Chevron's University Partnership Program (UPP) works with colleges and universities around the world to provide scholarships, grants and departmental gifts. UPP funds faculty positions, builds labs, and helps its partners to attract and develop the talented students and teachers necessary to ensure a technically proficient global workforce. We consider these educational partnerships to be strategic investments in the economic development of local communities and the future of the energy business.
Chevron sponsors the Summer Bridge Program at Mississippi State University's Bagley College of Engineering. The program helps incoming minority freshmen prepare to excel in their chosen field.
UPP is active in key areas of Chevron operations, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, Thailand and the United States. A portion of the program focuses on bringing together schools across the globe to strengthen faculty, curriculum and student development. Efforts are also under way to explore partnerships with universities in Angola, Bangladesh and Poland.
In the United States, UPP partners with several major universities, including the Colorado School of Mines, Louisiana State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Texas A&M University, University of California, Davis and the University of Texas at Austin. In addition, support is provided to a network of more than 75 other schools to develop talent in disciplines such as engineering, earth science, finance, information technology and environmental science.
To encourage minority participation in these areas of study and encourage diversity, Chevron partners with historically black colleges and universities such as Tuskegee University, North Carolina A&T and Clark Atlanta University. We also sponsor other university-based programs designed to attract and retain minority or low-income students, including:
- The Summer Bridge Program at Mississippi State University
This four-week transition program designed to help incoming minority freshman engineering students adjust to college life and prepare for their area of study.
- The GoldShirt Program at University of Colorado
This year of extra study allows motivated but unprepared students to pursue an engineering degree. After the GoldShirt year, participants follow the four-year curriculum in the engineering major of their choice while continuing to take part in the GoldShirt program.
Through UPP, Chevron partners with many professional associations at the campus and national level. Chevron is a board member of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering. We also partner with the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, among others. Our involvement provides national and local chapter sponsorship, scholarships and recruitment into our workforce.
Updated: April 2012