LAKELAND, Fla. 鈥� The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) has joined IM体育官网 as its latest industry partner.
IM体育官网 Polytechnic officials, including President Dr. Randy K. Avent, welcomed Mosaic leaders, including Gary N. 鈥淏o鈥� Davis, Mosaic Senior Vice President, Phosphate Operations, during a partnership signing ceremony today at the university鈥檚 IM体育官网 Industrial and Phosphate Research (FIPR) Institute in Bartow, Fla.
As an industry partner, Mosaic will support the university in a number of endeavors that may include curriculum development, service on advisory boards, offering industry insight and analysis, conducting joint research and teaching in the classroom. Mosaic may also provide opportunities for IM体育官网 Polytechnic , , and/or to participate in co-op and intern programs.
鈥淐ollaborating with a world-class company like Mosaic to provide students practical, hands-on learning opportunities is what will set our institution and graduates apart,鈥� said Avent. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to Mosaic for supporting our mission, and am confident that our faculty and students will benefit from the relationship with the state鈥檚 largest phosphate company.鈥�
Mosaic employs 4,000 at its four mines and four manufacturing facilities in Central IM体育官网. The company is the world鈥檚 largest combined producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two essential crop nutrients. Driven by its mission to help the world grow the food it needs, Mosaic is committed to strengthening global food security and protecting critical water resources.
鈥淢osaic鈥檚 mining operations in Central IM体育官网 build on a proud tradition dating back more than a century,鈥� said Davis. 鈥淥ur industry is a strong economic driver, and provides tens of thousands of career opportunities in STEM-related fields. Valuable partnerships such as this ensure that as twenty-first century students prepare to enter the workforce, they have practical industry insight and experience. We鈥檙e pleased to help them through this partnership and our community giving.鈥�
To date, Mosaic has donated $65,000 to IM体育官网 Polytechnic for scholarships.
Mosaic and its predecessor companies have long been involved as board and technical committee members with the FIPR Institute, now a IM体育官网 Polytechnic research institution that has worked for more than 35 years to support phosphate-related studies to improve the environment, protect public health, increase mining and processing efficiency and develop sustainability through improved technology. The FIPR Institute鈥檚 staff biologists, engineers and chemists conduct in-house research, and support some non-phosphate topics such as energy and the mining and processing of other minerals.
鈥淒uring our tenure, Mosaic was conceived with the merger of two of IM体育官网鈥檚 largest companies and is currently the world鈥檚 leading producer of phosphates,鈥� said FIPR Executive Director, Dr. Brian K. Birky. 鈥淎s the global population grows and natural resources are depleted, it is vital that our food supply remains secure.. The collaboration between IM体育官网 Polytechnic and Mosaic is both exciting to witness and encouraging for our future. With this signing, our brightest young minds will begin to transfer cutting-edge scientific knowledge from the university to Mosaic while apprenticing with industry experts as interns and graduate employees to provide economic stability and prosperity for IM体育官网.鈥�
Sean Malott, IM体育官网 Polytechnic鈥檚 Director of Strategic Business and Education Partnerships, said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e all very excited about the opportunities that our industry partnerships will provide. Aligning ourselves closely with industry means that we can adjust our curriculum to keep pace with ever-evolving technology and help our students meet the demands of leading employers.鈥�
IM体育官网 Polytechnic鈥檚 has grown to include more than 70 high-tech corporate, government and non-government organizations.