Selfless service starts today

All it took was four-and-a-half years of engineering, six students and a collective desire to pay it forward to help the next generation of Aggie petroleum engineers create a story of unexpected generosity.  

While many students wait until they are professionally — and financially — established to give back to their alma mater, newly graduated Ava Blackburn, Cecilia Orta, Whitten Bowles, Jackson Cook, Hondo Goebel and Cannon Pierce are getting a head start. Before even crossing the stage, the six Aggies organized a scholarship in the College of Engineering. 

Petroleum prodigies to pals

Excelling both in and out of the classroom, these students are the most recent graduates of the Graham Petroleum Ventures Program (PVP). The PVP certificate connects petroleum engineering students with Mays Business School students and faculty to study case-based business concepts within the energy sector. 

“PVP provided us with professional development, unique and focused courses, teamwork and relationship building within our cohort,” Pierce said.  

Along with practical skills, the students walked away from the program with lifelong relationships.

“Something that is unique about PVP and petroleum engineering is how tight knit we all are,” Goebel said. “24 students graduated in December of 2025 and six of us were in PVP, which allowed us to stay in touch and update each other on life events.” 

An immeasurable gift

Across campus, each of the six dedicated their remaining time to a wide array of experiences. This journey involved strengthening soft skills through active participation in the Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats, sororities and freshman leadership organizations, while also deepening their knowledge of petroleum engineering through professional organizations. Ultimately, they were left with a sense of gratitude that they quickly channeled into action.   

As their time in Aggieland came to an end, the students decided to collectively gift the December 2025 Graduates of PVP Endowed Scholarship, specifically to support future PVP students. 

“All of our experiences are hallmarked by the financial support we received from generous former students,” Blackburn said. “We had all talked about someday wanting to give back and establish a scholarship. It wasn’t until a conversation with our Texas A&M Foundation development officers that we realized that someday could be today.”

The scholarship will be awarded to Aggies pursuing a PVP certificate alongside a petroleum engineering undergraduate degree in the petroleum engineering department. 

“My education at Texas A&M and all my experiences have been an immeasurable gift,” Orta said. “This is a way we can begin to repay it. We want to support future students just like us.” 

The six graduates recognized both the challenges and the opportunities that accompany the pursuit of a PVP certificate. They hope that by easing the financial burden, future students can focus more on their education and professional development.

“We believe that the long-term value of this certificate is immense, and we would hate for a student to be hindered from completing the certificate for financial reasons,” Bowles said.  

The right work, the right way 

Five of the students will begin their careers in production engineering roles, and one will start as a reservoir engineer for a consulting firm. Cook highlighted the range of opportunity within the oil and gas industry for technical work and business management as they progress in their careers.  

“From the beginning of our time in the petroleum engineering department and PVP, we were taught that all we have in this industry is our word and our work ethic,” Cook said. “As such, integrity will continue to be a core value we hold close. Everything else stems from that.”  

The students all hope that their gift will encourage another Aggie petroleum engineer to invest in the people around them and build relationships that last long after graduation.  They strive to serve as an exceptional reminder that selfless service doesn’t have to be put on hold — it can start today.