ExxonMobil Creates Award to Promote Minority Engineers

Partnership with National Society of Black Engineers to Recognize Leading Universities

    --  Three universities to each receive $10,000 award for diversity retention
        in engineering
    --  Application process to start in May; awards made in September
    --  ExxonMobil and the National Society of Black Engineers have been
        partners since the 1980s

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Exxon Mobil Corporation and the National Society of Black Engineers announced a new award to recognize university programs focused on retaining minority engineering students.

The Diversity in Engineering Impact Award, funded by a $40,000 grant from ExxonMobil, will acknowledge universities that have developed innovative and successful retention programs targeting African American, Hispanic American and American Indian students pursuing degrees in engineering.

Three universities will be awarded $10,000 each in September to support their efforts and provide recognition to encourage other universities to duplicate or develop their own retention programs. The application process will begin in May.

"We are grateful to have an involved partner such as ExxonMobil which works with us to make a difference in the number of minority engineering students in the United States," Carl B. Mack, executive director of the society, said at announcement, made during the society's 36^th annual convention in Toronto. "This grant will allow us to reward successful university retention programs and help share best practices to increase the number of engineers of color."

The award program is one of many collaborative efforts between ExxonMobil and National Society of Black Engineers. Since the 1980s, ExxonMobil has partnered with the society to identify and recruit minority students for engineering programs and to support them as they begun their professional careers following graduation.

In addition to this program, ExxonMobil has had a longstanding commitment to recruit and retain under-represented populations in engineering and actively supports organizations including National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, and Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers.

According to an analysis presented by the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering and Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology, the retention rate for minorities in engineering programs is under 40 percent, compared to slightly more than 60 percent for non-minorities.

For more information on this award program and eligibility, visit www.nsbe.org.

About ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil is the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, providing energy that helps underpin growing economies and improve living standards around 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 2009, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and ExxonMobil Foundation provided $235 million in contributions worldwide, of which more than $112 million was dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil's community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.

About NSBE

The National Society of Black Engineers, with more than 33,000 members, is one of the largest student-managed organizations in the U.S. Founded in 1975, the society now comprises more than 450 collegiate, pre-collegiate, and technical professional/Alumni chapters in the U.S. and abroad. The National Society of Black Engineer's mission is "to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community." For more information, visit www.nsbe.org.

    Source: Exxon Mobil Corporation

Released April 5, 2010