The ExxonMobil Foundation along with its employees, retirees, directors and surviving spouses make lofty contributions to education in US and worldwide

|  By Anayo Ezugwu  |  May 22, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT  |

EXXONMOBIL and its employees have contributed more than $50.9 million to institutions of higher education across the United States in 2016. The contribution was part of the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2016 Educational Matching Gift programme. The company announced that employees, retirees, directors and surviving spouses contributed $17.5 million, which was matched with $32.6 million in unrestricted grants from the ExxonMobil Foundation to more than 850 universities, colleges and organisations dedicated to higher education.

ExxonMobil’s programme matches donor pledges on a 3:1 basis up to $7,500 to qualified colleges and universities in the United States, as well as the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund. More than $630 million has been contributed to such American institutions over the more than 50 years the company has offered the Educational Matching Gift Programme.

Ben Soraci, president, ExxonMobil Foundation, said, “ExxonMobil’s employees are committed to investing in quality education. The ExxonMobil Foundation has a long history of supporting a range of efforts to improve education in the United States. Our contributions and the generous support of ExxonMobil’s employees will help create a stronger future for today’s students.”

In 2016, nearly 4,500 employees and retirees provided individual donations through the initiative. Although grants are unrestricted, colleges and universities are encouraged to designate a portion to math and science programmes supporting student engagement.

In addition to the Educational Matching Gift Programme, ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation support and develop programmes that encourage students, particularly women and minorities, toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as teacher training initiatives.

They also contributed nearly $900,000 to institutions of higher education across Alabama. ExxonMobil employees, retirees, directors and surviving spouses contributed $219,000 to 11 Alabama colleges and universities, which was matched by $646,000 in unrestricted grants from the ExxonMobil Foundation. Although grants are unrestricted, colleges and universities are encouraged to designate a portion to math and science programs supporting student engagement.

ExxonMobil’s programmes matches donor pledges on a 3:1 basis up to $7,500 to qualified colleges and universities in the United States, as well as the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund. More than $630 million has been contributed to such American institutions over the more than 50 years the company has offered the Educational Matching Gift Program.

Soraci said, “ExxonMobil’s employees are committed to investing in quality education. The ExxonMobil Foundation has a long history of supporting a range of efforts to improve education in the United States. We hope our contributions and the generous support of ExxonMobil’s employees will help create a stronger future for today’s students.”

Nationwide, more than 850 institutions received more than $50 million through the 2016 Educational Matching Gift Programme. In addition to the Educational Matching Gift Programme, ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation support and develop programmes that encourage students, particularly women and minorities, toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as teacher training initiatives.

The ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of ExxonMobil Corporation in the United States. The foundation and the corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities advancing education with a focus on math and science in the United States, promoting women as catalysts for economic development and combating malaria. In 2016, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $242 million in contributions worldwide, of which $72 million was dedicated to education.