LULAC National Educational Service Centers Inc. Announces Scholarship Program

LULAC National Educational Service Centers Inc. (LNESC) is today announcing a national scholarship program to recognize Hispanic high school seniors who plan to pursue degrees in engineering at U.S. post-secondary institutions. Created and funded by Exxon Mobil Corporation, the scholarships will be given annually to students representing the 12 LULAC educational service centers across the country.

The program will award one student with a four-year $20,000 scholarship, as well as a $2,000 scholarship for one student from each of LULAC’s educational service centers.

“We are privileged to be working with ExxonMobil and building upon our strong partnership with the company to help build the American pool of Hispanic engineers,” said Richard Roybal, LNESC executive director. “It is our hope that these scholarships will not only provide opportunities for those who do not have the financial means to pay for college but also serve as a catalyst for generations to come.”

According to the Pew Research Hispanic Center, a record-setting 69 percent of Hispanic high school graduates enrolled in college last year. Despite the attainment gap narrowing, however, Hispanics continue to lag behind their counterparts in obtaining a bachelor’s degree, especially in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines.

Furthermore, only 16 percent of Hispanic students who begin STEM coursework actually complete their degree in those majors, compared to 25 percent of Caucasian students, according to data from the Higher Education Research Institute. Currently, Hispanics represent a slim 5 percent of the STEM workforce in the United States, yet account for 17 percent of the total population, and growing.

This scholarship extends a long partnership between Exxon Mobil Corporation and LNESC to open doors for bright, young Hispanic students. In addition to LNESC, ExxonMobil also supports other programs to grow and strengthen diverse engineering talent. This includes being a founding sponsor of the National Math and Science Initiative, which has made major progress in improving Hispanic student achievement across the country.

LNESC will define and implement the scholarship application, criterion and selection process. More information about application and nominations will be available at www.lnesc.org.

About LNESC

Since 1973, LNESC has focused on creating a menu of developmentally appropriate educational initiatives. These model programs are designed to help the organization reach its mission of providing the highest quality education programs needed to help members of the Hispanic community become life-long learners and leaders. Through these efforts, LNESC has contributed to the academic success of 400,000 promising Hispanic and disadvantaged students and has provided more than $13 million to nearly 25,000 students.

More information about LNESC and its programs can be found at www.lnesc.org.

About Exxon Mobil Corporation

ExxonMobil is the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company and operates in most of the world’s countries, using technology and innovation to help meet growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world.

ExxonMobil engages in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education, promote women as catalysts for economic development, and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2012, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $256 million in contributions worldwide, of which $116 million was dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil’s community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.