Exxon Mobil Corporation and ExxonMobil Foundation Invest $2 Million in LSU to Elevate Local Workforce, Advance Strategic Research Initiatives

BATON ROUGE – LSU and ExxonMobil are strengthening their decades-long relationship to collaboratively pursue key priorities set forth in LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, including by advancing energy security and sustainability initiatives, and to invest in local community workforce programs and athletics.

Exxon Mobil Corporation and ExxonMobil Foundation’s latest investment in LSU is $2 million and positions LSU to continue to win in academics, research, student success and athletics. Key elements of Exxon Mobil Corporation’s expansive gift include:

• Funding for research in carbon capture utilization and storage and for research in the rapidly evolving areas of advanced recycling and greenhouse gas emission reduction technology
• Support for student scholarships, mentorship programs and workforce development in the College of Engineering, the Manship School of Mass Communication and North Baton Rouge through LSU’s new Future Scholars Pipeline Initiative
• An elevated commitment to support student-athletes with LSU Sports Properties, the exclusive marketing and media rights holder of LSU Athletics
• Academic program funding for the E. J. Ourso College of Business and the College of Engineering
• Donations to the LSU Olinde Career Center as a Gold Partner for student recruiting and career preparation

Of the $2 million gift, the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $250,000 through its matching gift and departmental support funding from 2022.

“One of the most impactful elements of our Scholarship First Agenda is a heightened focus on working with industry leaders like ExxonMobil to create solutions that will elevate lives,” said LSU President William F. Tate IV. “ExxonMobil has been an exemplary partner to LSU for more than 40 years, and this new investment extends our relationship to provide vital funding for innovative research, community engagement, student mentorship and scholarships that span STEM and the humanities.” 

“LSU is an important resource for ExxonMobil as we further invest in Louisiana to hire our future workforce, produce the products our world needs and be a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Chemical Plant Manager Dave Luecke. “These are two critical issues of great importance, both necessitating an inclusive approach with the full cooperation of our communities and universities like LSU.”

 Research funded through ExxonMobil’s gift to LSU will pioneer new ways to meet energy needs. Given its level of investment in energy innovation-related research, the company will be recognized as a Strategic Partner for the LSU Institute of Energy Innovation. Through the creation of the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation leaders in energy-related thought, talent and industrial impact are investing in the pursuit of a shared vision for the future of energy. The cross-disciplinary nature of the institute spans LSU’s broad range of academic areas.

Together in collaboration with the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, LSU and ExxonMobil will explore the potential for near-term low-carbon solutions and sustainability projects – with a focus on advanced recycling, battery and solar research-related outcomes. ExxonMobil’s heightened investments in social sciences and communications, environmental sciences and engineering will include efforts to identify best practices in community engagement.

            Funding to elevate local impact and mobility will strengthen investments in the ExxonMobil Energy Scholars program within the Manship School of Mass Communication and the ExxonMobil Diversity Scholars program within the College of Engineering, and it will expand the scope of LSU’s new, nation-leading carbon capture utilization and storage curriculum concentration. ExxonMobil’s gift will also catalyze the college preparation framework for students attending public schools in North Baton Rouge. As an early investor in LSU’s new Future Scholars Pipeline Initiative, ExxonMobil will be part of forging an educational access pathway for students to prepare for, apply to and attend LSU with full programming, tuition and fee coverage.

ExxonMobil, one of the largest publicly traded international energy and petrochemical companies, creates solutions that improve quality of life and meet society’s evolving needs.

The corporation’s primary businesses – Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions – provide products that enable modern life, including energy, chemicals, lubricants and lower-emissions technologies. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading portfolio of resources, and is one of the largest integrated fuels, lubricants and chemical companies in the world. To learn more, visit exxonmobil.com and the Energy Factor. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda is a strategic framework for creating solutions that are essential to the future of Louisiana and the nation. With the vitality of Louisiana ever in mind, LSU – in collaboration with leaders like ExxonMobil – is creating solutions for Louisiana that will build a more healthy, prosperous, and secure future for everyone. To learn more about LSU’s bold aims, visit lsu.edu/scholarship-first.