This text is part of the special Philanthropy section
A school bears his name. But Gina Cody, an engineer, above all wants to change the world with meticulous care.
Even if she doesn’t really like to hear it, Gina Cody made history, at least that of Concordia University, by giving a donation of 15 million to her. alma mater in 2018. However, the School of Engineering and Computer Science bears his name, a first for this type of university establishment in Canada, not to mention that a good part of his generosity goes as much to the support of various research chairs as ” support for undergraduate to postgraduate students, obviously the most motivated.
She was also motivated when she began her engineering studies at Concordia in 1979, a path that led her to a doctorate, the first woman in Canada to obtain this degree in building engineering. And she wasn’t going to stop there, going on to become president of the Toronto-based CCI Group, which she sold in 2016, a time that would mark the time of her retirement, but not the end of her engagement. with regard to women, especially engineers. Between these two dates, Gina Cody has not been idle, and above all has never forgotten where she came from and under what circumstances her arrival in Montreal.
Originally from Tehran, struck down by the speed with which the Iranian Islamic revolution was imposed, the young Gina threw herself headlong into studies, a devotion that did not escape Cedric Marsh, a professor who quickly took under his wing. “He was a luminary in the field of aluminum,” recalls the philanthropist with affection. Thanks to him, I got scholarships, I worked for him, which allowed me to have a comfortable student life. At the time, unfortunately, I took all of this for granted. »But this comfort will have enabled her to reach the highest peaks of her profession, and to use these experiences as so many assets when it comes to making her place in a world which hardly leaves her to women. According to the Order of Engineers of Quebec, there are now 10,000, or 15% of the entire profession; it was 4% in 1989.
This work ethic, this taste for things well done, Gina Cody recognizes that they come from her acute perfectionism (“Child, I cried in front of a mark of 19.5 out of 20, symbol of a failure!”) And of her mother, concerned about the happiness and success of all her children, but particularly of her two daughters. “It was more important for her because it was the only way for us to become independent. She hadn’t been able to go to school for very long, got married very young, but higher education was in her eyes the way to be solid on our own two feet. No need to tell you that she was a remarkable woman, who did not see all that I have accomplished, but I think she was very proud of me. “
Don’t be alone at the top
Pride is also the feeling that she seeks to cultivate during her conferences and her media interventions, an essential driving force for engineers and all those who want to become one. This is why she fully subscribes to Engineers Canada’s 30 in 30 initiative: 30% engineers by 2030. “I am optimistic that we will get there,” says Gina Cody. There is still a way to go, the number is increasing, but not as fast as we would like, because one of the problems is retention. Hence the importance of speaking out, including in multinationals where they are far from being in the majority, hammering out the same message, that of taking one’s place, regardless of the profession one exercises. “Technology is shaping our future, and if women don’t get involved in industries, they will be left behind, far behind. Do you want a change? You must be part of it! “
The one who once climbed the skyscrapers of Toronto to inspect them in every nook and cranny dreams of the day when her philanthropic gesture will be forgotten because it has become commonplace. “In 2018, I was told: ‘You are the first!’ Basically, the real question to ask is: “Why was I the first?” By my gesture, I wanted to send a message to women, including those who are much richer than me – because there are! Some say I have reached the highest peaks. Maybe, but it’s a bit like climbing a mountain: you get to the top, you contemplate the landscape, and then you come back down to do something else. »Count on Gina Cody to inspire others to rock climbing.