Manitoba has created a $60,000 scholarship fund in memory of a late assistant deputy minister to support women studying civil engineering at the University of Manitoba, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk announced Tuesday.
“Ruth Eden was a dedicated public servant who faithfully served Manitobans for over 30 years. She was an inspiring and keystone leader within the department, and will forever be remembered for her heart, passion and determination,” said Piwniuk.
“I am honoured to announce we are establishing three scholarships that pay tribute to Ruth and will support the next generation of civil engineers.”
The scholarships will support those who identify as women studying civil engineering full-time at the U of M.
Eden was the first woman hired by the province in 1988 to work as an engineer and was a member of the 30 by 30 Task Force, which works to increase the representation of women within engineering, added Piwniuk.
She was one of five women to graduate from the civil engineering program at the University of Manitoba.
“It feels like I’ve always known Ruth Eden’s name in the engineering community, and it was always through encounters and by reputation that highlighted her positive and pragmatic nature,” said Marcia Friesen, dean of the Price Faculty of Engineering at the U of M.
“She graduated and built a career at a time that was often defined by the ‘first woman to…’ and ‘one of only five women to…’ And yet, Ruth always approached the profession with a sense of ownership and place that led to her extensive accomplishments.
“A future scholarship is such a fitting extension of this sense of ownership and place, creating opportunities for more students to follow in her footsteps.”
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