Gifted through the Texas A&M Foundation, Stephanie and Aaron Trask '11 have established the Stephanie and Aaron Trask '11 Chemical Engineering Scholarship. Their generous gift will support undergraduate students pursuing a degree in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering who have demonstrated leadership or involvement in a student organization.
“Scholarships were a major part of my time at Texas A&M,” said Aaron. “The generosity of former students in the form of scholarships allowed me to leave Texas A&M with no student debt and start my career on a strong financial foot. Whether it was through scholarship banquets or the events attended during my time in Maroon Coats, I realized quickly that scholarships, and the former students behind them, are one reason that Texas A&M is so special and unique.”
In addition to surrounding its students with support, Aaron explained that the chemical engineering department and his semester-long co-op experience played an integral role in his post-graduation success.
“The ability to problem-solve, think outside the box, attack problems logically and present information concisely are areas that Texas A&M’s College of Engineering excels at teaching versus other colleges,” said Aaron.
After starting his career as a production operations engineer at Hess Corporation, a leading global energy company based out of North Dakota, Aaron returned to Texas for two years to hold various business development roles in Houston. Now, he is returning to Hess Corporation as an area lead – armed with the lessons learned and insight gained from both industry and academia.
“Texas A&M provides a unique opportunity to not only receive a world-class education, but also help ‘round’ students out through organization involvement,” said Aaron. “I think this plays a crucial role in developing the leaders of tomorrow by equipping students technically and teaching them about leadership, relationships and communication. I truly believe that the community service-oriented mindset of Texas A&M sticks with you after college and makes a big impact in the corporate world.”