Thank you so much for your interest in donating, we are so grateful! Our organization supports undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities interested in sustainability and bio-based products engineering including the pulp & paper industry. To succeed in this mission, we aim to sponsor any member interested in learning more about the pulp and paper industry to attend the yearly TAPPI Student Summit cost-free. By doing this, we remove any prohibitive cost of conference attendance and help ensure there is equitable access to the pulp and paper industry. Below we have testimonials from students who have attended previous Student Summits highlighting the impact it has had on them both professionally and personally. From all attendees, it has been described as an invaluable experience for future engineering professionals providing essential technical knowledge and connections.

This year we have 18 members, eager to attend the TAPPI Student Summit in Birmingham, Alabama. We have continuously been working on fundraising and obtaining grants from the university. However, due to the high volume of students interested in attending, increased travel expenses as well as decreased availability of university small grant funding, we are still short of our goal of $15,000.

To close this gap in funding, we look to donors such as yourself to inquire if you are able to contribute to our student chapter and help ensure that everyone who wants to attend the TAPPI Student Summit has the opportunity. Any amount would be greatly appreciated and will help us to reach our goal. We are a 501(c)3 organization and would be able to provide a receipt for tax purposes.

Student Testimonials

Brooke Brenden - Current Sappi Cloquet Co-Op

The TAPPI Student Summit was an incredible networking and learning experience! My favorite part of the conference was competing in the engineering challenge and attending the roundtable discussions, where I gained valuable insights into various topics related to the pulp and paper industry. Additionally, I had a great time connecting with other students and industry professionals. I even had the chance to reconnect with the company I worked for this past summer.

Lucy Weglarz - Current Process Engineer at Sappi Westbrook (interviewed at Summit in 2025)

After attending the TAPPI Student Summit for the first time last year, I was very excited and more prepared for this year’s conference. I was able to interview with three companies that I may not have been connected to were it not for TAPPI. I saw familiar faces of both students, faculty/staff, and industry professionals. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to meet so many knowledgeable professionals and learn about their work and passions. I am especially excited by the emerging young professionals in the pulp and paper industry, as they bring so much energy and new ideas to the space. Overall, I am so thankful that TAPPI, FaBEO, BBE, and our generous donors made this experience possible for our group!