Influence Mentoring receives $100,000 donation from Cenovus Energy to support Indigenous youth

CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 02, 2023 -- Influence Mentoring Society is honoured to announce a recent donation of $100,000 from Cenovus Energy. Cenovus has supported Indigenous-led programming for more than a decade and this investment shows the company’s significant commitment to advancing reconciliation.

The funds from Cenovus will directly support the free mentorship program at Influence, allowing more students from across the country to join. Influence Mentoring is an Indigenous-led organization working to improve cross-cultural understanding by matching inspired, Indigenous post-secondary students with innovators, leaders, and creators across industries. In addition to the financial contribution to Influence, Cenovus has also committed to supporting the program by providing staff opportunities to be mentors.

“Influence’s mentorship program creates valuable opportunities for Indigenous post-secondary students to achieve their career goals and also provides a space for mentors to learn more about Indigenous culture,” says Trent Zacharias, Cenovus’s Director, Community & Indigenous Affairs. “This partnership reaffirms Cenovus’s commitment to advance the social and economic inclusion of Indigenous people and also offers a chance for our staff to become mentors.”

“Influence Mentoring is grateful to Cenovus for their generous support,” says Colby Delorme, Chair of the Influence Mentoring Society Board of Directors. “They recognize that mentorship plays an important role not only in supporting the success of Indigenous youth but also in supporting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. We are so pleased to work alongside them to continue to grow our program.”

In 2021, Influence Mentoring received seed funding from actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. Since its inception, a number of post-secondary students have been matched with Mentors in a successful launch of the pilot program. Influence is actively seeking new students and Mentors to join the program.

About Influence Mentoring Society
Influence is a collaborative organization working to create better opportunities for Indigenous post-secondary students, and to create opportunities for Mentors to raise their awareness of Indigenous issues, culture, and history. The program works to build capacity, talent, and career opportunities for eligible Indigenous students, who are committed to achieving their career goals. This innovative program is delivered through an online platform enabling students and Mentors to participate in the mentoring program from anywhere in Canada. For more information, visit influencementoring.com

About Cenovus Energy Inc.
Cenovus Energy Inc. is an integrated energy company with oil and natural gas production operations in Canada and the Asia Pacific region, and upgrading, refining and marketing operations in Canada and the United States. The company is focused on managing its assets in a safe, innovative and cost-efficient manner, integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into its business plans. Cenovus common shares and warrants are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, and the company’s preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit cenovus.com.

For more information:
Bao Ho
Executive Director, Influence Mentoring
Executivedirector@influencementoring.com

Cenovus Energy Inc: