Oilfield Christian Fellowship is bringing students together by faith and helping them pursue a career in the oil and gas industry.
After 23 years of impacting the global oil and gas field, this organization emerged on UH campus with the help of petroleum engineering senior Dakota Schmidt.
“About a year ago the Oilfield Christians wanted to hold a meeting on campus, and when they came I pitched the idea of starting a chapter here on campus,” Schmidt said. “I saw how much they contributed to the oil and gas industry of the world and knew that they could make a big difference on campus.”
In its initial stage, OCF aims to remove the roughneck stereotype of the oil and gas industry and remind students that success in this field does not have to come at the expense off their Christian beliefs and values.
“We’re still starting this off and still very new at it, but we have contacted leaders in the oil and gas industry that have a good testimony to share and are willing to share,” Schmidt said. “When leaders that are high up in the oil and gas industry come to speak, mentor or just fellowship, it grounds us in our faith and reminds us of what is important.”
OCF has already helped 2013 petroleum engineering graduate Segun Fosudo secure a career in oil and gas.
“Oilfield Christian Fellowship helped me realize that my pursuit of a career in oil and gas does not have to come at the expense of my faith. One of the things I respect most about the group is its concept of having influential leaders in the oil and gas industry come out to speak, mentor, and fellowship with others in the industry,” Fosudo said. “As a recent graduate from the Cullen College of Engineering Petroleum School, spending many hours at school in order to do well is very familiar to me, and it is easy to be motivated by academic and career success, but OCF played a huge role in helping me understand that these kinds of success were not designed to come first in order for me to lead a whole and meaningful life through Christ.”
Oilfield Christian Fellowship provides the UH student body with a resource for guidance on their degree and on the pursuit of a position in a competitive field after graduation.
“There are over 700 students in petroleum school, which means that competition is inevitable,” Fosudo said. “In an environment where many people are trying to get ahead, it is possible to forget to put people first, and encourage others in the good and bad times. OCF will not only give students an opportunity to relax from school work, but it will more importantly give students the opportunity to come together in fellowship and be there for each other as a positive support group.”
Schmidt understands that all students will not be attracted to this group because it is faith-based, but for those that are, OCF establishes a long-lasting bond for members who join and fellowship together.
“I know for me personally just having a mentor or a peer to go to that has the same values as me is enough to help me keep on going,” Schmidt said.
As OCF moves out of the developing stage and into a reality on campus, the possibilities for this organization continue grow as more people engage in the opportunities presented.
“Influential speakers in the oil and gas industry will be coming out to speak at the on-campus meetings,” Fosudo said. “This will help remind the students that our faith and relationship with God was designed to come first. I believe others will be inspired the same way I have been inspired by those who went before me.”
This is a fairly bold move. I wouldn’t imagine evangelical Christianity pairing with an industry tied fairly closely to modern American conservatism.
‘Murica!