To help fulfill a need for workplace safety professionals and to aid college students studying occupational safety, health and the environment, the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Permian Basin Chapter in Midland, Texas, recently donated $25,000 to the ASSE Foundation toward the establishment of an annual $1,000 scholarship, the “Permian Basin Chapter Endowment,” the organization announced in a recent press statement.

“The Permian Basin area has a variety of industries with an exceptionally large amount of oil and gas activity. Oil and gas operations pose hazardous environments requiring trained and skilled safety, health and environmental professionals,” said ASSE Permian Basin Chapter President Geri Cooley, MS, REM, CSP. “The people of the Permian Basin care about the professionals of tomorrow, and we are prepared to provide any assistance we can to these future leaders. The need for educated and passionate new safety professionals is stronger than ever, since the majority of our experienced professionals are now phasing into retirement."

The scholarship will be available to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an environmental, health and safety program within ASSE’s Region III (Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas). The first award will be offered to students for the 2009 academic year.

For more information on the Foundation and its programs visit www.asse.org/foundation.