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 [Volunteering & Community](/categories/volunteering-community)

 # 10 Years, 10 Stories: Four Employees, One Shared Purpose

 


 

 Aug 18, 2026 10:30 AM ET

 Over the past decade, employees at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, have turned a global employee volunteer program into a real movement. As SPARK™ marks its 10th anniversary, the “10 Years, 10 Stories” series reflects on a decade of impact and the employees, students, and organizations that have been at the heart of the program.

For the first article in this series, MilliporeSigma’s own employees will be in the spotlight. Employees around the world have volunteered nearly 200,000 hours over the past 10 years, participating in more than 6,500 events and bringing hands-on science learning to more than 600,000 students. From interacting with Curiosity programming and welcoming students into laboratories, to organizing food drives and community initiatives, these employees embody the company’s commitment to supporting and strengthening communities around the world.

**Jennifer Bollinger, Associate Project Manager**

Image

 ![Jennifer Bollinger inside the Curiosity Cube](https://3blcdn.com/2026-08/Jenn_10y10s_SPARK_1786652376.jpeg)

 



For the past decade, Jennifer Bollinger has been helping inspire the next generation of scientists through SPARK™. Exceptional science teachers fueled her own love of the field and helped lead her to study biology and microbiology. She has volunteered consistently since SPARK™ launched in 2016 because she believes all students should have hands-on access to science education. Whether teaching classroom lessons, supporting community events, or participating in initiatives like the Global Food Drive, Jennifer sees every volunteer opportunity as a chance to positively affect her community.

**Eric Reyes,** **Belonging and Inclusion Relationship and Program Manager, Americas**

Image

 ![Eric Reyes teaching a lesson](https://3blcdn.com/2026-08/Eric_10y10s_SPARK_1786652409.jpeg)

 



Since SPARK™ launched in 2016, Eric Reyes has volunteered with a simple belief: everyone should have access to opportunities that spark curiosity and help them better understand the world around them. He is also passionate about representing the disability community in STEM and showing young people that a career in science is within reach. One of his favorite volunteer memories was helping host a Curiosity Labs™ event for deaf grade school students at the company’s Laclede, St. Louis facility, where volunteers and ASL interpreters guided students through a DNA experiment.

**Paula Fernandez, Quality Manager Commercial Subsidiaries**

Image

 ![Paula Fernandez teaching inside the Curiosity Cube](https://3blcdn.com/2026-08/Paula_10y10s_SPARK_1786652453.jpeg)

 



For 10 years, Paula has been an active SPARK™ volunteer, driven by a desire to contribute to initiatives that make a meaningful difference in her community. While she enjoys every opportunity to engage with students, her favorite moments come when she is presenting science experiments and seeing excitement from participants as they learn through hands-on discovery. Beyond volunteering, Paula appreciates how SPARK™ has become a community of its own at the company, bringing colleagues together across teams through a shared sense of purpose. Whether answering unexpected questions or watching students discover something new, she finds the greatest reward in the small moments that inspire curiosity and create lasting impact.

**Palani Subramaniam, Senior Global Product Manager, DxRM – Production Materials**

Image

 ![Palaniraja teaching with SPARK](https://3blcdn.com/2026-08/Palani_10y10s_SPARK_1786652481.jpeg)

 



For Palani Subramaniam, volunteering through SPARK™ is deeply personal. Having grown up with limited access to science resources, he understands the impact that exposure and opportunity can have on a young person’s future. Since 2016, he has volunteered to help bring those opportunities to students in his community. One of his most memorable moments was leading a STEM outreach session for school children in Bangalore and watching their curiosity come alive through hands-on learning—a reminder that curiosity exists in everyone and simply requires a spark.

Learn more about SPARK™ and the company’s Curiosity Programs by visiting our [Employee and Community Engagement website](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/life-science/ssbi/community).



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [![The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada](/sites/default/files/Clients/MERCK_MSIG_VMagenta_RGB.jpg)](/profiles/milliporesigma)

 



 

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