In a historic move, University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) alumnus Kelcy Warren has made a transformative
philanthropic investment of $12 million to support the university’s resource
and energy engineering (REE) program. This generous gift, the largest single
philanthropic donation in UTA’s history, will propel the university to the
forefront of the growing field of REE.
Kelcy Warren, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Energy Transfer
LP, recognizes the critical need for highly skilled graduates who can manage
energy resources in Texas. As a proud UTA alum, Warren wanted to give back to
the institution that played a pivotal role in his educational and professional journeys.
The $12 million gift will support faculty and research excellence in the College of
Engineering’s new REE bachelor’s degree program. It will also provide students
with life-changing opportunities for educational and career success in the REE
field and beyond.
To honor Warren’s generosity, UTA will name three endowed REE academic positions, REE laboratory
space, a career experience center, and scholarship/fellowship recipients in his
honor. The funding will also support research experiences for undergraduate engineering students.
The impact of Kelcy Warren’s gift will be far-reaching. It will create the Kelcy Warren Endowed
Professorship in Resource and Energy Engineering, which will enable the
recruitment and retention of a world-class faculty member to lead the REE
program. Additionally, two Kelcy Warren Endowed Faculty Fellowships will
attract distinguished scholars to enhance the educational experience for REE students.
State-of-the-art REE laboratory space and equipment will be established, providing faculty and
students with the necessary resources to address today’s most pressing energy
challenges. The Kelcy Warren Career Experience Center will offer engineering
undergraduates valuable opportunities for experiential learning, including
internships and co-ops.
Furthermore, the gift will support REE undergraduate students through scholarships, known as Kelcy Warren Scholars, and provide fellowship support for
engineering graduate students, known as Warren Fellows, interested in pursuing
careers in the energy industry.
The REE program at UTA, set to launch in fall 2023, will be the first of its kind in the United
States. It will prepare students to apply engineering principles to the design,
development, and operation of energy generation, storage, conversion, and distribution systems.
Kelcy Warren’s extraordinary philanthropic investment will forever change the landscape of UTA
and establish the university as a national leader in the resource and energy
engineering field. The university is deeply grateful for his vision and
commitment to ensuring the success of future generations in this vital
industry. See related link for additional information.
Learn more about Kelcy Warren on https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/kelcy-warren