Shell Oil Company has contributed $313,500 to support academic programs at The University of Texas at Austin.
The grants benefit undergraduates and graduate students in the university’s McCombs School of Business, Cockrell School of Engineering and Jackson School of Geosciences. A large component of the donation is designated for the GeoFORCE Texas Program, which rewards outstanding low-income students from diverse South Texas and Houston school districts with the chance to travel the country and learn about opportunities for careers in the geosciences.
Including the $313,500 contribution, the company has given The University of Texas at Austin more than $34 million in gifts and research grants, said Mark Blount, director of corporate relations at the university.
“With $20.6 million in gifts and $13.7 million in research support, Shell is truly one of our most generous corporate partners,” Blount said. “Beyond its philanthropy, Shell helps our students launch promising careers. And not least, Shell works with us on innovative programs in science, business and engineering.”
Shell Vice President Kelley Lang was on hand to present the donation at a campus event attended by university leaders and students who are Shell interns or have accepted job offers with Shell. The visit was Lang’s first in her new role as Shell’s executive ambassador to the university.
