AME Alumnus Gives Back to UA With Time, Money

Thanks to the generosity of more than a thousand individual donors, such as AME alumnus Eric Carmichael, the College of Engineering’s development team raised more than $9.3 million in fiscal year 2018.

Carmichael, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1990, works as the Americas fuels marketing manager at ExxonMobil. He made a donation through the College of Engineering’s da Vinci Circle, a community of donors who make unrestricted gifts to the college of more than $2,500 per year. He also took advantage of ExxonMobil Foundation’s Educational Matching Gift Program, which matches employees’ donations to higher education institutions three to one.

“This really starts allowing employees to make a meaningful contribution to their universities,” Carmichael said. “I’d encourage anyone who works for a company with a matching program to consider that no amount is too small to get started. You can’t imagine how over time you’re able to grow in what you can contribute as your career progresses.”

Not only does he support the college financially, but Carmichael has also co-hosted gatherings of UA alumni on the ExxonMobil campus. In 2017, he outbid alumni from Texas A&M and UT Austin to promote the UA at “Raise Your Flag Week” at his son’s Texas high school.