Approaching her 100th birthday provided Ruth Mast Fox with an opportunity to reflect on her life as a learner and an educator. One of her conclusions is that more people are needed in the STEM professions – science, technology, engineering and math.

Never one to let the status quo be, she is doing something about it with a generous donation to Delta College to establish the Ruth Mast Fox Scholarship Endowment. Distributions of interest from the endowment will provide scholarship support for students studying in the STEM fields.

“I am pleased to be able to help all students in STEM areas of study at Delta,” said Fox, who celebrated her 100th birthday on April 30. “In particular, as a woman who attended college at a time when it wasn’t all that common, I encourage more women to go into STEM.”

A True Pioneer

Ruth Mast (Fox) was born in Beaverton, Michigan, and resides today in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. She was a true pioneer for women when she attended Bay City Junior College, Delta College’s predecessor, after graduating from Bay City Central High School. She also attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master of Arts Degree in Speech Pathology, before teaching at both Ball State University and Central Michigan University.

Following her marriage to Earl Fox on September 6, 1952, they moved to Bay City. Ruth accepted the position of speech pathologist at the Bay Arenac Intermediate School District, where she stayed for the remainder of her career. The couple went on to have three children: Janet Fox, John Wesley Fox, and Kathryn Fox (Brainard). Ruth also has four grandchildren: Benjamin Brainard, Colby Brainard, John Fox and Russell Fox.

Belief in Delta’s Mission

Fox never forgot her roots at Bay City Junior College, and was able to follow the evolution of Delta College throughout her career and beyond. She recalls her own challenge to pay for college in the 1930s, and hopes the establishment of this endowment can help relieve some of the pressure for today’s students.

“My dad wanted me to be sure what my major was going to be before he would pay for me to go to a university,” she recalled. “Bay City Junior College helped me decide. I was very glad later to see Delta College built so it could serve students in Midland and Saginaw counties, and not just Bay County. Now with the new buildings in downtown Saginaw and Midland, I wish the College continued success.”