CITGO Funds $686,000 in STEM Scholarships, Classes

Students and teachers in Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas can access new STEM scholarship and classroom programs this year.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Scholarships

Screen-print poster illustration of a single glass beaker holding a small green sprout, set on a warm cream field in mustard, teal, and rust. — CITGO Petroleum invested about $686,000 in 24 STEM initiatives and scholarship programs for students and teachers in Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas this year. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

CITGO Petroleum Corporation invested approximately $686,000 in 24 STEM-focused initiatives across Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas, announced Nov. 5, 2026. The funding renews support for the CITGO Innovation Scholarship Program through Scholarship America, giving students in those states new STEM pathways.

Why it matters

The CITGO STEM Program aims to increase the number of students who graduate high school and enter STEM-related post-secondary programs. For students weighing science, technology, engineering, or math majors, scholarship and classroom support can ease the cost and preparation burden of those paths.

The $686,000 total is spread across 24 initiatives in Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas, and includes a Signature Program grant to the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. Eligibility rules, individual award sizes, and application deadlines for the CITGO Innovation Scholarship Program were not stated in the source.

The players

CITGO Petroleum Corporation

A Houston-based refiner operating three refineries in Lake Charles, Louisiana; Lemont, Illinois; and Corpus Christi, Texas, that funds the CITGO STEM Program.

Scholarship America

A nonprofit that administers scholarship programs, including the CITGO Innovation Scholarship Program.

National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project

A nonprofit energy education organization that receives a CITGO Signature Program grant to train teachers.

The details

CITGO Innovation Academies embed STEM learning into the daily classroom experience at partner schools, while CITGO offers grants to schools and community partners in underserved areas to build interest in STEM. This year's package includes a grant to the NEED Project that will train teachers in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lemont, Illinois. The Innovation Scholarship Program, renewed through Scholarship America, sits alongside these classroom efforts as part of the broader CITGO STEM Program.

Nov. 5, 2026: CITGO announced approximately $686,000 in STEM grants.
2026: This year's grants fund 24 STEM-focused initiatives.

Education Landscape

Corporate-funded STEM programs like the CITGO STEM Program have become a common way for industry to support pipeline development into science and engineering fields. This package sits within that pattern, pairing scholarships with classroom and teacher-training investments in the communities where the company operates refineries.

Students interested in STEM programs in Illinois, Louisiana, or Texas can ask their school counselors whether CITGO Innovation Academies or scholarship opportunities are available locally. Families should confirm eligibility and deadlines directly with the school's financial-aid office or the scholarship administrator.

The takeaway

Corporate STEM funding can open doors to classroom experience and scholarship support, especially in communities near industrial sites. Ask your school counselor which CITGO or other STEM programs are available in your district and what their current application windows are.