Chevron executives presented a check for $975,000 to Dean Yannis Yortsos and Professor Iraj Ershaghi of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering on the field at the 2009 USC-Stanford football game.

(from left) USC Professor Iraj Ershaghi and Viterbi School Dean Yannis C. Yortsos accept the Chevron contribution from Frank Semancik GM, El Segundo Refinery; Glenn Johnson GM. Sales Western Region; and Mike Casey GM Operations San Joaquin Valley SBU.

For engineering alumni celebrating USC homecoming it was a glorious moment amid a game USC fans would like to otherwise forget as USC went on to its worse football loss ever.

The check was presented as Chevron's 2009 University Partnership Program (UPP) contribution, a multi-year collaboration to provide undergraduate scholarships for under-represented minority engineering students as well as masters and PhD fellowships to systematically address new steps in educating engineers and funding research for sustainable energy supply systems.

UPP is administered by USC's Center for Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies (CiSoft), a highly successful multi-million dollar research collaboration between Chevron and the Viterbi School now in its fifth year of operation.

This year's contribution includes funds for scholarships for under-represented minority students, and the Center for Engineering Diversity, which is responsible for recruiting, mentoring and retaining under-represented minority students and preparing them for success as professional engineers.

Chevron also provided funds for Chevron-sponsored PhD Fellowships for research in energy-related topics, master's degree fellowships, maintenance and further development of the CiSoft Collaboration / Visualization Center and Test Lab, Petroleum Engineering Program field trips, and the CiSoft Academy, a summertime outreach to high school students who have just completed their junior year aimed at stimulating interest in engineering.

Dean Yortsos noted with pleasure that the Viterbi School's partnership with Chevron is the flagship for a successful and sustained research partnership between a top company and a leading research university. "We appreciate Chevron's long range investment in the Viterbi School by funding world class research, top quality engineering education, and our diversity efforts, despite the current economic difficulties."