The University of Houston Hosts 3rd Annual Energy Banquet by Sharinna Byrd
Energy professionals, students
The celebration brings back alumni and connects them with students, industry professionals and members of the Energy Advisory Board. Organized by the Energy Coalition and UH Energy, the evening is a time for students to connect with professionals and for alumni to be informed on what UH has been doing in the energy industry.
“My favorite part of attending is seeing how all the professionals are actually giving back,” said Kamalpreet Kaur, Energy Coalition project manager. “As a student, I can see their involvement with us and how welcoming they are and genuinely interested in what we do.”
BP Senior Vice President Cindy Yielding was
The three guests of honor were Patricia Vega, former president of GE Oil & Gas Latin American; Clay Williams, president and CEO of NOV; Lynn Bourdon, president and CEO of America Midstream; and other energy professionals from companies in the Houston area.
Kaur’s role as
Vice Chair Julian Chenin opened by telling the audience about the Energy Coalition, which that spans all majors and fosters positive attitudes towards energy. He said UH research and its location in the city of Houston have transformed it into an energy university.
Kaur in her second year of organizing the banquet, said organizers try to involve students in all aspects of the evening. “We even hired a live orchestra composed of students from UH’s Moores School of Music,” she said.
The Energy Coalition hosts a lot of events during the year; the banquet is the most extensive and most inclusive, stated Kaur. The event’s mission is to provide networking opportunities for students but also to inform alumni and industry professionals of the work and breakthroughs those students are making at The Energy University.