From staff reports The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board is awarding $523,500 in scholarships to 97 university students – including four from southwest Oklahoma – for the coming academic year.
All 97 are studying petroleum-related fields at state universities.
The recipients include:
• Bryce Schulke of Elgin, studying petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma.
• Parker Lynn of Lawton, geosciences, OU.
• Kaden Harris of Marlow, petroleum engineering, OU.
• John Fremin ofWalters, petroleum engineering, Oklahoma State University.
The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, funded by the oil and natural gas industry, provides scholarships for students majoring in petroleum engineering, geoenergy engineering, geosciences, and energy management at Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa.
“These scholarships are more than financial support; they are an investment in the future of energy,” said OERB Executive Director Mindy Stitt. “We believe in the potential of these students to drive advancement and innovation for our industry.”
OU has pledged its support by matching the geoscience and petroleum engineering scholarship dollars provided by the OERB. This matching contribution amounts to $221,750, elevating the total impact to $745,250.
Students can apply for the scholarships during each year of undergraduate work. The amount increases annually, with a $7,500 maximum scholarship for seniors. Petroleum scholars also receive exclusive access to industry networking events and educational activities. The scholarship application period for the 2026-2027 school year will open on Nov. 1. For a list of criteria or for more information, visit oerb.com/scholarships.
The OERB is funded by more than 2,500 producers and thousands of royalty owners across Oklahoma through a voluntary one-tenth of 1% assessment on oil and natural gas production. Since 1993, the agency has successfully cleaned up more than 20,000 abandoned oil and natural gas well sites across Oklahoma, restoring land at no cost to landowners.