DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2006--ExxonMobil and the Volunteer Center of North Texas recognized this year's 75 interns and agencies participating in the 16th annual ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program at a reception on June 6. In addition, former Community Summer Jobs Program interns were honored as ExxonMobil Community Champions for their continued work in the nonprofit sector.

"Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in making our community a better place for everyone," said Gerald McElvy, president of ExxonMobil Foundation. "But in order to provide their services and make that positive impact, these organizations must have additional help, especially during the busy summer months. The ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program connects nonprofits with student interns who are able to bring enthusiasm and much needed manpower to these agencies while gaining a new perspective on the vital role nonprofits play in our community."

During the reception, held at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Melissa Prycer and Lorena Keiningham, former ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program interns, received the ExxonMobil Community Champion award for their commitment to nonprofits. Both Prycer and Keiningham drew on their experience in the Community Summer Jobs Program, pursuing full-time careers within the nonprofit sector and working their way to management positions at two local nonprofit agencies. Prycer, now curator of education at Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park in Dallas, participated in the Community Summer Jobs Program in 1998. Keiningham, family advocate for Genesis Women's Shelter, interned during the summer of 1996.

A special award was also presented to Stacy Welk, recognizing her as the ExxonMobil Outstanding Community Champion. A former client of the Wesley-Rankin Community Center, Welk interned with the Community Summer Jobs Program and today serves as the executive director of Wesley-Rankin.

Funded by ExxonMobil and administered by the Volunteer Center of North Texas, the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program provides internships for college students and assists nonprofit organizations during the busy summer months. Throughout the eight-week program, 75 interns will assist with summer projects and participate in professional enhancement workshops. ExxonMobil's grant, totaling more than $186,000, contributes to the interns' summer salary and assists the Volunteer Center of North Texas in facilitating this annual program.

"The Community Summer Jobs Program not only provides agencies with much needed assistance, but also serves as a gateway to expose young people to careers they might not have considered," said Phyllis Bernstein, chair, the Volunteer Center's Dallas County Council on Volunteerism. "We are pleased to be part of such a beneficial program, where interns are given the opportunity to serve their community while gaining valuable working knowledge for their future careers."

Dallas motivational speaker Nancy Barry served as the keynote speaker at the event, congratulating this year's interns on their achievements and encouraging them to continue their success in the future.

Since the program began in 1971 in New York City, ExxonMobil has provided more than $6.6 million to support nearly 3,200 community summer job internships in 10 states including: Alabama, Alaska, California, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming, as well as in Angola. In the Dallas program, ExxonMobil has provided $2.3 million to place more than 1,175 college students in summer internships as of 2006.

About ExxonMobil Foundation

ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The Foundation and the Corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2005, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and ExxonMobil Foundation provided $133 million in contributions worldwide, with $42 million dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil's community partnerships and contributions programs is available at http://www.exxonmobil.com/community.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil

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