ExxonMobil has donated $1.3 million to the LSU Foundation as part of the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2015 Educational Matching Gift Program and its departmental grant program, according to a Thursday news release.
The gift is representative of donations to the University from 173 employees, retirees and surviving spouses, as well as the ExxonMobil Foundation 3-to-1 match. $57,000 from the departmental grant program was donated to support students in the College of Engineering, the E. J. Ourso College of Business, the College of Science and the Olinde Career Center.
Both the ExxonMobil Foundation and the ExxonMobil corporation work to advance education, promote women as facilitators for economic development and fight malaria. The corporation supports initiatives to help improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels.
Since 1962, The ExxonMobil Foundation Educational Matching Gift Program has provided more than $600 million to higher education. The University has been one of the program’s top beneficiaries, being granted nearly $5.6 million over the past five years.
“Quality education is the foundation for individual opportunity and economic prosperity,” said Ben Soraci, president of ExxonMobil Foundation, in the release. “We have a long history of supporting education excellence in the country, including our investment LSU. It’s a shared priority, year after year, with ExxonMobil employees.”
Local ExxonMobil refinery employees serve as University mentors and volunteers through the Engineering Diversity Scholars Program and other volunteer opportunities. $750,000 has been committed to the program to help underrepresented groups gain access to industry professionals dedicated to ensure their time at the University is successful.
Additionally, ExxonMobil has supported the LSU Gordon A. Cain Center for Scientific, Technological, Engineering and Mathematical Literacy and the GeauxTeach Math/Science teacher preparation program.
“On behalf of LSU’s students, we thank ExxonMobil for their continued support of our students and programs,” said Rick Koubek, executive vice president and provost at LSU, in the release. “Their support reiterates our mutual commitment to expand the pipeline of talented and diverse graduates who are both well prepared and ready to solve society’s greatest challenges.”