Chevron Phillips Chemical is inviting future engineers and other students to get a closer look at the company through its support of the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative.
In December 2023, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company hosted 11 FOSSI scholars for a two-day, action-packed visit to its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown and its headquarters in The Woodlands.
To attend the event, FOSSI scholars Joshua Orange, JonMari McKinley, Ashlyn Taylor, Tiarra Smith, Carol Akpan, Lauren Myers, Onye Franklin Hedges Jr., Ford Blunt IV, Landen Anderson, Christian Abbott, and Colin Saveat traveled from their respective HBCUs, including Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern A&M University, Alabama A&M University, and North Carolina A&T State University.
More on the event
For the first day, CPChem FOSSI champion Vander Breland planned activities so students could get to know each other. First up was an afternoon at Top Golf, which included golf, other games, and a buffet dinner.
Day two began with a guided tour through the Cedar Bayou manufacturing facility and laboratory, where CPChem professionals highlighted a range of career opportunities, including careers in operations, reliability, process safety, engineering, maintenance and IT.
Scholar questions ranged from “How were you able to maintain your focus and drive while in college?” to “What could we do now to help us stand out during internship interviews?”
After lunch at the plant, students traveled to CPChem Headquarters in The Woodlands, where they engaged in a question-and-answer session and discussed the company’s new-hire network and rotation program as well as the company values that propelled CPChem in the rankings in Forbes’s Top 500 Best Employers, announced in 2023.
The day concluded with dinner at Del Frisco’s Grill, where students shared their take-aways and experiences. “We all had a great time,” Breland said, “and we are looking to make this an annual event.”
CPChem’s commitment to FOSSI
With a commitment of $480,000, CPChem has sponsored 20 scholars since 2021, joining a growing list of organizations that have raised more than $30 million. Programming, mentorship, and awards for the first cohort of FOSSI Scholars began in fall 2021, and internships at CPChem facilities began in summer of 2023, according to CPChem’s Talent Acquisition Manager, Ken Martin.
“The challenges facing society and our industry require human ingenuity and innovation,” CPChem’s President and CEO Bruce Chinn said. “As the world’s population grows and the middle class expands, we must meet the increasing demand for our products while delivering sustainable solutions. The diversity and talent of our workforce is critical to our success in accomplishing our sustainable growth plans. Programs like FOSSI help equip our future workforce with the perspective, intellect, and innovation mindset to tackle these pressing challenges while supporting our long-term diversity efforts to strengthen our employee pipeline.”
We invite companies not currently supporting FOSSI to build their pipeline of outstanding and diverse talent by supporting a FOSSI scholar. Learn more.