The roles and responsibilities of the chemical distribution industry are undoubtedly diverse. From chemists, engineers, mixers, tollers, marketers, sellers, accountants, and more, our industry represents a range of professional opportunities.
In the 21st century economy, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have only become more important as the research and development of new technologies gives Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) members the ability to stand out to our supply chain partners. It’s clear that diverse perspectives and experiences pave the way for innovative solutions to meet our customers’ evolving needs.
To drive our industry forward, we must foster an environment of growth and opportunity for the next generation of diverse talent. At ACD, we are proud to support the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), a national, industry-wide program that seeks to fill the STEM workforce gap in the chemical industry. FOSSI provides $40,000 scholarships to students pursuing preferred STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and is dedicated to supporting these scholars by eliminating financial barriers and helping to increase the number of underrepresented professionals in the STEM workforce.
Since its founding in 2020, FOSSI has raised over $30 million to support STEM students at HBCUs and has awarded around 600 scholars with scholarships – one-third of the way towards its goal of supporting 1,000 students by 2025. FOSSI gives the chemical industry the ability to tap into this amazing talent pool, encouraging a diverse set of students to pursue a STEM education to help the next generation of innovators in the chemical industry. In 2023, ACD began sponsoring our own FOSSI scholar, Sarah Lokenauth of Spelman College. Supporting Sarah as our FOSSI scholar is just one of the ways ACD is working to find talent and establish recognition among students of all the opportunities the chemical industry has to offer.
To help us further support this program and these students, we are partnering with American Chemistry Council (ACC) to raise awareness and support for FOSSI. In its inaugural Swings for Stem charity golf event, located in Lansdowne, Virginia, industry professionals will come together to raise money and support these students in their educational endeavors. ACD is encouraging its members to donate or participate in this incredible cause. The event will take place on June 24, 2024, at Lansdowne Resort. Following the golf competition, ACD and ACC will host an awards reception. To find out more on how you can get involved, click here.
STEM will continue to play an integral role in the success of the chemical distribution industry. We recognize the value our industry has in creating new jobs and supporting workforce development. Supporting diversity in our workforce will be key to our nation’s competitiveness in the years to come. This July, FOSSI is welcoming its fourth class of scholarship recipients. We are excited to see where these FOSSI students takes our industry!
To learn more about ACD’s participation in FOSSI, click here. ACD’s Eric Byer also recently highlighted the role of FOSSI in the chemical distribution industry on a Chemline episode titled, “Closing the Gap: The Future of Diversity in STEM.” To listen, click here.
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