We will be performing maintenance Tuesday, April 21, 4pm ET to Wednesday, April 22, 12PM ET; login and payment services will be unavailable during this time.

Meet Some of Syensqo’s 2025 FOSSI Scholars

Thank you to our sponsor

FOSSI extends its sincere thanks to Syensqo for supporting our FOSSI scholars and investing in their futures, including Liliana, Yashar, Preston, and Austin. By opening doors to STEM education at HBCUs, Syensqo is helping talented students pursue their ambitions and develop the skills needed to shape the future of STEM.

Meet Yashar Johnson: 2025 FOSSI scholar attending North Carolina A&T State University

Yashar Johnson is from High Point, North Carolina, and is attending North Carolina A&T State University as a mechanical engineering major. He is driven by a deep curiosity for how things move, connect, and function.

From building with Legos to taking apart radios and appliances, Yashar has always been drawn to understanding how things work. Over time, that curiosity grew into a clear path toward engineering and a passion for creating with purpose.

Looking ahead, he hopes to not only design meaningful solutions, but also give back by teaching and helping others discover their own potential.

Hear more from Yashar on overcoming challenges in STEM.

Meet Cashiem (Austin) Dickens: 2025 FOSSI scholar attending North Carolina A&T State University

Cashiem Dickens, who also goes by Austin, is from North Carolina and is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. A graduate of Image Builders Academy, he brings a strong foundation in STEM and entrepreneurship, along with a drive to keep building and creating.

His interest in STEM began early, inspired by his mother, who started a VEX IQ robotics program. That experience sparked his curiosity for how things work and set him on the path to engineering.

For Cashiem, the FOSSI scholarship provides the freedom to focus on his education and graduate with minimal debt. Outside the classroom, he expresses his creativity through drawing and art, a reflection of the creativity and problem-solving he brings to engineering.

Meet Preston Harrell: 2025 FOSSI scholar attending North Carolina A&T State University

Preston Harrell is from Loganville, Georgia, and is attending North Carolina A&T State University as a mechanical engineering major. A former two-sport varsity athlete, he developed discipline, resilience, and leadership that continue to shape his journey.

His dream is to become an aerospace engineer and work with NASA, contributing to discoveries that expand our understanding of the universe while improving life here on Earth.

Preston is grateful for the FOSSI scholarship and committed to making the most of the opportunity, using his education to create a lasting impact and inspire others to pursue ambitious goals.

Meet Liliana Zepeda: 2025 FOSSI scholar attending Howard University

Liliana Zepeda is from San Antonio, Texas, and is currently attending Howard University as a chemistry major. She is driven by a desire to create change and open doors for others who look like her.

Her love for STEM started at home, experimenting with household ingredients and watching chemistry come to life. That curiosity led her to launch a small cleaning product business, her first step in using science to help others.

Liliana hopes to create accessible self-care products and build a nonprofit focused on making them available to all, regardless of background or income. She believes deeply in the power of HBCUs, and she’s ready to use her education to make a lasting difference.

More on the 2025 class

The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) celebrates its 2025 class of 131 FOSSI scholars. Since its inception, FOSSI has raised funding for more than 860 scholarships to support exceptional high school seniors pursuing preferred STEM degrees at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each scholarship provides $40,000 in support ($10,000 per year).

See the video below for an inside look into how FOSSI is changing the lives of these amazing scholars.