AU Receives Donation of Nearly $200,000 from ExxonMobil

AU recieving donation from EXXONMOBIL
MacFarlane, Richardson and Benefield (left to right)

Auburn University received nearly $200,000 to benefit academic programs from ExxonMobil's 2005 Educational Matching Gift Program to which ExxonMobil employees, retirees and spouses contribute.

John MacFarlane, manager of Technology Sales and Licensing with ExxonMobil and a graduate of Auburn's College of Engineering, presented the check for $198,809 to interim AU President, Ed Richardson, and Larry Benefield, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

"We are grateful that companies like ExxonMobil realize the importance of giving back and instill and support this priority among their employees," said Richardson. "Auburn continues to enhance its academic programs and opportunities thanks to our relationship with ExxonMobil."

The contribution this year represents a 54 percent increase from last year's contribution. Since the start of the "It Begins at Auburn" campaign at the end of 2001, AU has received almost $650,000 from the ExxonMobil Foundation's Matching Gift Program.

Initiated in 1962, the program matches gifts to higher education on a 3-to-1 basis and has provided more than $323 million to higher education at 908 colleges and universities in the United States.

Under the program, a donor can give up to $7,500 a year to colleges and universities with which he or she is affiliated and the Foundation matches those gifts up to $22,500.