Rubber Division undergraduate scholarships.

Over the past six years the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society has awarded a total of 18 $5,000 scholarships to outstanding young men and women majoring in a technical discipline in a North American college or university. The purpose of these scholarships is to assist these promising young people in the advanced stages of their academic preparation for a professional career which, hopefully, will be in or impacting the rubber industry.

These scholarships, covering one academic year (two semesters), are awarded to incoming juniors or seniors in an institution of higher learning in a country where the Rubber Division has a resident subdivision. The $5,000 stipend covers tuition, lees and other expenses billed by the institution. Awardees must have a "B" or better academic average and have serious interest in a career in the rubber industry, i.e., with a rubber manufacturer, supplier to the industry or end user of rubber parts. Each winner is given the prestigious designation of "Rubber Division Scholar" and is presented a plaque conferring this designation.

A recent survey of past winners found more than 75% to have opted for employment in the rubber industry. This is truly a remarkable achievement for this scholarship program.

Scholarship winners to date and their respective schools are:

* Stacy R. Magill, Pennsylvania State University;

* Holly Cathleen Russel, University of Cincinnati;

* Joy A. Untsch, University of Akron;

* Mark Malecky, University of Pittsburgh;

* Peih Ling Ooi, University of Nebraska;

* Kathleen Perry Koski, University of Akron;

* Nyimas Ami Arief, Virginia Polytechnic Institute;

* Denis P. Brawn, Jr., University of Cincinnati;

* Traci Korytkowski, University of Notre Dame;

* James Prentis, Ohio University;

* Matthew Stefanik, University of Akron;

* Frank Shuman, University of Massachussetts/Lowell;

* Steve Collins, Ferris State University;

* Adam Michael Feist, University of Nebraska;

* Abraham Zachary Levy (2 years), Ferris State University;

* Kinsey Leigh Hastings, University of Nebraska; and

* Kathleen Irene Frank, Ferris State University.

One of these scholarships is now endowed as a memorial to Dr. Emmanuel N. Kontos of Uniroyal Chemical (now Crompton). The first recipient of this scholarship (for the 2003-2004 academic year) is Kathleen Irene Frank of Ferris State University.

All members and friends of the Rubber Division are invited to sponsor a candidate for one of these prestigious scholarships. Applications and the scholarship guidelines may be obtained from the Rubber Division web site (www.rubber.org) or from the Division office. Ineligible for the scholarships are immediate family members of anyone involved in the administration of the program or the selection of winners. For the 2004-2005 academic year, all applications must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2004.

After review of all applications by the scholarship committee, finalist candidates are selected and personally interviewed. For the 2004-2005 year, winners will be selected, notified and announced by early June of 2004.

The intent of these scholarships offered has clearly been attained. Truly, they exemplify the ten decades of service the Rubber Division has rendered to the rubber industry worldwide.