American Society of Safety Engineers News |
Michael Nowak |
for immediate release |
DES PLAINES, IL (June 10, 2005) — Announcing a new scholarship for Hispanic students pursuing a degree in occupational safety and health, American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) member Rixio Medina, CSP, of Houston, TX, today established the Medina Scholarship for Hispanics in Safety through the ASSE Foundation to address the needs of a growing Hispanic workforce.
ASSE Foundation Chair Kennith D. Brock, CSP, said, “The ASSE Foundation appreciates the efforts of Rixio Medina and CITGO in providing funding for this new scholarship for Hispanic students in safety, and we look forward to awarding the first scholarship next spring.”
An active professional member of ASSE, Medina donated $6,000 towards this new scholarship fund, and his employer CITGO Petroleum Corporation contributed a matching donation. Medina serves as vice president of Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Protection for CITGO Petroleum Corporation in Houston. The scholarship fund will help address some of the challenges facing the safety, health and environmental (SH&E) profession, as noted in the findings from an ASSE Council on Practices and Standards Technical Report titled ‘The Impact of Multi-Language Worksites on SH&E Professionals.’
Medina said, “Multi-language workplaces present a challenge that is growing in complexity, and this new scholarship will support the need for more Spanish-speaking safety and health professionals in the U.S. The scholarship will encourage Hispanic students who are striving towards a career dedicated to preventing workplace injuries and illnesses, and ensuring the safety and health of fellow workers.”
Beginning next spring, the ASSE Foundation will annually award a $1,000 scholarship through the Medina Scholarship for Hispanics in Safety fund. Students must be Hispanic, be bilingual in Spanish-English, have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 and be recommended by a safety faculty member. The scholarship applies to students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in safety, fire protection, industrial hygiene or a related field in safety. Special preference will be given to students enrolled in an ABET accredited program. Students can submit their applications for scholarships to the ASSE Foundation from September through December each year. For more information visit www.asse.org/foundat.htm.
Chartered in 1990, the ASSE Foundation is committed to ensuring the future of the occupational safety and health profession by providing financial resources to individuals and organizations. Funding for the Foundation comes from corporations and voluntary donations from ASSE members for applied safety research, scholarships, fellowships, internships and professional development.
Formed in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the oldest and largest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its 30,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education. For more information check ASSE’s website at www.asse.org.