American Chemical Society offers college scholarships for minority students in chemistry

WASHINGTON, November 12, 2014 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program is accepting applications from African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American students who are pursuing, or intend to pursue, bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology or related majors, and who are planning careers in the chemical sciences.

Renewable awards from $1,000 to $5,000 per year are given to qualified students entering or already in community colleges and four-year institutions.  ACS accepts applications from graduating high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

Applications will be accepted from November 1, 2014 through March 1, 2015, for the academic year 2015-2016. Applications are accepted online on the ACS Scholars Program website (www.acs.org/scholars).  Additional information is available by calling 1-800-227-5558, extension 6250, or by emailing scholars@acs.org.

A degree in chemistry prepares students for employment in such varied fields as: medical research and drug design, environmental studies, forensics, food, the search for alternate energy sources, safeguarding national security, and engineering new materials.

ACS established the Scholars program in 1995 to attract underrepresented minorities to the chemical sciences and to build awareness of the value and rewards associated with careers in chemistry. In addition to financial support, the program provides mentoring and research and networking opportunities that help students acquire the skills and credentials needed for a successful career.

To date 2,568 students have received a scholarship through the ACS Scholars Program. African Americans comprise 52% of the recipient pool, Hispanic/Latinos represent 42%, and American Indian students are at 6%.

More than 1,500 ACS Scholars have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in a chemical science. Of those students, 44% are known to have gone on to graduate school, and 39% are known to have entered the chemical science workforce.

The ACS Scholars Program is generously supported by:

Benefactor $1,000,000+
PPG Industries Foundation, Inc.

Visionary Partners $500,000+
GlaxoSmithKline
Procter & Gamble Beauty & Grooming
Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation

Sustaining Partners $250,000+
3M Corporation
ACS Petroleum Research Fund
Dow Corning Foundation
DuPont
Schering-Plough Research Institute

Partners $100,000+
AstraZeneca
BSAF
Bayer Foundation
Dow Chemical Company Foundation
Société de Chimie Industrielle – American Section
Xerox

The program is also supported through the generosity of many individual donors, ACS local sections and ACS members, including more than 60 former ACS Scholars.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.