STORRS, Conn., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The UConn School of
Engineering today announced the creation of the Vergnano Institute
for Inclusion, an endowed Institute funded by a generous gift from
two UConn alumni, that will drive
increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the
engineering field by providing underrepresented students with
access to scholarships, coaching and mentorship opportunities,
training, and other critical career development resources within
the School. This gift represents the largest DEI investment in the
history of the UConn School of Engineering and is one of the
largest single DEI investments in UConn.
Funding for the Institute will be kickstarted by a $3 million gift from Mark
and Betsy (Reddington) Vergnano, alumni of the UConn School
of Engineering and School of Liberal Arts and Sciences,
respectively. Mark, who was inducted into UConn's Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 2005,
serves as CEO of The Chemours Company, a global chemistry company
with leading market positions in Titanium Technologies, Thermal
& Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials, and
Chemical Solutions.
The Vergnano Institute for Inclusion builds upon the School's
30-year legacy of diversity, equity, and inclusion and will enhance
several signature diversity programs, such as the school's
five-week intensive residential BRIDGE Program, which serves
underrepresented incoming freshmen engineering students – both
minorities and women.
"It is an incredible honor for Betsy and me to be a part of, and
build upon, a storied and impactful program that is focused on
advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through our alma mater,"
said Mark Vergnano. "The Vergnano
Institute for Inclusion will provide crucial support for Scholars
that opens doors, shifts industry paradigms and creates a
competitive workforce of diverse talent within engineering."
"This is a crucial moment in UConn's
history—a chance to further invest in growing our diverse student
body, while offering key resources to our current students," said
Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, Interim UConn
President and CEO of UConn Health. "Our School of Engineering
graduates over 50 percent of Connecticut's new engineering workforce each
year, and this new Institute will ensure that those new engineers
will truly reflect the changing face of America's industries."
"The School of Engineering serves as an economic engine to the
state—offering world-class students to the workforce and
cutting-edge research to our industrial partners. But a more
diverse engineering workforce is sorely needed, and the Vergnanos'
gift will allow some of the state's largest companies to innovate
and thrive," said Kazem Kazerounian,
Dean of UConn Engineering.
The Vergnanos have long been committed to making a college
education affordable to students, and Mark's passion for promoting
greater diversity and inclusion in the chemical industry has
carried over to Chemours. Since its founding, Chemours has taken
bold actions to drive diversity, increase access to science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions for more
populations, and identify top talent from underrepresented
communities. The company launched the Future of Chemistry
Scholarship (FOCS) program in 2017 and was a lead partner for the
subsequent Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), an
industry-wide partnership providing scholarships, internships, and
mentorship to students pursuing a STEM education at Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), where Mark serves as the
founding chair.
Kevin McLaughlin has been named
Director of the new Vergnano Institute, having previously served as
the Director of the school's former Engineering Diversity and
Outreach Center. Stephany Santos
will serve as Associate Director.
For more information visit, inclusion.engr.uconn.edu.
About the UConn School of Engineering
The UConn
School of Engineering is a powerhouse for research and engineering
education in the State of
Connecticut and beyond. We are the #1 public engineering
school in New England, and we provide 51 percent of the State's
engineering graduates. We work with local and national industry to
address pressing technological challenges and to strengthen our
manufacturing base. We value entrepreneurship and innovation, and
our students and faculty actively develop startups and new
technologies in support of economic development. Equally important,
initiatives in engineering for human rights, brownfields,
cybersecurity and other current issues demonstrate our enduring
commitment to addressing major challenges facing our society.
About The Chemours Company
The Chemours Company
(Chemours or the Company) (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in Titanium
Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced
Performance Materials, and Chemical Solutions providing its
customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with
market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based
innovations. We deliver customized solutions with a wide range of
industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including
coatings, plastics, refrigeration, and air conditioning,
transportation, semiconductor and consumer electronics, general
industrial, mining and oil and gas. Our flagship products
include prominent brands such as Ti-Pure™, Opteon™, Freon™,
Nafion™, Krytox™, Teflon™, and Viton™. In 2019, Chemours was named
to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies. The
company has approximately 6,500 employees and 30 manufacturing
sites serving approximately 3,300 customers in approximately 120
countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE
under the symbol CC.
For more information, we invite you to
visit chemours.com or follow us on
Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn.
For Media Inquiries Contact:
Eli Freund
860-463-1857
UConn Engineering
eli.freund@uconn.edu
Cassie Olszewski
Media Relations and Financial Communications Manager, Chemours
+1 302 219 7140
media@chemours.com
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SOURCE The Chemours Company; The University
of Connecticut School of Engineering