Over the years, the white rose has become the symbol of Polytechnique Montréal’s commemorative activities. This peaceful symbol has become the image of events that are held annually since December 6, 2014, the day marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the tragedy. With this in mind, and as a tribute to the victims, injured, professors, employees and students who found themselves at the heart of the tragedy, Polytechnique created the Order of the White Rose scholarship in 2015.

This $30,000 scholarship is awarded annually by Polytechnique Montréal’s executive to an engineering student who wishes to pursue her passion for engineering by enrolling in a graduate program - at the master's or doctoral level - in the institution of her choice, in Canada or elsewhere in the world.

This is the eighth year that a call for applications has been issued to Canadian universities offering engineering programs. The winner of the Order of the White Rose will be announced in December 2022.

Inspiring Ambassadors

"I’m very touched by the fact that the Order of the White Rose is a bursary created in tribute to my colleagues who were denied the right to practice the beautiful profession of engineering," says Nathalie Provost, Order of the White Rose godmother. "In addition to honouring their memory, the scholarship is a helping hand to the next generation and allows a young woman to take another step toward her dream of becoming an engineer."

"If I were a young student called to receive the Order of the White Rose, I would feel privileged to be able to continue the legacy of women engineers and add my contribution to our society's scientific heritage. I am convinced that the recipient will feel this pride," added Michèle Thibodeau-DeGuire, the first woman to graduate in civil engineering from Polytechnique Montréal in 1963 and the first woman to chair the board of directors of Polytechnique Montréal.

A prestigious jury

• The 2022 Order of the White Rose selection committee, again chaired by Ms. Thibodeau-DeGuire, includes notable figures from Canadian higher education in engineering:
• Kevin J. Deluzio, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Queen's University
• Professor Mina Hoorfar, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Victoria
• John Newhook, Dean of Engineering, Dalhousie University
• Jim A. Nicell, Dean of Engineering, McGill University
• Jean Proulx, Dean of Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke
• Bill Rosehart, Dean of the Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary
• Christopher Yip, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto

Order of the White Rose Recipients

In December 2021, Polytechnique Montréal awarded the seventh Order of the White Rose scholarship to Willow Dew, a chemical engineering graduate from the University of Alberta. Ms. Dew is completing a joint Master's degree at three European universities.
 

Willow Dew and Nathalie Provost.

In December 2020, Polytechnique Montreal awarded the sixth Order of the White Rose Scholarship to Brielle Chanae Thorsen, a graduate of Queen's University in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. Ms. Thorsen is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Queen's University.

In 2019, Polytechnique Montréal awarded the fifth Order of the White Rose Scholarship to Édith Ducharme, a graduate in engineering physics from Université Laval. Ms. Ducharme completed a master's degree in engineering physics at Polytechnique.

In 2018, Polytechnique Montréal awarded the fourth Order of the White Rose scholarship to Viviane Aubin, a graduate in mechanical engineering from Polytechnique Montréal. Ms. Aubin completed a master's degree in energy engineering at Polytechnique.

In 2017, Polytechnique Montréal awarded the third Order of the White Rose Scholarship to Ella Thomson, a graduate in electrical engineering from the University of Manitoba. Ms. Thomson used this scholarship as part of her doctoral studies in biomedical engineering at Stanford University in the United States.

In 2016, Polytechnique Montréal awarded the second Order of the White Rose Scholarship to Liane Bernstein, a graduate of Polytechnique Montréal's Bachelor of Engineering Physics program. Ms. Bernstein used this scholarship as part of her doctoral studies in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The first Order of the White Rose Scholarship was awarded in November 2015 to Tara Gholami, a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Calgary who went on to study at Stanford University.

Application procedure

The internal competition for the Order of the White Rose, organized by the Financial Aid and Scholarship Department of the Polytechnique Student Services, is open to female engineering students who wish to pursue their graduate studies (master's or doctorate) in an engineering program, at the institution of their choice, in Canada or elsewhere in the world. They must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and have completed their undergraduate degree in December 2021 or be in the process of completing it in May or August 2022.

As of September 1, 2022, candidates entering this competition will have to provide their proof of registration in engineering graduate studies to competition officials at Polytechnique Montréal.

Candidates who have completed their studies at Polytechnique must send their application to Polytechnique Montréal Service aux étudiants no later than May 13, 2022, by email at: bourses.sep@polymtl.ca.
 

Learn more

Order of the White Rose Nomination Procedure
Willow Dew, 2021 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Brielle Chanae Thorsen, 2020 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Édith Ducharme, 2019 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Viviane Aubin, 2018 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Ella Thomson, 2017 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Liane Bernstein, 2016 recipient of the Order of the White Rose
Tara Gholami, 2015 recipient of the Order of the White Rose