Oil Industry Groups Create Petroleum Technology Scholarships

Three petroleum technology scholarships have been endowed at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford by industry representatives reflecting continuing support for the university’s reinstated petroleum technology program.

Donors are Barbara and Harvey Golubock, United Refining Co. of Warren and the Penn York Oil & Gas Affiliates of Desk and Derrick Clubs.

The Penn York Oil & Gas Affiliates of Desk and Derrick Clubs gave a $14,100 gift to create petroleum technology scholarships, and Barbara and Harvey Golubock and United Refining each gave $5,000 for scholarships.

These scholarships were all matched by the Agnes L. and Lewis Lyle Thomas Scholarship Challenge. The Thomas Scholarship Challenge was made possible by a $1 million gift from Agnes L. Thomas and allows donors to double the amount of gifts between $5,000 and $50,000 to new or existing scholarships, as long as funds last. Gifts must be paid within five years to be eligible. For example, a $5,000 gift pledged over five years will yield a $10,000 gift to endow a scholarship or add to a scholarship fund.

Harvey Golubock, president and chief operating officer of American Refining Group was one of a group of industry representatives who approached the university to encourage resumption of the petroleum technology curriculum. At the same time, a study by the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association and North Central Workforce Investment Board validated a regional need to educate industry employees. An Energy Industry Partnership was then formed to lead efforts toward resolving the situation. That group donated $16,000 to Pitt-Bradford’s reinstated petroleum technology program in 2007.

Dr. Livingston Alexander, university president, says Pitt-Bradford is committed to aligning curriculum with workforce needs. “We will expand both credit- and noncredit-based instruction and recruit qualified professors to ensure that students enrolled in our petroleum technology program and other coursework are well served. Our regional economy depends heavily on a strong and stable oil and gas industry. To continue to thrive, this industry must have a steady influx of well-trained and qualified workers,” he said.

Golubock also credits his affiliation with Pitt-Bradford as an advisory board member during the past decade for giving him a deeper appreciation of Pitt-Bradford’s mission.

“My own higher education was through public colleges,” he said. “I was a first-generation college student in our family, not at all unlike the demographics of many of our Pitt-Bradford students. My advisory board experience as well as the endowment of the new petroleum technology curriculum by ARG has provided me a way to give back so others may benefit from an education at a world-class institution of higher learning.”

Myron Turfitt, president of United Refining Co., says his firm employs a number of Pitt-Bradford graduates.

“We have a long history of employing regional talent. Pitt-Bradford has been a great source for educating students in the oil and natural gas field. As we participate in the 150th anniversary of the oil industry in Pennsylvania this year, we are proud to support the university’s initiative to provide regional opportunities for students interested in our industry.”

The Penn York Oil & Gas Affiliates of Desk and Derrick Clubs is comprised of members whose employment is in the oil or gas industries of Pennsylvania or New York. The local club is one of 61 clubs in the United States and Canada and is celebrating its 58th year. Members meet monthly and sponsor nine educational meetings or field trips a year utilizing local industry personnel. Jennifer Smith, PYOGA president, said Desk and Derrick members share a common goal of wanting to improve the petroleum industry. The group specified first preference for its scholarship be given to current members of the organization or their immediate family, second preference to current employees or immediate family of a company that sponsors the organization, as well as preference to students living in McKean, Elk, Forest, Potter and Warren counties or Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties in New York state.

“The club wants to keep the scholarships close to home by first making them available to its members, families and industry-related employees,” Smith said. “Our motto is ‘Greater Knowledge-Greater Service.’ Our scholarship is funded by donations from local oil, gas and service-related industry and fundraising events such as seminars. Memorials for members and families will be donated to this fund as well.”

Kay Soble chairs the group’s scholarship committee and agrees that the local connection is vital to provide for the industry’s future. “These students are the future of our industry,” she said. “The local oil and gas industry recognizes that, and we are truly appreciative of their support for this endowed scholarship. We plan to enhance the endowment with a campaign.”

For more information on the Agnes L. and Lewis Lyle Thomas Scholarship Challenge, contact Karen Niemic Buchheit, executive director of institutional advancement at Pitt-Bradford, at (814)362-5091 or kpb@pitt.edu.

Pictured, Alexander, Golubock, Smith, and are talking about a display of oil industry memorabilia on display at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford as part of the Oil150 Celebration marking 150 years since oil was struck in Titusville, Pa.
(Photo courtesy of Pitt-Bradford)