BASF partners with Commonwealth of Virginia to provide hands-on STEM opportunities for students

SUFFOLK, VA -- BASF and the Commonwealth of Virginia provided insightful summer internship experiences for five university students. Through the Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program (CSIIP – pronounced See-Sip), BASF was able to identify and offer internships to college students who are focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related fields.



“BASF is committed to developing the talent that will fulfill our future workforce needs,” said Patrick Hochstrasser, Site Director for BASF in Suffolk, Virginia. “By hiring interns who have a vested interest in science and technology, we can help them understand the practical applications of what they are learning in school and how it applies directly to rewarding careers.”



The interns were assigned specific projects related to their fields of study in chemical engineering, supply chain planning and quality control analytics. At the conclusion of the program, the students presented overviews of how they contributed to their project teams and the lessons they learned at BASF.



“It really makes the class work so much more relevant when you can relate it to real-world situations,” said intern Kevin Eisentrout, a chemical engineering student at West Virginia University.



Each student received a signed letter and certificate from Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell in recognition of their accomplishments and to reinforce the value of the partnership between business and government to support job growth in the state.



For a press photo, please click on the following link:

http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/08-26-13_CSIIP.jpg



Suggested caption: BASF provided practical career experience for student interns through the Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program (CSIIP). Front row, from left, are Gideon Asante, who is studying supply chain at Old Dominion University; Kieran Ryan, a chemistry student at the College of William & Mary; Vincent Hochstrasser, a chemical engineering student at Virginia Tech; and Cody Anderson, a chemical engineering student at Virginia Tech. Back row, from left, are Beverly Nedab, Human Resources Manager for BASF; Julian Bray, Production Manager for BASF; Andy Robertshaw, Operations Manager for BASF; Kevin Eisentrout, a chemical engineering student at West Virginia University; Ernie Leber, Technical Manager for BASF; and Patrick Hochstrasser, Director of the BASF Site in Suffolk.



BASF - The Chemical Company



BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,600 employees in North America, and had sales of $18.5 billion in 2012. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us .



BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com