Elizabeth McDonald has established the Elizabeth McDonald '01 Petroleum Engineering Endowed Scholarship. Distributions from this endowment will be used to provide one or more scholarships to students pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University.
A second-generation Aggie, McDonald followed in the footsteps of her father and two older sisters, who all received their degrees from Texas A&M. To McDonald, Texas A&M always felt like home. Aside from her family ties to the university, she was attracted to the quality of the engineering program, specifically within the highly ranked and respected petroleum engineering department.
“The program creates industry leaders and cultivates a spirit of innovation and change, all while strengthening Texas A&M’s position as a leading university,” McDonald said. She was greatly influenced by her experiences, which continues to shape her career today. “I believe that the skills and opportunities that Texas A&M provided me have led to my successful career.”
Diploma in hand and classroom experiences in mind, McDonald set out on a career that has given her over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. McDonald has worked at Pioneer Natural Resources Company for the last 16 years and has held a variety of titles while gaining expertise in many areas along her journey. She is now the senior vice president for strategic planning field development and marketing.
As a woman of vision with a passion for solving complex problems and creating solutions to help fuel the world, McDonald was inspired to invest in the future leaders of the industry. “My hope is that there are many current students who see the challenges of energy demand and transition and desire to rise to the occasion,” McDonald said.
McDonald established the endowed scholarship to assist in removing the financial barrier that would otherwise prevent someone from pursuing their degree. “I believe that this gift can enable the students to be the leaders of tomorrow in our industry while helping to solve some of the most challenging problems in decades,” McDonald said. “Who better than Aggies to lead that charge?”
To reflect her experiences and inspire others, McDonald has made additional preferences that recipients be a member of the Women in Engineering program, a member of the Texas A&M student chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers or a student who will be the first of their family to enter into the oil and gas industry. “I truly appreciate my experience at Texas A&M and I want to continue to pass on that Aggie spirit in the future, just like someone did for me,” McDonald said.
How to Give
Endowments supporting Texas A&M College of Engineering students have an immeasurable impact on their education. If you are interested in supporting the College of Engineering and its departments or would like more information on how you can give, please contact Kelly Corcoran, senior director of development.