Bymasters give back with endowed scholarship
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| From left: Development Officer Stephanie Buettner, Kristin and Adam Bymaster and Dean Tom Landers |
How did you (Kristin) arrive at your current role at ExxonMobil?My career began with three internships at ExxonMobil, which were found using OU’s Career Services department and through OU’s Minority Engineering Program. Upon completion of my bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, I was hired full-time by ExxonMobil in May of 2004. I have held multiple positions, beginning as an offshore facilities engineer and progressing into various technical leadership roles for assets across the United States. In 2013, I moved to XTO Energy (an ExxonMobil subsidiary) as a Business Development analyst. My current role is Midstream Engineering Manager for East Texas, South Texas, and Appalachia.
Did Adam take a similar path? Adam completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at OU in May of 2004, and subsequently pursued a graduate degree as a PhD candidate at Rice University in Houston, Texas. His undergraduate training proved to provide the strong foundation required in a competitive graduate program. Upon completion of his PhD in 2009, Adam began his ExxonMobil career at the Upstream Research Company, where he led the development and deployment of new technologies and processes to capture deepwater resources, and also published various papers and patents in the areas of subsea processing technology. In 2013, he moved to XTO Energy (an ExxonMobil subsidiary) as a senior advisor in the Engineering Technical Services Group, providing support across the United States, Canada, and Argentina for various complex facilities. His current role is a senior midstream engineer and he rotates to Argentina. His responsibilities include designing and managing construction for start-up facilities including pipelines and plants.
Did you know what career path you wanted to take while at OU?No. Originally, we both were leaning towards the medical field. We both chose Chemical Engineering because of the employment flexibility in various industries (oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, medical, etc.). Adam even went so far as to complete the pre-med degree option and take the MCAT. However, we felt the oil and gas industry was more geared towards our family lifestyle (work-life balance preferences) and our technical interests. Our internships were also an important step in making the decision to work in the oil and gas industry, including Kristen’s oil and gas internships and Adam’s internships across various industries (i.e. materials/chemicals engineering, oil and gas, and academia).
What motivated you to make your gift? We both benefited from scholarships at OU and might not have been able to attend otherwise. Kristen benefitted from the National Merit Scholarship and the Rita H. Lottinville Prize. Adam worked on campus part-time during his first year at OU at the Cate Center, giving him an appreciation in the later years when his scholarships fully-funded his tuition and he was able to solely focus on classes. Adam benefitted from the Sam A. Wilson Chemical Engineering Scholarship, International School of Hydrocarbon Measurements Scholarship, Robert C. Thomas-Tenneco Energy Scholarship, ChevronPhillips Mentor Scholarship, and the Valedictorian Scholarship. It is important for us to give the same opportunity to other students, and ExxonMobil’s 3 to 1 match provides a great way to make our donations go even further. We encourage others to check their employer’s matching gift program and take advantage of this wonderful benefit.
Can you give us some details about the scholarship and setting up the endowment?We knew we wanted to give to the CBME, but we weren’t sure how to make the best use of our donation or company match. We were put in touch with Brandon Brooks and later Stephanie Buettner, who worked with us to ensure our gift was being used in a way that met our intentions. They took the lead in setting-up the scholarship and made the entire process very easy for us. Also, we weren’t required to fund the scholarship all at once; we could set-up a payment schedule to allow us to fund it over time, with assistance from our company’s matching gift.
The Bymaster Endowed Scholarship will be ready to award in the year 2020. To qualify, applicants must be full-time students in the CBME program with a minimum 3.25 GPA. Dr. Grady, as the Chair of the Scholarship Selection Committee, will determine the amount and number of scholarships given each year. We will receive a report each year detailing the recipient(s), and we hope to be able to meet them personally.
What are some of your dreams or goals in establishing the endowment? We hope to pay our gratitude forward by assisting deserving, hard-working students with their educational expenses, allowing them to focus on studies and classes. We are excited to play a role in impacting our university’s state-of-the-art programs and recognize talented students.
It is important to us to remain connected to the University. We have a great appreciation for our degrees and feel we were well-prepared to enter the competitive workforce upon graduation. We have had the privilege of attending a past CBME board meeting and networking with other donors and alumni, and we hope to continue in similar roles. We are members of the Felgar Society and make an annual donation to that program as well. Kristen has been a part of the ExxonMobil / XTO Energy campus recruiting teams, searching for prospective interns and full-time hires. We are also football season ticket holders and enjoy traveling to Norman to attend the home games with our three children and extended family.
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