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Two UW Students Win National Landman Scholarships

 
Paige Trent and Christopher Welch

Two students in the University of Wyoming’s Professional Land Management program (PLM) have received scholarships from the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL).

Paige Trent, a senior from Laramie, and Christopher Welch, a sophomore from Spencer, Ohio, will continue their studies with the support of the national organization that accredits programs to train professional landmen. Both students are in UW’s Energy Resource Management and Development program, each with a concentration in professional land management.

Each year, the Landman Scholarship Trust awards cash scholarships to qualified and deserving undergraduate and graduate students from colleges or universities that offer an active and accredited curriculum in natural resources management or similar curriculum who wish to further their training in professional land work, natural resources management or associated occupations.

UW’s PLM program, one of just 12 accredited in North America, is a concentration within the energy resources and development major in the School of Energy Resources (SER). AAPL awarded 39 scholarships for the 12 accredited programs this year, says Stacey Garvin, director of education and member services for the AAPL.

Thirty UW students are currently enrolled in the PLM program, which aims to produce professional landmen capable of providing sound stewardship of energy and mineral resources. Landmen determine land ownership and availability for mineral leasing; negotiate agreements with landowners for drilling and production rights; draft and administer contracts with the assistance of corporate counsel; coordinate workflow with geologists and engineers; and ensure compliance with government regulations.

Trent says the scholarship is important to her for what it represents to her and its financial impact to help her through college.

“I highly respect AAPL and the values it represents. It is an organization that does quality work while representing how people should ethically act in the business world of landmen and in life, in general,” Trent says. “AAPL also provides great networking and advocacy. I am proud to be associated with this organization. This scholarship also helps with the financial burden of attending college. I am honored to have been selected for this scholarship.”

Welch says the AAPL Landman Scholarship Trust will help him achieve his educational goals at UW; allow him to become an active member of the energy community; and have a positive impact on the industry in the future. 

“Being in a state such as Wyoming, I can see how the state is trying to diversify its energy sector to promote economic growth,” Welch says. “Living in Wyoming, as well as the education I am receiving at the School of Energy Resources, will help me pursue my career goals. I truly want to help advance the field of energy while maintaining ethical standards to be fair to all parties involved in land management.” 

SER developed the PLM program, in partnership with the Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen and the energy industry, in part, to meet an increasing demand for well-trained land professionals with specific knowledge of Western land issues, culture, heritage and environment. The program includes coursework in business, geology, law, engineering and math, with opportunities for practical application. It emphasizes direct industry experience through internships, collaborations with practicing professional landmen and attorneys, field trips and other interactions with the energy sector.

The Landman Scholarship Trust is a trust created and formed for educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code of 1986 and supports students in their quest for academic excellence.

 

 

Contact Us

Institutional Communications
Bureau of Mines Building, Room 137
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-2929
Email: cbaldwin@uwyo.edu


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