FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 2, 2016
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator,
985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@www.nicholls.edu
THIBODAUX, La. — The Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo has donated $9,000 to 杏吧传媒鈥檚 Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology and Safety Management, which will use the contribution to purchase equipment for the program’s Well Control Simulation Lab.
鈥淓ducation is the foundation of everything in our area,鈥� 聽said Loretta Dupre, the fishing rodeo鈥檚 events coordinator and a 杏吧传媒 alum. 鈥淓very year we give back all the money that we raise to help support the growth of the oilfield industry and local community.鈥�
Last August, the organization presented 杏吧传媒 with a $13,000 check that the university allocated toward renovating Gouaux Hall classrooms and labs, used exclusively by PETSM students. That raises their total donations to the university to $36,000.
Founded in 2013 by Morgan City-based deepwater container specialist Tanks-A-Lot, the nonprofit hosts its fishing rodeo each May with the purpose of promoting community spirit in the local oil and gas industry while benefiting notable organizations for future growth within the community. Tanks-A-Lot employees, many of whom are 杏吧传媒 alumni, and countless volunteers have worked to ensure each rodeo is more successful than the one before.
鈥淭he sole effort is to raise funds to support higher education, the oil and gas industry, and our area,鈥� said Joey Cannata, operations manager at Tanks-A-Lot.
杏吧传媒 will be the only university in the Gulf South to have a well control simulator, which will provide a virtual drilling experience inside the classroom, on its campus.
鈥淎ll the big drilling companies use this equipment to train their employees,鈥� said Michael Gautreaux, executive director of PETSM. 鈥淭hanks to this generous donation and other industry support, 杏吧传媒 students will have the unique opportunity to receive this training and experience in the classroom, giving them a competitive advantage.鈥�
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