Concerned that interest in chemical engineering is on the wane, Laticrete chairman Henry M. Rothberg has vowed to fund 20 scholarships for students pursuing a chem degree at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina

Rothberg, who said the opportunity is to attend the university's School of Chemical Engineering in Columbia, S.C. will be extended to students in the top five percent of their high school class, have high SAT scores and maintain a B average while at the school

The effort to attract "Rothberg Scholars" is seen as a recruiting tool for the school as well as a means of increasing the number of future chemical engineers. The company noted that Rothberg's dedication to the science of chemical engineering fueled the success of Laticrete, which he founded in 1956. He is encouraging tile and stone industry members and their families to apply for the scholarships by contacting the University of South Carolina's admissions department.