The University of Texas at Austin - Continuing and Innovative Education

The Exxon Mobil Corporation has increased its annual gift to the Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program at The University of Texas at Austin from $4,000 to $10,000 per year. The new increase was unveiled as part of the university’s annual Exemplary Migrant Student Recognition Ceremony held March 31, 2008. During the event, ExxonMobil presented scholarships worth $2,000 to five outstanding students from the program.

The Exxon Mobil Corporation scholarships are designed as incentives for migrant students to attend college after graduating high school. Over the past six years, ExxonMobil has awarded gifts totaling $24,000 to 12 of the program’s Students of the Year. Most of the former recipients are now attending college, one has earned a bachelor’s degree, another is working on a master’s degree, and one student still attends high school.

“It is gratifying to see migrant students who have received scholarships from ExxonMobil during the past six years succeed with their goals for establishing careers in fields such as engineering,” said Rosendo Cruz, program officer for Education and Diversity at the Exxon Mobil Corporation. “I am pleased we have increased our gift from two scholarships each year so that this year five migrant students are being helped on their way to college.”

“I am grateful that the gift from the Exxon Mobil Corporation has allowed us to expand the mission of our migrant program beyond helping migrant students graduate from high school,” said Dr. Judy C. Ashcroft, dean of Continuing and Innovative Education at the university. “With scholarship funds, we are able to help these excellent students attend college, including The University of Texas at Austin.”

Forty students were honored at the Exemplary Migrant Student Recognition Ceremony, each selected based on obstacles overcome, performance in distance learning courses, participation in extracurricular activities and community service, and academic achievement. Scholarship recipients for 2008 are:

• 2008 Student of the Year Melissa Castaño of Edinburg, Texas
• 2008 Student of the Year Atanacio Gomez of Eagle Pass, Texas
• Leonardo Chavez of the La Joya ISD
• Rolando Gonzalez of the La Joya ISD
• Isai Emanuel Pruneda of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD

Alexis Fernandez, 2006 Student of the Year and a former scholarship recipient, assisted Rosendo Cruz in presenting the college scholarships at the event. Fernandez is currently a sophomore majoring in engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

The Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program is sponsored by the Texas Education Agency in its ongoing effort to improve the high school graduation rate of Texas migrant students who miss school when they migrate to follow the harvest. For over 20 years, the program has helped thousands of migrant students graduate by providing them with opportunities to earn credit through distance learning courses that are accessible at any time and any place.

More information:

Exxon Mobil Corporation
Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program
The University of Texas at Austin
Division of Continuing and Innovative Education