On October 24, 2024, FOSSI founding partner HBCU Week Foundation hosted its second College Fair in partnership with The Walt Disney Company in Orlando, FL. 
At the fair, FOSSI hosted a mega-booth and was joined by sponsors from ACC, AIChE, Pfizer, and Univar, who distributed 2025 application flyers and answered questions from more than 10,000 high school students, parents, teachers, and representatives from 45+ HBCUs.
Lunch & Learn: The Superpowers of a STEM degree
FOSSI also hosted a Lunch & Learn on “The Superpowers of a STEM Degree” with surprise guest, actor Anthony Anderson, who energized the crowd exclaiming “You picked the right room! Listen to these 
talented speakers and ask lots of questions.”
Following Anderson, Dr. Kimberly Wise White, Vice President, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, American Chemistry Council (ACC), welcomed students and provided details about the FOSSI scholarship and its unique benefits.
Panelists share heartfelt advice
Brad A. Lich, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Eastman, a FOSSI sponsor company, then led a discussion highlighting Eastman’s rich history of innovation, the chemical industry’s increasing need for STEM graduates, and the abundance of exciting, high-paying jobs right out of college.
He was joined by Eastman colleagues Andrew Yacinthe, an environmental engineer, and Alyshia Williams, a chemical engineer, who spoke of their college experiences and the choices that helped determine their eventual career paths.
Williams noted her love of science, math, and problem-solving and her desire to contribute to her communities by developing safe sustainable solutions to address the waste crisis and climate change.
Yacinthe told students, "I couldn’t be an astronaut so I decided to help fix the earth. STEM fields help change the world. We are the problem solvers at the forefront of innovation providing solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.”
All speakers noted the importance of an open
mind, gaining work experience during college, mentors that give honest feedback, and just plain showing up.
If you know of any high school seniors who are eligible for the FOSSI scholarship, please encourage them to apply! The application deadline is January 31, 2025.
We invite companies not currently supporting FOSSI to build their pipeline of outstanding and diverse talent by supporting a FOSSI scholar. Learn more.