Missouri Employers Mutual recently visited the University of Central Missouri to give a $9,500 donation for scholarships and the maintenance of equipment in the safety sciences labs.
Each year, MEM contributes $7,500 for the MEM Outstanding Student Scholarship which is given to a full time junior or senior majoring in health or safety management. The recipient must also demonstrate campus and community involvement and maintain a 3.0 GPA. The scholarship is part of a long history between MEM and UCM.
“The shared vision of MEM and UCM Safety Science to bring people home safely to their families is incredibly important to us,” said Alice Greife, dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology at UCM. “We value our strong partnership with MEM that includes support for the maintenance of our safety lab, as well as scholarship assistance for our students. MEM’s generosity makes it possible for more students to realize their education goals while also helping to fill a tremendous need for graduates who are well prepared to enter today’s and tomorrow’s job market as safety professionals.”
Greife said students in the Occupational Safety and Health program in the college have a 99 percent placement rate for employment after graduation. The program has seen the number of students more than double in the last 10 years.
In 2008, MEM announced a multi-year commitment to UCM of $196,000 to be used for lab improvements and the establishment of the Outstanding Student Scholarship.
Representatives from MEM were also able to meet UCM Senior Samantha Deason, one of the recent MEM scholarship recipients. Deason, who is from St. Clair, Missouri, shared with MEM that she will graduate in May and has accepted a position as a risk control trainee in property and casualty with CNA in Indianapolis, Indiana. The scholarship allowed her to cut her hours from her part time job enough to take a safety sciences student worker position, and free up time for her to begin studying for the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation.
“The scholarship has given me the opportunity to begin studying and has me one step closer to something I would’ve probably waited years to begin,” Deason said.