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SPE Foundation

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Girl Scouts Explore PACK EXPO

November 15, 2024

It was an inspiring weekend with the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana! The SPE Foundation welcomed 80 young girls to participate in fun activities to earn their Sustainable Packaging Patch, developed in partnership with the Institute of Packaging Professionals. Nearly 30 older girls and their parents had the opportunity to attend PACK EXPO, thanks to the generous support from the PMMI Foundation. The girls explored the showroom floor, connected with women leaders in the packaging industry, and proudly earned their Sustainable Packaging Patch. Thanks to all who made this possible, including a generous gift from the SPE Flexible Packaging Division. Read More.


SPE Foundation Sustainable Packaging Patch Makes Its Debut

September 23, 2024

The SPE Foundation Sustainable Packaging Patch had its debut with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas in Dallas last weekend! In partnership with the Institute of Packaging Professionals and sponsored by PMMI, the Celanese Foundation, and the Niagara Cares Foundation, 150 Girl Scouts, along with their troop leaders and parents, dove into the world of sustainable packaging. From composting and upcycling to thermoplastics and bioplastics, Girl Scouts discovered how they can help shape a more sustainable future. Older girls also took part in a Q&A panel with women professionals, exploring career opportunities in the packaging industry. Discover more about the SPE Sustainable Packaging Patch here: SPE & Girl Scouts - Sustainable Packaging Patch.


Michael P. Sepe Memorial Scholarship Campaign Underway

August 16, 2024

Join us in celebrating the life and career of our colleague, friend, and plastics industry superstar, Mike Sepe. Together with Mike’s close friends and colleagues, we're proud to announce the Michael P. Sepe Memorial Scholarship campaign, with a goal of raising $50,000 by Oct. 1 to establish an endowed scholarship in his honor. Help us honor Mike's legacy by awarding a scholarship in his memory for generations to come. Give.4spe.org/MikeSepe.


SPE Foundation Donates 3D Printer to Students

June 21, 2024

Exciting news! This spring, the SPE Foundation donated a 3D printer to North Central Jr/Sr High’s advanced manufacturing program in Farmersburg, IN. Students designed devices to help those with reduced hand strength open soda bottles. The winners enjoyed their success with a refreshing drink! Read More.


Vitale Unveils New SPE Foundation Girl Scout Patch at NPE

May 17, 2024

Eve Vitale, Chief Executive of the SPE Foundation, delivered a presentation at the Women in Plastics Breakfast during NPE, unveiling the new Sustainable Packaging Girl Scout Patch. With 500+ attendees, the event generated immense enthusiasm for our patch, aimed at educating and inspiring young girls to join us in our sustainability efforts. The sold-out event united female plastics professionals, empowering them to unapologetically leverage their full talents to serve our industry. Read More.


Girl Scouts Introduce SPE Foundation-Backed Sustainable Packaging Patch

April 24, 2024

The new Girl Scout Gold Award SPE Foundation Grant is now available for eligible Girl Scouts who wish to make a positive impact on community recycling, sustainability, or diversity in STEM, helping fund Girl Scout troops interested in participating. Read More.


SPE Foundation and Brightmark® Announce First-Of-Its-Kind Scholarship Fund for Georgia Tech Students

March 11, 2024

The SPE Foundation is proud to announce the establishment of the Brightmark Scholarship in Plastics Circularity endowment. In collaboration with the SPE Foundation, Brightmark, a circular innovation company with a mission to Reimagine Waste®, has created an enduring legacy by establishing an endowed scholarship intended for students attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. Read More.


SPE 2023 Foundation Scholarship Recipients Announced

October 18, 2023

The SPE Foundation recently announced the outstanding individuals who have been selected as the Foundation’s 2023 scholarship recipients. These scholarships are a testament to the Foundation's unwavering commitment to supporting the next generation of talent in the plastics industry. Read More.


Braskem and the SPE Foundation: Changing the Perception of Plastics One Classroom at a Time

September 25, 2023 

Changing the perception of plastics is a challenging prospect considering the almost constant barrage of misinformation, scare-tactics, and the spread of inaccurate reporting designed to devalue, or worse, diminish, the benefits plastics play in society. It takes a strong commitment and powerful collaboration to provide opportunities to flip the perception from negative to positive. Read More.


