FOSSI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Founded by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Chemours and HBCU Week Foundation, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) is a national program which seeks to increase the number of underrepresented professionals in the chemical industry workforce by providing scholarships to students pursuing preferred* STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). FOSSI also connects scholars to leadership development, mentoring, and internship opportunities at sponsoring companies.
• Sponsored by chemical manufacturers and related industry stakeholders, FOSSI provides scholarship recipients $10,000 per year for four years.

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• Number of students participating in FOSSI
• Number of students successfully completing a preferred STEM degree
• Number of internship hours provided to scholars
• Number of scholars hired by a FOSSI sponsoring company following graduation
• Substantial progress in funding the STEM talent pipeline

• *Preferred STEM majors are identified on a yearly basis by FOSSI administrators based on relevance to the chemical industry and supporting sponsor preferences. Preferred majors may include, but are not limited to: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Material Science, Sustainability, Environmental Science, Agriculture Science, Physics, and Biology. FOSSI is not intended for students interested in pursuing careers in nursing, medicine, psychology, social sciences and other associated fields. Some fields of study which may be considered STEM may not qualify for FOSSI scholarships.

To help facilitate engagement from companies of all sizes, corporations and individuals can underwrite FOSSI scholars at various financial levels.

In our inaugural year, 151 scholarships were awarded. The number of future scholarships awarded will depend on funding obtained from underwriting companies.

Eligible applicants must:

• Complete or have completed high school with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) and be entering their freshman year of college
• Have interest in pursuing a career in chemical manufacturing, engineering, environmental health and sustainability or other related chemical-industry fields
• Attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) for the entirety of their college education
• Demonstrate financial need
• Be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States

FOSSI welcomes applications from children of employees of Founding Partners and Sponsoring organizations, excluding executive-level participants or members of the scholarship review committee. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact scholarship@HBCUWeek.org. Students applying for the scholarship will be responsible for disclosing any potential conflict of interest prior to the selection process. 

The scholarship is available to anyone who meets the stated criteria. 

This initiative adds components of educational and vocational support, offering opportunities for leadership development, mentoring and internships; it is open to Brown Scholarship recipients.

• The application process will open in the fall, prior to the year of matriculation. Please check for the exact date on the application page.
• To apply, go to: https://futureofstemscholars.org/FOSSI/apply

Applicants must complete and submit a scholarship application by January 31.

The student must file the application.

A selection committee convened by the HBCU Week Foundation will work with FOSSI partners including AIChE, ACC, and Chemours, and award the scholarship based on a comprehensive evaluation process. 

The HCBU Week Foundation will notify the recipients of their selection via phone call, email, and official letter no later than June 1.

• If selected as a recipient, the student will receive scholarships of $10,000 per year for up to four years, totaling up to $40,000. The FOSSI scholarship can be used for tuition, and university-provided room and board. 
• The multi-year scholarship will be reviewed annually and is contingent upon staying in a preferred STEM major as well as satisfactory academic performance (maintaining a 2.5. out of 4.0 GPA) in a full-time course of study at an HBCU. 

The multi-year scholarship will be reviewed annually and is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance (maintaining a 2.5. out of 4.0 GPA) in a full-time course of STEM study at an HBCU. 

Yes, the scholarship is limited to undergraduate study.

Yes, the FOSSI program will offer students leadership development, mentoring and internship opportunities, as well as other training and special events. Scholars will be also paired with a corporate sponsor who will be available for additional support.

Internships are not guaranteed, but sponsoring companies will offer internship opportunities, and scholars who are rising sophomores and juniors will be eligible to apply. We hope to have a robust pool of offerings and will make every effort to accommodate students who want an internship.

This will vary annually, and will depend on the sponsoring companies and how many positions are available.  

Internship compensation varies according to each sponsor company’s policies.

The FOSSI scholarship can be used for tuition, and university-provided room and board. A student can accept additional scholarships but they cannot exceed the total cost of their education.

AIChE will pay the scholarship directly to the scholar’s HBCU educational institution per semester prior to payment deadlines. Funding will be applied to the student’s account for tuition, and university-provided room and board.  

In the event of unanticipated events, we will work with the scholar to arrive at the best possible outcome.

Preferred STEM majors are identified on a yearly basis by FOSSI administrators based on relevance to the chemical industry and supporting sponsor preferences. We anticipate that some students will change their majors over the course of their college career.  If the major is in an approved STEM field, this will not affect their FOSSI scholarship. However, if a student decides to switch to another field of study, outside of STEM, they may no longer be eligible for the scholarship. 

The FOSSI Scholarship is open to students pursuing STEM studies at an HBCU; if a student transfers to a non-HBCU, they are no longer eligible for the scholarship.