FAMU Announces $200,000 Donation from Chevron for Scholarships, Special Programs, Faculty Development

SBI Dean and Vice President for University Advancement Shawnta Friday Stroud, President Robinson and Chevron’s Fredrick Walker hold the $200,000 check at event celebrating the partnership.

Florida A&M University hosted a delegation from Chevron Corporation to further cement the decades-old collaboration between the University and the global energy giant.

The program’s executive sponsors came with a $200,000 check Monday, the latest installment on the company’s $1 million commitment to fund scholarships and special programs over five years signed in September 2020. 

On signing the agreement, Chevron made a $250,000 contribution to fund scholarships and programs in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the School of Business & Industry (SBI) for the 2020-2021 academic year.  

In accepting the contribution, President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., was thankful for the long-term partnership with the energy giant.

“This is going to go a long way in supporting our strategic initiatives, in particular student success and recruiting and retaining world class faculty,” Robinson said. “This is part of an ongoing partnership with Chevron, and it’s going make a huge difference for us.”

Since the company had travel restrictions for two years during the pandemic, this week was the first-time executive sponsors could visit the Tallahassee campus to see how their contribution is being invested, University officials said. During their time on campus, the delegation visited with faculty and students from SBI, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and the College of Science & Technology. 

Among the leaders of the group was Fredrick Walker, a co-executive sponsor and general manager with Chevron at the El Segundo, California, refinery.

“We’re proud to be here today to be able to present this as just a semblance of our partnership that we have with FAMU,” said Walker. “We’re proud to be here talking with faculty, staff and also getting to meet some students. We’re glad you welcomed us, and we appreciate the opportunity.” 

The Chevron delegation included Dwayne Gibson, who joined the petroleum giant after he graduated from the FAMU SBI in 2001 with a degree in accounting.

Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., vice president for University Advancement and SBI, said the partnership with Chevron is more than 30 years old.

“This is just one more deposit on that partnership, and we are excited about the ways that we continue to grow and strengthen our relationship for years to come,” said Friday-Stroud, who is also executive director of the FAMU Foundation. “This is not new. This is just a continuation.”