The Recruiting Inclusive Students into Energy (RISE) Scholars Program recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.
The Recruiting Inclusive Students into Energy (RISE) Scholars Program recently celebrated its one-year anniversary with the announcement of its second cohort and an epic tailgate party. Ten additional students were selected to participate in the two-year program, which aims to attract, develop, retain, and advance a base of Black employees that reflects the Company’s diversity.
“This is an opportunity for Halliburton to support Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and deepen our commitment to our diversity and inclusion mission while building our pipeline of future talent,” Halliburton Chairman, President & CEO Jeff Miller said. “We are excited to support PVAMU and its outstanding students, as well as build on our historical success with the Texas A&M University System.”
The second cohort of RISE scholars and mentors recently met to introduce themselves and discuss the journey ahead. For students, the mentorship is all about personal and professional development and exposure to corporate culture. “I feel like this mentorship will make me a better student and a better accounting major,” RISE scholar Kui’jett Childress said. “It’s a great opportunity to get some actual job experience.”
Finance major and RISE scholar Fatima Perez said, “This mentorship will have an impact on me and my career because it gives me an inside look at a leading company. It allows me to get comfortable and gain more knowledge about expectations in the workplace.”
Alicia Washington, Fatima’s mentor and the Testing & Subsea controller, is eager to help Fatima bridge the gap between a textbook education and financial industry experience. “I hope my mentee will enter the post-collegiate workforce with confidence gained through ample preparedness, reasonable expectations, and perpetual support,” she said.
The RISE Scholar Program provides scholarships, employee mentors, and summer internships to rising juniors in PVAMU’S College of Business (COB) and Roy G. Perry College of Engineering. “The RISE program is an amazing opportunity for students to gain financial benefits as well as real world experience,” Mentor and Supply Chain Senior Manager Shari Williams said. “The program is immersive and offers experiential learning and exposure that is invaluable to any student that fully dedicates themselves to the process.”
Her mentee Kui’jett said, “The experience of working with the oil and gas company in the accounting department is what inspired me to apply for the program.” Both Kui’jett and Fatima recognize the value of the program and the impact it will have on their futures.
“From the scholarship and industry exposure to networking with the Halliburton team, I knew this program would be a one-of-a-kind experience,” Fatima said.
To keep the celebration going, Halliburton sponsored a tailgate at the Labor Day Classic, an annual football game between PVAMU and Texas Southern University (TSU), which are both Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). It was the first of its kind for the university, and Halliburton’s participation trailblazed a way for other companies to express interest in booking a suite for the football season.
“It is important for PVAMU to create and participate in programs like RISE because it helps students prepare for the workplace and pushes other companies to be more diverse," Fatima said.
To learn more about the RISE Scholar Program and some of the other participants, check out Halliburton & PVAMU celebrate RISE Scholars Program success blog.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the program, visit pvamu.academicworks.com/opportunities.
