Exxon gives Southern $89,550

ExxonMobil presented Southern University with a check for $89,550 Friday as part of the corporation’s three-to-one matching gift program from employees and retirees.

The majority of the money will go toward needs-based scholarships. However, the university will honor donations designated for specific purposes, said Margaret Ambrose, special assistant to the chancellor of Southern’s Baton Rouge campus.

Exxon’s gifts to the campus have risen steadily over the past three years — from $44,000 in 2010 and $65,000 in 2011 — as Southern has expanded its alumni database and gotten more aggressive in seeking donations, Ambrose said.

“Everyone is aware of the dire straits higher education is in right now,” she said.

Exxon and Southern have had a long partnership with the company, awarding internships to students and sponsoring the university’s annual Bernard Harris Summer Camp, a math- and science-intensive program for middle school students.

“We look forward to coming back every year and presenting you with a matching gift check,” Exxon employee and Southern alumnus Wilbert Ferdinand Jr. said.