An Energizing Engagement

Like many companies, Chevron is navigating a turbulent global economy and a wide range of repercussions sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization is also part of a rapidly changing energy industry that faces increasing demand along with enhanced environmental sensitivity.

Chevron leaders see these friction points as significant opportunities for the company to evolve. “It’s an exciting time in the industry,” said Lanell Wallach ’90, Chevron’s university portfolio manager. “Providing affordable and ever-cleaner energy is Chevron’s goal.”

To successfully create this next chapter, Chevron must continue to recruit and retain a quality workforce. Yet the company finds itself vying with other organizations, many of which are outside the energy industry, for top talent. To set itself apart from its competitors, Chevron is investing its time and talent, as well as social investment funding, earlier in the pipeline by deepening its long-standing strategic partnership with Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Foundation. Through this relationship, the energy giant exemplifies the various opportunities Texas A&M offers corporations to engage with researchers and the future workforce to find success.

Deep Roots

Today, Chevron enjoys a long and fruitful relationship with Texas A&M that initially started with the College of Engineering. “Texas A&M is one of the nation’s top petroleum engineering schools,” Wallach said. “We’ve had teams coming to campus for decades to recruit the wonderful talent that Texas A&M develops, and we’ve worked with faculty on research and development projects.”

Over the years, Chevron’s engagement in the College of Engineering has deepened and expanded across campus to now include the College of Science, Mays Business School and the Career Center. This expansion led Chevron to designate a specific individual to serve as university partnership coordinator in the mid-2000s.

Chevron’s partnership and support of Texas A&M extends to the College of Engineering, the College of Science, Mays Business School and the Career Center. (Photo: College of Engineering)

In 2019, Wallach assumed this role and soon had the unique opportunity to watch the educational ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the college experience of her daughter, Sydney ’23, an industrial engineering major. “Seeing the university through the eyes of the Texas A&M Foundation and also through the eyes of my daughter allows me to see both sides at the same time and work with the university on how we can help students,” she explained.

In addition to Wallach’s role, Chevron has expanded its engagement through representatives who serve on numerous Texas A&M advisory boards at the college and departmental levels. Their involvement allows the company to provide valuable input on academic programs, courses and initiatives so that Aggies are well prepared to enter the workforce.

Broadening the STEM Workforce

Chevron is especially interested in working with Texas A&M to create a deep and diverse talent pool in STEM fields. “That starts at the university level,” Wallach said. “We need more women, minorities and first-generation students in engineering. From a diversity and inclusion standpoint, you get a much richer outcome if you have diverse backgrounds.” To encourage and support diversity at the university, Chevron regularly engages with Texas A&M student organizations such as Women in Engineering, providing sponsorships and guest speakers.

The Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academies provide low-income students a more affordable path to an engineering degree by partnering with community colleges. (Photo by Holly Kuper)

Chevron’s engagement with the College of Engineering led to the creation of the Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academies. Launched in 2015, the pioneering program aligns with Texas A&M’s initiative to prepare 25,000 engineering students by the year 2025 and provides low-income students a more affordable path to an engineering degree.

The innovative partnership involves numerous community colleges across Texas that each annually identify 100 promising students interested in pursuing a STEM career. These students take mathematics, science and core curriculum courses taught by the community college’s faculty as well as introductory engineering courses taught by Texas A&M faculty at the community college. Because they are co-enrolled in engineering classes, the students are considered Aggies and complete their bachelor’s in engineering on Texas A&M’s campus once their community college coursework is complete.

The company also provides face-to-face support. Members of the company’s Women’s Employee Network also serve as mentors to students at all the community colleges that are part of the Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academy.

Engineering Success

Chevron remains open to finding new ways to provide support that are aligned with its strategic initiatives. In 2021, Chevron made a donation to purchase lab equipment that will allow faculty and students to analyze carbon capture. The company also supports other research and development efforts at the university.

“When students graduate and walk across the stage, we want them to have skills to hit the ground running when they enter the industry—whether it’s for Chevron or somebody else.”
- Lanell Wallach '90

The company is expanding its visibility at Mays Business School through serving as the title sponsor for the 2022 Women in Leadership Conference in October, which has an audience of 500-plus female business leaders and Mays students. Additionally, Chevron Vice President of Wells Kim McHugh ’86 ’88 will be the event’s keynote speaker.

“We see this as an opportunity to reach women in the industry, which aligns with our commitment to diversity and inclusion,” Wallach said. “Students often don’t see accounting degrees as something that an energy company needs. But Chevron needs accountants, MBAs and traders, too.”

With a dedicated recruiting team for Texas A&M already in place, Chevron also recently obtained naming rights for Texas A&M’s HireAggies Career Center online job posting system. “We wanted to have a presence so that students know we’re there to support them while also generating awareness for our brand,” Wallach said.

Ultimately, Chevron wants its engagement with Texas A&M to help prepare Aggies to be leaders in their chosen work. “When students graduate and walk across the stage, we want them to have skills to hit the ground running when they enter the industry—whether it’s for Chevron or somebody else,” Wallach said. “We always have to remember that this partnership is for the greater good.”

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