BASF awards scholarships to SUBR engineering students

BASF recently awarded $5,000 in scholarships to two engineering majors at Southern University Baton Rouge as part of the BASF's efforts to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers.

"BASF's Team Chemistry scholarship program focuses on STEM education because these fields are crucial to the future growth and success of our industry," said Tom Yura, senior vice president and manager of the BASF site in Geismar. "This year's recipients earned their scholarships by choosing challenging degree programs and excelling in their studies at Southern University."

The winning students, who each received a $2,500 scholarship from BASF, demonstrated academic success as engineering majors and are active in campus organizations.

Taquincy Damon Alexander (pictured above left), a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering at Southern University, was valedictorian of Jeanerette High School in Iberia Parish and recipient of a Southern University Honors College Scholarship and the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students Performance Award. He is a member of the Louisiana Collegiate Honors Council, the Southern Regional Honors Council, the Student Government Association, the Men’s Federation, the National Society of Black Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Dorlissia Robinson (pictured above right) of Houma, is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering at Southern University. She is secretary of the National Society of Black Engineers, and is active in a number of campus organizations, including the Student Government Association, the Louisiana Collegiate Honors Council, the Association for Women Students, Beta Kappa Chi, the National Institute of Science, and the Society of Women Engineers. She also volunteers for Better Together Serving Our Southern. Robinson also accepted an engineering internship with BASF for the summer of 2015.

"By awarding scholarships to our students, BASF is acknowledging their hard work and encouraging them to continue aiming for academic excellence," said Habib Mohamadian, Southern University's dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. "I'd like to congratulate Taquincy and Dorlissia for receiving this honor and successfully working toward their goal to become future engineers."

BASF's manufacturing presence near Southern University includes operations in Geismar, the corporation's largest site in North America, Zachary, and Vidalia. BASF employs a workforce of around 2,000 people in Louisiana and invests nearly $300 million in the state through annual payroll, purchases, taxes and charitable contributions.

Visit www.basf.us/la for more information.