In May, seven eager FOSSI scholars had the opportunity to travel to Georgia, for an ambitious, action-packed, three-day forum at Solvay's Alpharetta campus.
Nya Evans, Kasey Newkirk, Arianna Pankey, Sydney Sauls, Jalen Saunders, Kennedy West, and Kaila White, arrived on a Wednesday afternoon, and were welcomed by Mike Finelli, President of Growth 
Platforms, President of North America, and FOSSI Advisory Board Member; and David Anderson, Vice President, Global Customer Quality & Supply Chain Excellence.
Finelli kicked off the program with a brief history of the company, and was joined by Donna Drake, Site Manager and Head of US Core Labs, who presented an overview of the site. Following the presentation, scholars participated in a networking dinner, where they were introduced to other company executives, and each sat with two Solvay employees.
Scholars learn about key skills for landing a job, the value of mentorship, and more
On Thursday, the day began early with a focus on key skills for landing a job. Scholars also attended a “purpose session," sharing why they had come to Alpharetta, and outlining their expectations.
Mike Finelli rejoined students to talk about his career and answer questions. He noted that many of his career and business decisions were made based on calculated risks and doing his homework. He advised scholars not to gamble or make uneducated guesses. "Make informed decisions, gather information, and ask questions.”
Next on the agenda, Leesa Branch, Senior Site Human Resources Partner, led an engaging discussion on personal branding, including resume tips, social media presence, and interviewing techniques.
Mid-day, students had a chance to relax over lunch, before embarking on a full campus tour where they were able to see full "end-to-end" customer support from development, testing, small-scale production, and demonstration.
The afternoon offered a discussion on mentorship with Research & Product Development Scientist Emmanuel Anim-Danso, mock interview practice, and a conversation with two early career engineers, who answered a wide range of questions. Scholars were most interested to know how to prepare for the first day of a job, and what to expect the first day, the first six months, and the first year.
The early career engineers were frank about their early expectations when entering the work force, and shared their learnings as well as what they would and would not do differently.
At the day’s end, scholars had some fun and were treated to Topgolf, dinner, and a chance to talk in depth with Solvay employees about their careers.
Scholars present their ideas
Friday, the final day of the forum, began with a recap of the experience and activities, and a review by recruiter Teresa Agulló, of the dos and don'ts of applying, interviewing, and negotiating for a job.
As a last activity, Chief of Staff and Sustainability Champion for the Growth Platforms, Leticia Vitalli, challenged students to tackle a case study on sustainability created from actual needs at Solvay. Scholars were divided into two groups to brainstorm, and after lunch presented their ideas to their hosts who were tremendously impressed.
In the afternoon, exhilarated FOSSI Scholars and Solvay employees said their goodbyes, feeling gratitude, and excitement about what’s ahead.
Scholars reflect on their experiences
In reflecting on their experience, several scholars shared their thoughts.
A highlight for Nya Evans was learning about Solvay and all of the incredible innovative solutions to reduce the carbon footprint.
Sydney Sauls commented, “I learned so much from my accomplished peers as well as the staff there. The training and networking that I was able to do was absolutely priceless.”
Kaila White called the forum “amazing, and such an immersive and thoughtful experience.”
And Jalen Saunders noted that he “was able to tour the facility and gain insight on how Solvay is impacting the world, as well as meet many kind and intelligent people who shared their stories. I enjoyed every moment!”
Students thanked Leesa Branch, Teresa Agulló and all the other incredible Solvay team members who made their visit so memorable.
Special kudos went out to FOSSI Champion Mike Finelli and FOSSI mentor extraordinaire, David Anderson.
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