April 20, 2009 -
HOUSTON -- ExxonMobil stands behind the effort to encourage more Hispanic students to pursue higher education. As part of its philanthropic support for math and science education, the major oil company sponsored a day of hands-on instruction for more than 300 Houston Hispanic students and their families to learn how to apply, attend, and pay for college. The event is part of a program, hosted by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, designed to help many first-generation college attendees navigate through the application process.
"At ExxonMobil, we know that not all students have the same advantages when it comes to educational opportunities," said Truman Bell, senior program officer, Education and Diversity, ExxonMobil. "Our goal is to provide students with the tools and encouragement they need to attend college."
The free event, held at Stephen F. Austin High School in central Houston, attracted families from eight Houston high schools.
ExxonMobil believes attracting more people from minority communities to higher education, particularly in math and science careers, will help support the country’s competitiveness and is a primary focus of the company's philanthropic efforts, it stated in a release.
According the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States. At the same time, only 25 percent currently attend an institution of higher education. In a study from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, 62 percent of Hispanic students reported they hear about college opportunities outside their home.
This year is special for Convenience Store News, as it marks the 40th year of publication, making it the longest continuously published news source for the convenience store industry.
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April 20, 2009 -
HOUSTON -- 
