Dow Chemical Company began funding this fellowship in 1985 to support the education of students who are pursuing careers in chemical engineering. Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities.

Dow helps people around the world develop solutions for society based on the company’s inherent strength in science and technology. This has a positive domino effect — consumers lead better lives, customers succeed, stockholders prosper, employees achieve and communities thrive.

In 2007, Dow Chemical renamed the fund the Carl Mercer Dow Fellowship in Chemical Engineering in memory of Mr. Carl Mercer, a UF alumnus who worked for Dow for many years. It was through Carl’s leadership and the contributions of fellow Dow UF alumni, the funds established two endowed fellowships, one in the College of Engineering Chemical Engineering Department and the other in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry. Carl was a great man, a great leader, and a great supporter of the University of Florid