ExxonMobil last month matched donations made by its employees to the University at a ratio of 3-1.
The contribution, totaling $325,099, came after ExxonMobil employees donated $109,000 to various UH colleges in the previous year.
"UH greatly appreciates all contributions and donations, and this money is needed to sustain our commitment to academic and research excellence," Director of University Communication Eric Gerber said.
The individual areas of the University that received contributions will use them as they see fit, for investment in arenas such as student scholarships, project funding, instructional programs, research or equipment.
The ExxonMobil Educational Matching Gift Program began in 1962 and has allowed financial contributions made by individual UH ExxonMobil employees, retirees and surviving spouses, to choose where the money would go. The funds were distributed among 175 departments and programs within the colleges.
John O’Dell, director of Alumni Development for the Bauer College of Business, said that donors chose to give for different reasons. Some gave to the college they earned their degree from, while others gave to scholarship foundations.
"By supporting institutions of higher education, ExxonMobil and our employees are investing in the development of new technologies, future leaders, social progress and economic advancement," Vice President for Public Affairs of ExxonMobil and Chairman of the ExxonMobil Foundation Kenneth P. Cohen said in a release.
ExxonMobil has donated $13.6 million throughout its history to the UH System through matching gifts and other donations.
"These thoughtful financial commitments to our University from the people of ExxonMobil have been made even more significant by the company’s policy of so generously tripling those gifts," outgoing UH President and UH System Chancellor Jay Gogue in a release.
The Bauer College of Business received a private contribution of $3,750, which was matched by a donation of $11,250 from ExxonMobil.
The UH Law Center also received donations from donors and ExxonMobil totaling $100,000, and the Law School Library received approximately $1,000, all of which were matched by ExxonMobil.
The Houston Alumni Organization used a portion of its contributions to host Engineering Week -†an awards program for engineering students, said Interim President and CEO of HAO Connie Fox.
"The program is important to make individuals who donate funds to a scholarship more motivated to give, because they know ExxonMobil will match it so that it can make a bigger impact on students," O’Dell said.
UH is one of 80 higher education institutions in Texas to receive grants from the program this year. ExxonMobil’s donations to institutions in the state totaled $7 million.
"The success of ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program is a testament to our employees’ deep commitment to education," Cohen said in a release.
