Established through the generosity of Marsha and Spruce Riordon and endowed in 1998 by the Riordon Family, the Riordon Scholarship is reflective of their commitment to increase accessibility to higher education. This scholarship honours the several generations of engineers in their family by providing an annual award to outstanding students entering or continuing a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

Spruce Riordon served the Carleton community for more than three decades as a professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, a departmental chair, Dean of Engineering, Vice-President (Finance and Administration) and Professor Emeritus in Systems and Computer Engineering. In addition to Spruce’s lifelong connection to the University, his wife, Marsha (CTESL/82) and their children, Christopher (BEng/89), Eleanor (BEng/95) and Amy (BJ/94), are all proud members of the Carleton alumni community.

The generosity of the Riordon family is driven by both the meaningful memories of their time spent at Carleton, and the impact their contributions can have on students for years to come. With the Riordon Scholarship being renewable at full tuition for the duration of their degree with a minimum GPA of 10.0, this ensures recipients have the resources needed to continue their academic journey.

“The moment I realized I was the recipient of such a generous and prestigious scholarship, I was overwhelmed with joy, relief, and a sense of personal pride in my accomplishment.  I, along with many other students, worry about the financial stress which comes from attending university – not only tuition & books but the extra cost of living away from home. 

During high school, I knew I wanted to pursue my education in Aerospace Engineering, and Carleton having one of the best Aerospace programs in Canada, was where I wanted to attend. I maintained a job through my final years of high school and worked hard at maintaining my grades. Although I never once imagined I would receive a scholarship such as this one – my mom cried when she found out I was awarded this amazing scholarship. What an amazing legacy you are creating for generations to come!”

-Sam, Recipient of the Riordon Scholarship