November 27, 2015

On November 27, 2015 at Medicine Hat College (MHC) CF Industries presented Carissa Goulard, a power engineering student with a full-ride scholarship valued at $20,000.

According to Trish O’Grady, development officer with the foundation, the terms of the donation are that the gift go to a member of an underrepresented group who is pursuing a career in power engineering. 

The amount can be put towards covering expenses such as tuition, Students’ Association fees, textbooks, exam and non-instructional fees.

“We’re grateful for CF’s continued support and efforts to promote diversity in the industry, while allowing students the financial freedom to focus on their studies,” says O’Grady. “We know that their contribution is very much appreciated by the recipients.”

O’Grady mentions that CF’s partnership with the college goes beyond this gift.

“On top of the full-ride scholarship, CF Industries provides annual gifts of a $1,000 to our university transfer business and engineering programs,” says O’Grady.  “They are also an employer of our students and willing to provide them mentorship and practicum experience that will help further their careers.”

Michelle Amos, human resources manager with CF explains that her organization values their relationship with MHC.

“We’re a huge advocate of equality and diversity in the workplace and also a passionate supporter of further education – which is why this partnership was such a great match,” says Amos. “Prior to our gift, I had come across a statistic by the Alberta Boilers Safety Association which stated that females made-up a small minority of steam ticketed engineers in Alberta. It was that statistic that really grabbed our attention. Our leadership team was determined to change this, so one of the steps we took was offering this incentive for underrepresented groups.”

Amos explains that with the gift comes a few hopes.

“We hope that the recipients have a long and successful career as a power engineer; that they show people how capable they are in the industry regardless of their gender; and that they encourage others from underrepresented groups to consider power engineering as a career.”

CF Industries’ Medicine Hat Nitrogen Complex is Canada’s largest nitrogen production facility located near Medicine Hat, Alberta and was voted one of Alberta’s top 70 employers in 2015. They have approximately 200 permanent and 40 contract employees. To learn more about this company visit www.cfindustries.com