The Buckeye State is having a lot of good fortune lately: ExxonMobil announced recently that the company and its employees contributed $870,000 to higher education institutions across the state, as part of ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2015 Educational Matching Gift Program.   In addition, Antero Resources also announced donations throughout southeastern Ohio to local schools to help with their athletic departments.

Combined, Antero Resources, ExxonMobil and their employees donated a whopping $915,000 to Ohio local schools and education institutions.

According to a press release today, Ben Soraci, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation said,

“Quality education is the foundation for individual opportunity and economic prosperity. We have a long history of supporting education excellence in the country. It’s a shared priority, year after year, with ExxonMobil employees.”

Antero Resources and their employees, echoed this same sentiment, Al Schopp, Antero’s Chief Administrative Officer and Regional Senior Vice President said,

 “Supporting the communities where we’re privileged to operate is a core Antero value. We look forward to continuing to invest in the region’s youth and working to ensure they have the resources they need to meet their full potential.”

Thirty-six Ohio colleges, universities and local schools have recently been supported by ExxonMobil and Antero Resources, thanks to these generous donations. According to the press release today, ExxonMobil was able to use the donation to maximize total investment to qualified colleges and universities as they provided match donations on a 3:1 ratio, along with the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund. The company also stated that they would like to see the grant put toward math and science programs supporting student engagement.  Ohio’s support is only a fraction of the nationwide giving through the 2015 Educational Matching Gift Program, which has supported over 850 institutions through donations in excess of $45.4 million. ExxonMobil has a keen interest in encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), as well as teacher training initiatives, with a focus particularly on women and minorities.

Educational institutions all over the state are showing gratitude for these investments.  For example, Barnesville High School Superintendent, Randy Lucas said,

“Once again, Antero Resources is providing financial support to our athletic department.  They have been a great partner with the school district and we appreciate their continued support!”

Marietta City Superintendent, Will Hampton said,

“Any time an organization within our community is willing to support our schools is a big deal and we really appreciate that. It says a lot when you have the support of the people you live and work with every day.”

Supporting local jobs, schools, and improving the environment, all thanks to fracking, is certainly a recurring theme in Ohio. That’s why Ohioans overwhelmingly support the oil and natural gas industry and continue to be grateful for the funding that our communities continue to receive. This week’s announcement, is just one more example of tangible results from the industry that indeed have lasting impacts for the families who live and work here.