On December 1, AIChE hosted its 2022 Gala, which celebrated the extraordinary work of the chemical engineering profession. A central theme of the evening was inspiring the next generation, which was brought to life by the presence of students from the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative, including Dow scholars Emmanuel Durojaiye (Morgan State), Jalen Mays (Howard), Korin Murray (NC A &T), and Courtney Young (Howard); Deloitte scholar Kaila White (NC A&T); and Bayer scholar Jada Horton (Howard).
Scholars enjoy pre-Gala activities
During the day, the students were treated to lunch and an information session with AIChE’s Sarah Ewing and Eric Bell. They had the chance to get to know each other, discussing majors, hobbies, internship experiences, and how they are adjusting to college life. Following lunch, scholars had free time to sightsee and shop, including a stop at Rockefeller Center for photos of the Christmas tree.
It was exciting to be able to travel to New York for the first time and meet my peers and mentors from Dow. Being chosen as a FOSSI scholar has been truly incredible and means so much to me.
In the evening, scholars attended the AIChE Gala on Park Avenue, and had the opportunity to meet AIChE CEO & Executive Director, Darlene Schuster, AIChE President, Dr. Christine Grant, and one of the gala honorees, Dr. Paula T. Hammond, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a member of the MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.
Scholars reflect on the evening
After the formal program, all enjoyed a dessert buffet and mingling with other guests - before heading back to school – and for many, exams!
Emmanuel Durojaiye commented, “It was exciting to be able to travel to New York for the first time and meet my peers and mentors from Dow. Being chosen as a FOSSI scholar has been truly incredible and means so much to me.” Kaila White added, “It was an incredible experience for me and I was honored to be invited.”
See more FOSSI scholars at AIChE's 2022 Annual Gala below!