University of Guelph and Ontario this year.”
Mullen said the scholarship will allow her to continue speaking to elementary and high school students about engineering, unity and well-being. “I believe in being active and I believe in change. That’s why this award means so much to me, because it supports and promotes the consciousness of our peers. "We have this wonderful ability to genuinely share and to learn from each other. This is and will increasingly remain a crucial factor in our survival. If we face the coming environmental and social challenges together, we will be able o support each other the way this award has supported engineering for years.”
Mullen, who came to Guelph from Niagara Falls, is also active in the Sierra Youth Coalition of Canada, Guelph Students for Environmental Change and Environment Radio on the local CFRU station.
“These eight women are truly remarkable,” said Suzelle Barrington, president of the CEMF. “They are strong leaders, volunteer in their community, work hard to encourage others and are actively involved in their education and extracurricular activities. We are very proud to present these well-deserved scholarships.”
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53338, or Rachelle Cooper, Ext. 56982.
