It was a great day for a good cause at the inaugural Swings for STEM golf tournament at the Landsdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va, hosted by the American Chemical Council (ACC) and the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD), which raised $75K in support of the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI).
With the leadership of more than 20 sponsoring organizations, including presenting sponsor Dow, the event brought together nearly 100 participants, including chemical industry and affiliated association employees, congressional staff members, representatives of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and FOSSI scholars.
FOSSI scholars swing for STEM
SABIC FOSSI scholar Melea Earley (Howard University Class of 2025) joined her sponsor at the event, noting, “FOSSI has been an incredible experience. I was excited to be at Swings for STEM and experience the support of so many people and companies who are investing in FOSSI scholars like me. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet many of the sponsors!”
Enthused Brendan Bryan (North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Class of 2025), commented, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a FOSSI scholar and attend this fundraising event. It was an invaluable
experience to connect with distinguished individuals and representatives from prominent companies, all of whom share a common focus in engineering and STEM fields. Meeting professionals who work in Congress was particularly inspiring as it opened my eyes to new possibilities in advocacy and potential career paths.”
Guests played the course and vied for prizes for best putt, the longest drive, and lowest score, before sitting down to a picnic lunch and the awards ceremony.
Host companies discuss FOSSI and the future of STEM
“To remain competitive in today’s global economy, it’s essential that we foster an environment of growth and opportunity for the next generation of diverse talent,” said Eric R. Byer, ACD President and CEO. “This week’s event represents an important step in investing in the future of our workforce so that we can continue to 
demonstrate the value of our industry among students nationwide.”
Chris Jahn, President and CEO of ACC, added, “I am incredibly proud of the impact that FOSSI has made on hundreds of talented students across the nation. Swings for STEM is not only raising scholarship funds, but also awareness of the important role of HBCUs and the opportunities that FOSSI provides students and educators.”
We invite companies not currently supporting FOSSI to build their pipeline of outstanding and diverse talent by supporting a FOSSI scholar. Learn more.