Michigan State University and Marathon Petroleum Corp. recently celebrated a new partnership and a $150,000 commitment for underrepresented and underprepared students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM.
Marathon Petroleum’s support will strengthen the Engineering and Science Success Academy at MSU – a seven-week, residential program administered by the Diversity Programs Office in the College of Engineering.
“Marathon Petroleum is helping us increase the number of students in a proven high-impact program – ESSA,” said College of Engineering Dean Leo Kempel. “It is a great step in helping new students to succeed and helps us build a bigger career pipeline into engineering, technology and science.”
The new partnership was the focus of a recent ceremony at MSU at which representatives of Marathon Petroleum and MSU celebrated the three-year agreement and also networked with students to discuss internship and employment opportunities.
“MPC is honored to partner with Michigan State University and support the Engineering and Science Success Academy and its students,” said Rod Nichols, senior vice president of Human Resources and Administrative Services for Marathon Petroleum. “We are proud to provide financial assistance to a program that encourages students who benefit from additional preparation to pursue careers in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.”
Established in 2007, ESSA is a two-year initiative that helps prepare STEM students from underrepresented populations for MSU’s four primary STEM colleges – Agriculture and National Resources, Engineering, Lyman Briggs and Natural Science. Students participate in a seven-week summer bridge program that helps them transition into their freshman year in college.
MPC is the nation's third-largest refiner, with a crude oil refining capacity of approximately 1.8 million barrels per calendar day in its seven-refinery system. Marathon brand gasoline is sold through approximately 5,500 independently owned retail outlets across 19 states.