20 Mar 2015 Fayetteville Shale board gives $96,000 to UACCM

Members of the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund (FSSF) Board recently presented a $96,000 contribution to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. The donation will be split between scholarships for UACCM students studying petroleum technology and the UACCM Foundation’s “GIVE MEANING” campaign.

FSSF President Caleb Knight announced the gift at an event at the college, allocating $48,000 for scholarships and $48,000 for construction of the new Workforce Training Center at UACCM. The contribution brings the total donated by the FSSF to $850,000 since its inception in 2006.

To date, a total of 1,053 certificates and degrees have been awarded to 430 individual students in the petroleum technology program, largely due to scholarships awarded by the FSSF. Scholarships support student expenses including tuition, fees and books. The UACCM scholarship committee makes awards to students based on both academic performance and financial need.

“We appreciate the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund Board’s continued support of our students and the program,” said UACCM Chancellor Dr. Larry Davis. “This contribution will allow us to continue to provide scholarships for our Petroleum Technology students and provide larger, modern facilities and equipment that are current and relevant in today’s workforce.”

Offering a one-of-a-kind Associate of Applied Science degree program in Arkansas, the petroleum technology degree program at UACCM continues to lead the way to a more knowledgeable and specialized workforce for the local natural gas industry. Established in 2006 with a three-year pledge of $200,000 from Southwestern Energy Company, it is the largest applied technology program at UACCM, offering a curriculum that allows students to explore the industry that continues to be an economic leader in the state. Nationally, only a handful of schools offer two-year petroleum technology programs that educate students in the fields of drilling, gathering, and field operations.

In addition to the continued support of the petroleum technology program, the FSSF has supported the UACCM Foundation’s “GIVE MEANING” campaign with contributions totaling $215,000 over the last three years. FSSF dollars will be used to construct the new Workforce Training Center at UACCM. The estimated 60,000-square-feet facility will house many of the college’s existing technical programs, including a new industrial mechanics and maintenance technology program which contains many classes in the petroleum technology plan of study.

The Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund is a non-profit organization made up of member companies who work in the state’s natural gas industry. The FSSF encourages and enables students to pursue educational opportunities that prepare them for jobs in the oil and gas field. The group hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to raise scholarship funds for students seeking careers in petroleum technology.

For more information about the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund, visit fs-scholarship.com/. For additional information on the petroleum technology program at UACCM or the “GIVE MEANING” campaign, or for more information on applying for FSSF scholarships, visit uaccm.edu.