ExxonMobil has given $727,606 to The University of Texas at Austin to match $243,596 in gifts made by the company's employees and retirees in the past year.
The donation was presented to university President William Powers Jr. at a reception that capped a day of open-house events for ExxonMobil personnel and their families.
"This support means a great deal to us," Powers said, "all the more so because it reflects the great generosity shown by ExxonMobil's employees and retirees."
A majority of the donation benefits programs in business, engineering and geosciences, reflecting the primary academic background of ExxonMobil's personnel. Funds were also directed to other areas throughout the campus. The company matches higher education gifts 3-to-1 for academic programs and 1-to-1 for cultural programs.
With total cumulative giving at $37.5 million, ExxonMobil is the university's most generous corporate partner. Rex Tillerson, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, graduated in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. The Texas Exes alumni association recently named him one of six 2007 distinguished alumni.
Headquartered in Irving, ExxonMobil is the world's largest integrated oil company, operating 40 refineries in 20 countries and producing 6.4 million barrels of oil each day.
