White House HBCU Initiative Honors FOSSI with 2024 Chairman’s Award

PHILADELPHIA, PA (September 18, 2024) - The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) was honored with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) 2024 Chairman's Award, one of the Excellence in Innovation and Collaboration Acknowledgement Awards. The award was presented during the U.S. Department of Education's 2024 National HBCU Week Conference, held September 15-19 in Philadelphia, PA.

The Chairman's Award was presented to FOSSI based on the program's leadership and meaningful actions to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to successfully compete for private and public sector investment. The award recipient was chosen by Dr. Tony Allen, Chairman of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and President of Delaware State University.

Established in 2020 by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemistry Council, The Chemours Company, and the HBCU Week Foundation, FOSSI reduces financial barriers to higher education and enhances diversity in the chemical industry workforce, providing $40,000 scholarshipsto students studying preferred STEM degrees at HBCUs.

Mark Vergnano, Founding Chair of FOSSI, and Ashley Christopher, President of the HBCU Week Foundation, received the award on behalf of FOSSI.

"FOSSI represents a pivotal investment in HCBUs and our students," said Chairman Tony Allen. "From the very beginning, I have watched proudly as Mark and Ashley open door after door of opportunity for talented students and strengthen our historically black educational institutions across the nation."

To date, FOSSI has raisednearly $40 million to provide more than 800 scholarships through 2028. FOSSI is helping students at nearly 40 HBCUs to find success in their education and in future career pathways. Notably, FOSSI has a nearly 95% student retention rate in its first three annual classes.

Vergnano expressed his gratitude for the recognition, noting, "I am honored to accept this award on behalf of all the FOSSI Founding Partners and the 80+ organizations that have dedicated their time and resources to this impactful program. FOSSI not only strengthens the academic pipeline but also fuels innovation and builds a diverse and dynamic future chemical industry workforce."

Christopher noted the value of FOSSI in driving HBCU enrollment, sharing, "HBCU Week Foundation is immensely proud of the partnerships we've developed in FOSSI, and its impact in exposing high-school aged students to the value and legacy of HBCUs, enabling hundreds of students to follow their dream of attending these historic institutions."

To learn more, visit www.FutureOfSTEMScholars.org. Applications for the 2025 scholarship open on September 27.

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