New FOSSI Donors Help Fuel a Diverse Talent Pipeline for the Future
This spring, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) is welcoming new supporters and friends to the FOSSI family. Our sincere thanks to AbbVie, Air Liquide, Air Products, Arsenal Capital, Fluor, the National Association of Chemical Distributors, Nouryon, Rockwell Automation, Day & Zimmermann, Johnson Controls, and ICL Group, for partnering with us to help create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive STEM workforce.
It was incredibly valuable to spend last summer interning at BASF's Freeport, LA facility, and to have the chance to work with some of the best engineers in the business, gain first-hand industry experience, and have access to great mentors. — FOSSI scholar Zackery McCray, Prairie View A&M University sophomore
These companies join a distinguished group of 60+ FOSSI sponsors and numerous individual donors, who are helping provide a college education to outstanding underrepresented students and opening the doors of opportunity to an industry that is helping to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.
Now in its third year, FOSSI has raised nearly $30 million and funded almost 600 scholars – more than halfway towards the goal of funding 1,000 scholars through 2025.
As part of the program, each scholar receives $10K annually for four years at an HBCU and participates in AIChE’s Fundamentals of Success program, which includes mentoring, leadership development, and internship opportunities at sponsor companies.
In addition, FOSSI scholars are matched with individual sponsors, and there is already active engagement. Many scholars have visited corporate offices, toured plants and facilities, and participated in internships.
FOSSI scholar Zackery McCray, a sophomore at Prairie View A&M University, spent last summer interning in BASF’s Freeport, LA facility and notes how valuable it was to have the chance to “work with some of the best engineers in the business, gain first-hand industry experience, and have access to great mentors”.
You can learn more about FOSSI and see the program in action on our FOSSI website.
Please join us with a gift of inspiration and give more outstanding students a path to a successful college experience, and a rewarding career in our industry.
FOSSI Hits HBCU Campus
On January 18th, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) hosted its first on-campus visit with 42 FOSSI scholars and 15 corporate sponsors at Howard University campus for lunch and a networking session. This was the first opportunity for in-person interaction between scholars and sponsors, who are eager to attend more of these gatherings in the future.
FOSSI Makes Hundreds of Dreams Come True
The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) brings its magic to the HBCU Week College Fair at Disney, and proudly announces funding for 550 scholarships–more than halfway towards its goal of funding 1,000 scholarships through 2025.