Gas company gives University $1 million

The ConocoPhillips Petroleum Engineering Building was finished summer 2011 and was paid for mostly by money donated by the company. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar
The University of Houston will receive a donation of $1.1 million from ConocoPhillips Co. this year to pay for the growth of the Energy Research Park and various engineering, business and science programs.
“This donation will only further the progress we’ve made by helping additional students, providing various new programs including an offshore energy program, and strengthening the corporate bond,” said Marshall Scott, assistant vice president for instructional support and outreach.
This is the second year UH has received a $1 million donation from the company, and a third donation of the same magnitude is expected next year.
The ERP at UH was built and funded to research alternative energy solutions to the problems arising from the use of fossil fuels.
The ConocoPhillips Petroleum Engineering Building, which is located at the ERP, will receive the $1 million in support of the graduate and undergraduate students who study there.
“This donation is expected to be tremendously helpful to the petroleum program and to the expansion of the undergraduate program,” Scott said.
The petroleum engineering undergraduate program was started in fall 2009 to accompany the existing master’s degree program.
The other $125,000 will add other engineering, science and business programs.
“Our goal in working with a number of different oil companies, including ConocoPhilips, to enhance the program. There has been a lot of progress in the past three or four years towards that goal, both in research and teaching,” Scott said.
ConocoPhilips Petroleum Engineering Building opened last year and quickly became the new home for the petroleum program.
The ConocoPhilips building consists of three classrooms, three teaching labs, a computer lab and lounges for both students and teachers to enjoy.
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