19 May 2014 Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund donates $115,000 to UACCM
Members of the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund Board recently announced donations totaling $115,000 toward the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton GIVE MEANING campaign and scholarships to Petroleum Technology students.
At an event April 17 at UACCM, FSSF Board Vice President Jon Swann announced that the Board would donate $57,500 in scholarships to students in UACCM’s Petroleum Technology program as well as an additional $57,500 to the campaign.
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 group hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to raise scholarship funds for students seeking careers in the state’s oil and natural gas industry.
This contribution from the FSSF board brings the total donation amount to $755,000 since the fund began in 2006, providing 470 scholarships to students studying in the petroleum technology program at UACCM. Scholarships support student expenses including tuition, fees and books. The UACCM scholarship committee awards scholarships to students based on both academic performance and financial need.
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. 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. Since 2006, the program’s enrollment has grown from 30 students in its first semester to approximately 108 this year. Nationally, only a handful of schools offer two-year petroleum technology programs that educate students in the fields of drilling, gathering and field operations.
The cornerstone of UACCM’s capital campaign will be to construct and equip a new Workforce Training Center that will house many of the college’s technical programs.
“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 provide larger, modern facilities and equipment that are current and relevant in today’s workforce and continue to provide scholarships for our petroleum technology students.”
UACCM began offering an associate of applied science degree in petroleum technology during the fall 2006 semester. The degree provides education opportunities for individuals who desire to pursue employment opportunities related to oil and gas exploration, production and development in the Fayetteville Shale play, one of the country’s largest known unconventional reserves of natural gas. The college also offers stop-out points at the levels of certificate of proficiency and technical certificate. The program was established with a three-year pledge of $200,000 from Southwestern Energy Company to UACCM.
