20 COCKTAIL RECEPTION

21 University of Toledo students have led the field in recent years with our chapter’s NextGen efforts – but University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is another institution where MWSCC is forging a deeper relationship. The College of Engineering in particular has engaged with us – not only for career fairs – but actual participation for events like our Fall Meeting and SCJ tour in Racine WI. Lisa Kringas of Vantage Chemical, our 2019 MWSCC Chair, coordinated the WI meeting and it was a smashing success! The chapter is committed to better reach outside Chicago and IL – and our first attempt in many years meeting outside IL had over 90 attendees! The meeting was held in Racine WI – as the chapter targeted SC Johnson as one of the companies overlapping Personal Care and Home Care for which we would like to increase membership, education and activities. Midwest The Midwest Chapter embarked upon 2018 with very ambitious goals. Our vision and goals for the year focused on student engagement, STEM and community outreach, fiscal planning at a more strategic level, at least one physical meeting (not skype/remote) outside the Chicago area, Homecare inclusion in events, elevating the Teamworks experience, and a renewed priority on membership value proposition. My Year in Review is written to share the MWSCC “firsts” along these lines. Information on our traditional activities outside these firsts, including our fantastic chapter monthly meetings and speakers/topics, can be found at www.midwestscc.org via our SCCOOP newsletter section. STEM outreach is how we started our 2018 year, with a chapter donation of $1000 to help a team of students at Fox Valley Christian Academy as they advanced from a regional level competition to sectional, state, national and even the global competition! Team C3s was coached by none other than our former MWSCC Chair Scott Wenzel of Kimberly Clark. Their FIRST Lego League (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) project was Solar Safe, a solar puffer that floats on water and wicks water into the main chamber where sunlight is captured to create heat and condense water. The condensed water is free of dirt, chemicals, salt and microbes. It rolls down the acrylic cover where it is collected. The unit also used copper surfaces and pipes to capture water and ensure it remains clean in the collection chamber. And these budding scientists are only in grades 4-7! The MWSCC Board is working hard to find other worthy STEM projects, teams and students to support – as our nonprofit educational society is committed to the future scientists of the world. Christine Daraska of Croda for years has participated on behalf of the MWSCC at various science days in Chicago and suburbs. Crystal Rampaul of TH Hilson (a Ravago Company) is working with Chris to engage other chapter members in this endeavor – as our only limit to participation in these events is the volunteer hours it takes.