Axeon Specialty Products Brings New Scholarship to RCGC

(Pictured from bottom row, left to right: Claire Riggs, Public Affairs Director, Axeon Specialty Products. Michael Drager, General Manager of Refining Operations, Axeon Specialty Products. Dr. Geraldine Martin, Vice President Rowan College Foundation. Elizabeth Hall, Asst. Treasurer Rowan College Foundation

Top row, left to right: Ray Page, Director Rowan College Foundation. Dr. Brenden Rickards, Dean - S.T.E.M. Program – Rowan College at Gloucester County. Dr. Frederick Keating, President Rowan College at Gloucester County.)

Deptford Twp. – Axeon Specialty Products (Axeon SP), a Gloucester County company specializing in marketing and refining of petroleum products, is providing the newest scholarship opportunity for students at Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC).

During the Jan. 12 endowment ceremony, Claire Riggs, Public Relations Director for Axeon SP, noted how effective the company’s past partnership has been in creating and funding the earlier RCGC process technology certification program. “The certification program recently proved successful as we were able to garnish quality employees during a recent hiring process,” she said, remarking that the new Associate degree program will even further prepare quality candidates for industry positions.

“We’re very excited to provide this opportunity to a deserving student,” added Michael Drager, Axeon SP’s General Manager of Refining Operations. Drager echoed the need for and opportunities available to local students who major in Process Technology, which is anticipated to begin in fall 2015.

The Process Technology Scholarship Fund will provide a perpetual $500 scholarship for a qualifying student. Applicants must be a current Gloucester County resident with special preferences towards those living in Paulsboro, West Deptford and Greenwich Township.

The student must also be a full-time first or second year student at Rowan College at Gloucester County majoring in Processing Technology with a minimum 3.0 GPA. High school applicants planning to attend must have a collective GPA of a B. As well, a short essay, recommendation from a RCGC faculty or counselor and unofficial attached transcripts are required.

The anticipated Process Technology course comes in partnership with COIM USA, Johnson Matthey, NuStar Asphalt, LLC, Solvay Specialty Polymers and the Gloucester County Workforce Investment Board. Upon completion, students in the course will be given first consideration for employment at the aforementioned corporate sponsors, which focus on careers in chemical, pharmaceutical, oil production, waste treatment, refining and food processing industries.

Rowan College at Gloucester County is located at 1400 Tanyard Road in Deptford, just off Exit 56 of Route 55.