Land and resource management program moves forward

Kati O’Hare

Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — Western State College in Gunnison is a little closer to its $3 million goal for a new program that will hopefully start in the fall of 2007 and lend a hand to the oil and gas industry’s demand for employees.

EnCana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc., a industry leader with a main office in Denver, awarded a grant of $200,000 to the college to support the Professional Land and Resource Management program.

“Land men and women are in high demand,” EnCana Spokesman Doug Hock said. “There are only a handful of colleges that offer programs in this field. By helping Western, we can build a quality program in our own backyard.”

Hock said the high demand and small supply of training programs make recruiting students very competitive for companies.

Western’s program would be the first in the Rocky Mountains and one of only six like it nationwide.

“It’s a supply and demand issue,” he said.

The undergraduate program will combine business with environmental studies and geology. It will be a new emphasis in the already-established business administration major, according to a Western State press release.

“Students graduating with this emphasis should have the background to be employed in petroleum and energy-related industries at very good starting salaries,” said Monica Newman, business, accounting and economics department chair.

Western is currently searching nationwide for a director of the program, said Tom Burggraf, Western’s executive director and vice president of institutional advancement.

Burggraf, who’s on the fundraising side of the program, said several industry companies have made gifts toward the program. Many of the companies have a presence in Colorado, but surrounding states have also chipped in and showed support.

Texas oilman, W.A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr., got the program rolling with his $1.5 million gift to endow a chair for the program’s director.

Burggraf said the interest on that gift will pay for the director’s salary.

Local contributors, like Craig and Charlotte Hasses of Gunnison who gave $250,000 for the program, set a bar for gifts from individuals.

Burggraf said more than 30 companies have also given gifts, many in the form of scholarships.

“It’s great they want to make it easier for students to get into the program,” he said.

Twenty-five percent of the money is geared toward scholarships, with the rest of the money going toward academic resources and general program support.

Western has come this far with the program because of extensive networking. It is the first program to be funded only through private gifts, which Burggraf said demonstrates the use of the private side of a public college.

Last summer Burggraf attended an expo in Houston where industry professionals showed enthusiasm toward the new curriculum.

Burggraf will return to Houston next week for the winter expo, which he said is much larger than the summer event. He will continue to network and use the week for recruiting a director and interns.

Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com