News Release

Pennsylvania corporation receives recognition for fostering student achievement

Grant and Award Announcement

American Chemical Society

PPG Industries will be honored by the American Chemical Society as the Founding Partner of the ACS Scholars Program March 24 during the Society's 225th national meeting in New Orleans.

The Society launched the ACS Scholars Program in 1995 with a $5 million grant. Since inception, scholarships have been awarded to 1,220 underrepresented minority students.

The ACS Scholars Program supports academically accomplished African American, Hispanic and Native American students in their pursuit of undergraduate studies in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, environmental science and related disciplines in two- and four-year college and university programs.

"PPG is the first and foremost industry partner to the ACS Scholars Program," said Robert Hughes, manager of the program. The PPG Industries Foundation initiated the American Chemical Society/PPG Scholarships Plus Program in 1997.

Annually, PPG has sponsored 10 incoming freshmen from the ACS Scholars Program. Each student has the potential of receiving a four-year scholarship, with successful completion of the student's academic program. ACS/PPG has now funded 60 students, hired two ACS/PPG Scholars and has other former students pursuing graduate degrees.

In addition to providing financial scholarships to students in the program, PPG has found an employee volunteer to mentor each student, and offered paid summer internship positions. This combination of scholarship funding, mentoring and summer research is the model that the ACS Scholars Program seeks to establish with other corporate contributors.

David B. Church, PPG vice-president and new corporate sponsor to the ACS Scholars Program, will be accepting the Founding Partner award on behalf of the corporation.

Companies and students can get more information about the ACS Scholars Program at http://www.acs.org/scholars or telephone 1-800-227-5558, extension 6250.

About PPG Industries Pittsburgh-based PPG is a world leader in production of chlorine, caustic soda and related chemicals for use in chemical manufacturing, pulp and paper production, water treatment, plastics production and many other products. The company also produces specialty chemicals as well as coatings, glass and fiberglass for global markets.

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