BP scholarship recipients and interns honored

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

“This is a fantastic time for you to be entering the energy work force,” BP’s Peter Zwart told Rice students who have received either a $10,000 scholarship or an internship from the nation’s largest onshore gas producer.

	BP’s Peter Zwart spoke to Rice students who received either a $10,000 scholarship or an internship at a luncheon Sept. 15 in Farnsworth Pavilion.

Citing the aging demographic of the oil and gas industry, Zwart noted that he and many others will be retiring in the next five to 10 years — a time when BP will need “very solid petroleum engineers.”

“We’ll be leaving the door very wide open for you,” said Zwart, BP’s Gulf of Mexico chief financial officer, “I think you have an amazing opportunity ahead of you.”

As BP’s executive sponsor for Rice, Zwart congratulated the scholarship winners and interns at a luncheon Sept. 15 in Farnsworth Pavilion. BP awards the scholarships to a select group of full-time students who have expressed an interest in energy-related careers. The scholarships are intended to help offset tuition, fees and other expenses.

Zwart commended the quality of Rice’s academic program and professors. “We’ve been recruiting students at universities for five years, and when I look back at the names of the students we’ve hired, I think the Rice grads have excelled more than any other college recruits at BP. That’s why we spend money on scholarships and research and continue to look for ways to deepen our relationship with Rice.”

Thirteen Rice students received BP scholarships this year: Tina Cai, Taylor Goulding, Alexandra Kirshner, Zhao Chad Kong, Regina Leaño, Jonathan Lo, Cassie Miao, Timothy Mehlman, Rami Nammour, Christopher Ochterbeck, Amanda Reineck, Jasmine Rogers and Kern Vijayvargiya.

Ten Rice students are BP interns: Danielle Behar, Andrew Briggs, Julie Chao, Daniel Jong, Gabriella Leano, Diana Lee, Jeffrey van Wageningen, Sam Wang, Xin Wang and Kurt Wilson.