OREANDA-NEWS. April 17, 2014. ExxonMobil and its employees are donating USD 44.2 million to higher education institutions across the country as part of the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2013 Educational Matching Gift Program, an increase of 10 percent over the prior year.

ExxonMobil employees, retirees, directors and surviving spouses contributed USD 13.7 million, which was matched with USD 30.5 million in unrestricted grants from the ExxonMobil Foundation.

The program matches donor pledges 3:1 up to USD 7,500 to qualified colleges and universities in the United States, along with the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund. Since the Educational Matching Gift Program began in 1962, more than USD 536 million have been donated to American institutions of higher learning.

“The ExxonMobil Foundation has a long history of supporting a range of efforts to improve the quality of education in the United States,” said Suzanne McCarron, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation. “We are proud to build upon the generous support of ExxonMobil employees who are committed to investing in the future of young Americans and supporting institutions of higher learning.”

In 2013, 4,796 employees and retirees made individual donations through the initiative. Although grants are unrestricted, colleges and universities are encouraged to designate a portion to math and science programs supporting student engagement.

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