SPE Foundation Expands Board and Strengthens Commitment to Plastics Education

July 6, 2023 

The SPE Foundation, a leading organization dedicated to the growth of plastics professionals and the advancement of plastics education, is pleased to announce the election of four new Board members. Albert McGovern, Steve Zamprelli, Matt Urfali, and Greg Adams have been elected to serve on the Board for a three-year term. Read More.


BASF Hosts SPE Junior Researchers with STEM Aspirations

May 3, 2023Coatings World

BASF recently hosted students from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Junior Researchers Program along with other students in the community for hands-on learning experiences in the labs at the BASF site in Wyandotte. Read More.


Celanese Foundation Provides Substantial Grant to SPE Foundation

April 11, 2023

The Celanese Foundation, part of Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), (NYSE: CE), a global specialty materials and chemical company, recently granted $50,000 to fund the SPE Foundation’s work in Detroit and Dallas. The grant will be used to sponsor SPE After-School STEM Clubs, Ecotek Lab collaboration, and  the PlastiVan® programming, which upholds the Foundation’s three-pronged approach to enrich and develop future workforce for the plastics industry. Read More.


DuPont™ Tedlar® Donates $20,000 to SPE Foundation

March 22, 2023

DuPont™ Tedlar®, the global leader in technology-based materials and solutions, recently donated $20,000 to the SPE Foundation to support the Foundation’s three-pronged approach to enrich and develop future workforce for the plastics industry. Read More.


SPE Foundation's PlastiVan Brings Real-World STEM to McKinney, TX, Faubion Middle School

March 20, 2023

SPE Foundation PlastiVan Educator Evan Morton discusses the science behind plastics engineering with McKinney, TX, Faubion Middle School students on Wednesday, March 16. Read More.


SPE Foundation Scholarship Applications Are Now Open

December 2, 2022

The SPE Foundation offers numerous scholarships to students who have demonstrated or expressed an interest in the plastics industry. They must be majoring in or taking courses that would be beneficial to a career in the plastics industry. This would include, but is not limited to, plastics engineering, polymer science, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, journalism or communications. All applicants must be in good standing with their colleges. Applications for our 2023-2024 SPE Foundation Scholarships are open until April 1, 2023. Read More.


SPE Foundation and the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas Announce Polymer Science Patch

November 1, 2022

In collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, the SPE Foundation has created its first SPE Color Your World with Polymer Science Girl Scout patch. The newly released patch was introduced during Color Your World with Science, a science and engineering event, which took place at the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence in Dallas, TX. More than 200 Girl Scouts earned their patch and saw first-hand how polymer scientists and engineers are improving our world by developing new materials to make items like shoes, bike helmets, car parts, and more. Read More.


SPE Foundation Announces 2022 Scholarship Recipients

September 15, 2022

The SPE Foundation is pleased to announce the scholarship recipients for 2022. Each recipient has demonstrated or expressed an interest in the plastics industry and all are majoring in or taking courses that would be beneficial to a career in plastics. Altogether, the SPE Foundation helped award 77 scholarships totaling $191,875 to 51 students for 2022. Read More.


SPE Foundation Board Names Harthcock as New Chair

August 11, 2022

The SPE Foundation Board is pleased to announce Dr. Matthew Harthcock as its new chair. He is replacing the Foundation Board’s previous chair, Dr. David Kusuma. Dr. Harthcock assumed the chair position on July 1, 2022, with his term running until June 30, 2023. Dr. Harthcock has been a member of the SPE Foundation board since 2021. Read More.


SPE Foundation Partners with Texas School District to Pilot Middle School STEM Club

June 3, 2022

McKinney Independent School District in McKinney, TX, has partnered with SPE and Manner Polymers to pilot a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Club at Faubion Middle School that will be the first ever cohort of its kind in the state of Texas. Read More.


After-School SPE Foundation STEM Clubs Need Your Support

October 8, 2022

The SPE Foundation is launching SPE After-School STEM Clubs this fall. This new program will serve 400-600 students with weekly lessons focused on sustainable materials science and positive plastics education. It costs $5,000 per year to cover each club. Make a gift today and help us show plastics the love it deserves! Read More.


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