LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC) is today announcing that Sofia Leon from Doral, FL, is being awarded the prestigious ExxonMobil/LNESC Scholarship for her leadership qualities and high school achievements in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Ms. Leon will receive a four-year $20,000 scholarship to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Additionally, twelve local awardees are also receiving one-time $2,000 scholarships to pursue engineering degrees at U.S. post-secondary institutions. The 2018-2019 ExxonMobil/LNESC Scholarship Program recipients are:
Brandon Alba | La Mesa, CA | Electrical Engineering | University of California, Davis | |||||||||
Andrew Ashmar | Macungie, PA | Chemical Engineering | University of Pittsburgh | |||||||||
Mackenzie Baldree | Corpus Christi, TX | Environmental Engineering | St. Mary's University | |||||||||
Daniel Brunnick | El Paso, TX | Mechanical Engineering | Harvard University | |||||||||
Karen Devora Cigarroa | Mesquite, TX | Civil Engineering | Iowa State University | |||||||||
Andrei Garcia | Carrollton, TX | Chemical Engineering | Georgia Institute of Technology | |||||||||
Michael Garcia | San Antonio, TX | Mechanical Engineering | Johns Hopkins University | |||||||||
Kelvin Martinez Gomez | Portland, OR | Computer & Systems Engineering | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | |||||||||
Michael Montez | Boerne, TX | Chemical Engineering | University of Texas at Austin | |||||||||
Andrea Newman-Rivera | Corozal, PR | Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering | Johns Hopkins University | |||||||||
Andrea Quinones | Houston, TX | Mechanical Engineering | Columbia University | |||||||||
Maryum Salim | Miramar, FL | Biomedical Engineering | University of Florida | |||||||||
Funded by the ExxonMobil Foundation, the program recognizes high-achieving Latino seniors from across the country who plan to pursue degrees in engineering at accredited colleges or universities. Consideration includes academic performance, career interests and potential, as well as leadership and community involvement. The Foundation has been funding these scholarships for five years.
"ExxonMobil Foundation is focused on helping to grow the pool of diverse engineers in our country,” said Kevin Murphy, President, ExxonMobil Foundation. “Our longstanding partnership with LNESC has been instrumental in progressing this goal.”
According to a Pew Research analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, Hispanics hold only 7 percent of STEM jobs. At the same time, employment in STEM occupations is outpacing overall U.S. job growth, and workers in STEM fields earn an estimated 26% more than non-STEM workers.
“As Latinos remain under-represented in the STEM fields, it is imperative that we equip students not only with the financial means necessary to pursue a post-secondary education, but also with the experience needed to enter the workforce. The ExxonMobil/LNESC scholarship program affords students with both, as it has created a pipeline from its scholarship program to internship opportunities. Over the past four years, LNESC has awarded more than $175,000 in scholarships, while ExxonMobil has placed recipients into its internship programs in Illinois, New Jersey, and Texas. LNESC is proud to continue its partnership with Exxon Mobil to provide such opportunities for high-achieving Latinos across the country,” said LNESC Executive Director, Richard Roybal.
About LNESC
Since 1973, LNESC has focused on creating a menu of developmentally appropriate educational initiatives. These model programs are designed to help the organization reach its mission of providing the highest quality education programs needed to help members of the Hispanic community become life-long learners and leaders. Through these efforts, LNESC has contributed to the academic success of 550,000 promising Hispanic and disadvantaged students and has provided more than $26 million to nearly 30,000 students.
More information about LNESC and its programs can be found at www.lnesc.org.
About ExxonMobil Foundation
The ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) in the United States. The foundation and the corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, with a focus on math and science in the United States, promote women as catalysts for economic development and combat malaria. In 2017, the ExxonMobil Foundation, together with Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates along with employees and retirees, provided $204 million in contributions worldwide.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180813005339/en/
Contacts:
Marianna Moron,
202-835-9646, x114
mmoron@lnesc.org
