132 students receive scholarships worth $40K for STEM study at HBCUs

Since 2020, FOSSI has awarded scholarships worth $10,000 per year for four years to marginalized groups pursuing preferred STEM degrees.

The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) has welcomed 132 new scholarship recipients from 26 states who will study at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), according to a news release. 

During a virtual celebration on July 31, FOSSI leaders welcomed the new scholars with keynotes from Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) and Dr. Dietra Trent, executive director of the White House initiative on advancing educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity through HBCUs.

“I am proud to welcome these 132 talented and ambitious scholars to the FOSSI family,” said FOSSI Advisory Board Chair Jim Fitterling, chair and chief executive officer of Dow, according to the news release. 

Fitterling noted that the 132 scholars “have distinguished themselves as some of the best and brightest across the nation.”

“We can’t wait to see what they accomplish in their chosen fields,” Fitterling said. 

Since 2020, FOSSI has awarded scholarships worth $10,000 per year for four years to marginalized groups pursuing preferred STEM degrees. The initiative is a collaborative effort with “chemical manufacturers and related industry stakeholders,” per FOSSI’s website. 

“Since the start of the program, FOSSI has awarded 595 exceptional high-school seniors $40,000 scholarships ($10,000 per year) to pursue preferred STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),” a statement on the website reads. 

In the fall, the 132 scholars will enroll in 26 HBCUs, majoring in over a dozen STEM fields. The news release shows they have joined nearly 300 additional FOSSI scholarship recipients.

According to the news release, a network of more than 70 corporate sponsors assist scholarship recipients with skills training, mentorship and internship opportunities. FOSSI’s extensive support system has resulted in approximately 95% student retention since 2021, per the organization’s news release, with its first class scheduled to graduate in 2025.

FOSSI has raised nearly $30 million to support 595 students to date. The news release states that the program aims to support 1,000 students through 2025. 

“Through this ambitious long-term goal, FOSSI has the potential to have a real, tangible impact on the face of the chemical industry, providing opportunities for students in local facility communities and across the nation to pursue their dreams of a STEM education,” said FOSSI Chairman Mark Vergnano in a statement. 

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