Sulphur, La. – July 11, 2016 – CITGO Petroleum Corporation recently awarded collegiate scholarships to 10 high school graduates who are dependent children of company employees, including four children of CITGO Lake Charles Refinery employees. The local students were honored last month during the annual CITGO Scholarship Banquet at the Pioneer Club in Lake Charles, La.

Since 1987, CITGO has been active in helping qualified dependent children of its employees reach their collegiate goals through offering college and university scholarships. Since the program began, 300 students have been awarded scholarships totaling over $2.9 million. Of those scholarships, 91 were to Lake Charles employees’ children. The students selected as the 2016 CITGO scholarship recipients include: Brooke A. Burnett, Sulphur, La., daughter of Christopher C. Burnett; Sarah A. Edwards, Lake Charles, La., daughter of John M. Edwards; Andrés A. Noguera, Lake Charles, La., son of Andres A. Noguera and Amy R. Richard, Lake Charles, La., daughter of David S. Richard.

CITGO continues to uphold education as one of its core values. CITGO Lake Charles Refinery Vice President and General Manager Tomeu Vadell said CITGO scholarships promote academic excellence and help to equip the next generation workforce. “These outstanding students have earned these scholarships through their commitment to their education,” Vadell said. “CITGO congratulates them and supports them in their future academic and professional endeavors.”

The CITGO scholarships are one more example of how CITGO supports education both locally and at the national level. The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery is very active in supporting education at all levels in Calcasieu Parish. CITGO has participated in the Calcasieu Parish school system Partners in Education program since 1988 and is partnered with four Calcasieu Parish public schools: Sulphur High School, Sulphur 9th Grade Campus, E.K. Key Elementary School and Calcasieu Parish Alternative Site. CITGO is also a sponsor of McNeese University.

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.