ACC - American Chemistry Council
09/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2024 13:28
White House HBCU Initiative Honors FOSSI With 2024 Chairman’s Award
PHILADELPHIA (September 18, 2024) - The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) was honored today with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) 2024 Chairman's Award, part of the Excellence in Innovation and Collaboration Acknowledgement Awards, presented during the 2024 National HBCU Week Conference.
The Chairman's Award recipient was chosen by Dr. Tony Allen, Chairman of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges & Universities and President of Delaware State University. The 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.
Established in 2020 to reduce financial barriers to higher education and enhance diversity in the chemical industry workforce, FOSSI provides $40,000 scholarships to 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. 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," shared Dr. Allen.
To date, FOSSI has raised nearly $40 million to provide over 800 scholarships through 2028. FOSSI is helping students across nearly 40 HBCUs find success in their education and in future career pathways. Notably, FOSSI has a nearly 95% student retention rate in its first three 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.
Future of STEM Scholars Initiative
The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative was founded in 2020 by the American Chemistry Council, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), The Chemours Company, and the HBCU Week Foundation. FOSSI is a national chemical industry-wide program which provides scholarships to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), helping to eliminate financial barriers for historically under-represented groups. Sponsored by chemical manufacturers and related industry stakeholders, FOSSI provides scholarship recipients $10,000 per year for four years and connects these students to leadership development, mentoring and internship opportunities at participating companies. Learn more at FutureofSTEMscholars.org.
American Chemistry Council
The American Chemistry Council's mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably-for generations to come.
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