ExxonMobil Partners with LULAC, SHPE to Promote Higher Education at State Fair.

Program Provides Career Exploration Tools and Encourages Hispanic Students' Pursuit of College Education

DALLAS -- ExxonMobil has partnered with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) to provide educational outreach and programs to promote higher education at the State Fair of Texas, which runs Sept. 28-Oct. 21.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, among the six largest states Texas led the country in Hispanic population growth from 2005 to 2006 but ranked last for the percentage of Hispanics with at least a bachelor's degree.

"We are excited to expand our partnership with LULAC and SHPE in order to better serve the needs of Hispanic students in the state of Texas," said Truman Bell, ExxonMobil's senior program officer for education and diversity. "We believe that every young adult should have the opportunity to pursue a higher education. In making these invaluable resources available to the public, we hope to increase college enrollment rates as we continue to further our commitment to education."

The ExxonMobil/LULAC Education Center at Mundo Latino encourages Hispanic students to pursue higher education and explore math and science fields. The Education Center, housed within the Hall of State at the State Fair of Texas, features the Go Center, a computer lab with specialized college recruiting software programs available for public use.

"The evidence is overwhelming that we must take a firmer stand on increasing Hispanic education initiatives," said Ray de los Santos, director, LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. "The Go Center exemplifies our endeavors to increase awareness and advocate higher education as both necessary and attainable."

Go Center, designed in conjunction with Online College Network and Career Cruising, provides financial aid resources, information on Texas colleges and universities, and career exploration tools to inform middle and high school students about the opportunities available to them. Open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily during the State Fair of Texas, the resources available at the Go Center help students and parents prepare for the future. Members of LULAC and SHPE, as well as representatives from colleges and universities in Texas and Oklahoma, will be available throughout the fair's run to answer questions and assist participants. Each Friday through Sunday during the State Fair, the Go Center will also feature a mobile computer lab to meet the needs of all students.

On Oct. 13, ExxonMobil and SHPE hosted a book signing and giveaway for 1,000 students in kindergarten through high school. The two books, !Ay Mijo! Why Do You Want To Be An Engineer? and !Ay Mija! Why Do You Want To Be An Engineer?, tell the childhood stories of several successful Latino and Latina engineers. ExxonMobil engineer Romeo Perez and SHPE National President Diana Gomez, whose stories are featured in the books, were on hand to read and sign copies.

"As the Hispanic population continues to grow, so must our efforts, to ensure that any and every opportunity is made available to help each student realize their academic potential. By providing both the books and the opportunity to participate in hands on math and science activities, we hope to ignite in children of all ages a desire to learn," said Rafaela Schwan, director of external affairs and communication for SHPE, and director of programs for its education foundation. "We want to make known the opportunities available in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and we hope to provide a way to explore and achieve those possibilities by encouraging young people to pursue a higher education."

SHPE will host educational enrichment activities open to the public on Saturdays (Oct. 6, 13 and 20) during the Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During this time, SHPE staff will assist students with projects such as pop rockets and glider building and present a chemistry show from the University of North Texas.

All educational activities are supported by grants totaling more than $59,000 from ExxonMobil.

About ExxonMobil Foundation

ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The Foundation and the Corporation engage 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 and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2006, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and ExxonMobil Foundation provided $139 million in contributions worldwide, with $54 million dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil's community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.

About LULAC/LNESC

Founded in 1929, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States. With thousands of members organized into more than 700 LULAC Councils in virtually every state of the nation and in Puerto Rico, LULAC has tremendous outreach into the Hispanic community. As the educational arm of LULAC, the LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC) has made a significant impact in Hispanic educational attainment. Through an array of exceptional educational and leadership development programs, LNESC has contributed to the academic success of 300,000 promising Hispanic and disadvantaged students and has provided over $8 million to more than 12,000 minority scholars.

About SHPE

SHPE, Inc. is the source for quality Hispanic engineers and technical talent, committed to enhancing America's position in math, science, engineering and technology with a strong and talented Hispanic workforce. AHETEMS (Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math and Science) is the education foundation of SHPE, working with Latino students from the elementary to graduate level to educate, encourage and engage them in their academic and career pursuits in math, science, engineering and technology fields. The foundation provides mentoring, academic development, scholarships, competitions, conferences, internships and more to support the younger generation on its way to excellence and leadership success.