ExxonMobil and its employees donated more than $7.9 million to a total of 83 educational institutions across Texas through the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2009 Educational Matching Gift Program.
ExxonMobil employees, retirees, surviving spouses and directors made 1,718 individual contributions totaling over $2.3 million to institutions of higher education across Texas. ExxonMobil Foundation matched those donations with more than $5.6 million in unrestricted educational grants.
“These generous donations from ExxonMobil employees and retirees validate their belief in higher education as an investment for the future,” said Kenneth Cohen, ExxonMobil vice president for public and government affairs and chairman of the ExxonMobil Foundation. “This focus on education is paving the way for leaders of tomorrow who will be crucial for the continued success of our country.”
The ExxonMobil Educational Matching Gift Program matches donations made to affiliated higher education institutions by employees and retirees on a 3:1 basis, providing more than $423 million since the program’s inception in 1962. Individual donors may pledge up to $7,500 per year to colleges or universities with which they are affiliated or to the American Indian College Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund.
In total, ExxonMobil and its employees donated more than $36 million to 911 educational institutions across the United States through the 2009 program.
ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation fund math and science programs to respond to the nation’s growing need to produce more engineers and scientists and to develop more highly qualified math and science teachers. To aid this effort, the Foundation encourages college and university presidents to direct a portion of the matching funds to programs that provide math and science teachers with professional development, attract more young people to teach math and science and support science and engineering programs aimed at women and minorities.
In addition to the Matching Gift Program, ExxonMobil has a strong presence in other state-wide math and science education initiatives, as well as programs to encourage community involvement across Texas.