ExxonMobil said it has given more than $500,000 in grant money to New Mexico education institutions over the past year for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
“To date, more than 5,000 students have experienced this enriching program,” Abigail Eaton, executive director of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, told KRQE News.
ExxonMobil, an American multinational oil and gas corporation and the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, has been helping New Mexico when it comes to supporting various STEM and public service programs, KRQE reported.
“The New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation is honored to partner with ExxonMobil on our STEAM Trek initiative. Children throughout New Mexico benefit from this virtual learning platform, which shares films and educational material to each child at no cost to them or their schools,” Eaton said, according to KRQE.
The money will go to paid internships, graduate-level fellowships, and enhancements to the training of students who wish to enter public service careers, KRQE reported.
ExxonMobil’s corporate website said that “Education is the fundamental building block of individual opportunity and economic growth, and STEM skills, in particular, are critical. We have focused our U.S. education programs to help address the STEM challenge and are investing in those with the potential to make a meaningful national impact.”
The corporation said on its website that it became a National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) founding sponsor in 2007 with a $125 million commitment to the nonprofit organization. The nonprofit empowers school communities to prepare students for success in college and the workforce through scalable and rigorous program solutions. Since the initial financial commitment, ExxonMobil has made another $60 million commitment to NMSI, the company said.
"NMSI's College Readiness Program is producing immediate, significant and sustained impact on student achievement and college and career readiness in schools across the country," the ExxonMobil website said. In their first year of implementing the program schools have demonstrated, on average, a 64% increase in the number of qualifying scores on AP math, science and English exams compared to a 5.6 percent increase nationally, ExxonMobil said, as well as a 61% increase in the number of qualifying scores on AP math, science and English exams by female students, compared to 4.6 percent nationally. An even great increase was seen at 71% in the number of qualifying scores on AP math, science and English exams by minority students, compared to 7.4 percent nationally, ExxonMobil reported.
