WICKLIFFE, Ohio — The Lubrizol Corporation, which owns and operates chemical engineering facilities in 17 countries, has pledged $100,000 over the next five years in support of the College of Engineering’s Engineering Equity Initiative.
The initiative aims to increase the number of women completing their engineering degree to 50 percent by 2026, while also growing the number of students from all under-represented groups.
“Lubrizol’s commitment to support this initiative speaks to the importance of working toward a more inclusive engineering culture,” said Justin Schwartz, the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering. “By building equity into engineering from the first day in the classroom, we will graduate a workforce who knows that we need everyone to engineer solutions to the problems we all face.”
The company has partnered with Penn State since 1959 in various capacities to support higher education.
“We further our commitment to Penn State by funding scholarships for the Engineering Equity Initiative to ensure high-quality services and learning opportunities are available for under-represented students by removing barriers, strengthening relationships, and maintaining affordability,” said J. Mark Sutherland, Lubrizol’s vice president for public affairs.
The Lubrizol Fund for the Engineering Equity Initiative in the College of Engineering, as the support is called, will be divided, with 25 percent dedicated to programs that promote equity and inclusion.
The remaining 75 percent will be used to fund scholarships for undergraduate students who are enrolled in the College of Engineering and participating in relevant programs, such as the Women in Engineering Program or the Multicultural Engineering Program. As Lubrizol specializes in chemistry, first preference will be given to students who are majoring or plan to major in chemical engineering.
“Lubrizol’s founders believed that investments in education play a critical role in building the dignity and growth of the individual and in fostering strong businesses and communities,” said Sutherland. “The Lubrizol Corporation proudly continues their tradition of support for education now and for the future.”
This gift will advance "A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence," a focused campaign that seeks to elevate Penn State’s position as a leading public university in a world defined by rapid change and global connections. With the support of alumni and friends, “A Greater Penn State” seeks to fulfill the three key imperatives of a 21st-century public university: keeping the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; creating transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impacting the world by fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more about “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.
About The Lubrizol Corporation
The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a market-driven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their environmental impact. It is a leader at combining market insights with chemistry and application capabilities to deliver valuable solutions to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,700 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2017 were $6.3 billion. For more information, visit Lubrizol.com.