Ohio Northern University has entered a “strategic partnership” with Cenovus Energy, Inc. to support its College of Engineering, according to a University press release and recent news article.
The partnership entails a $400,000 donation to ONU which will “support crucial first-year experiences and hands-on and out-of-the-classroom learning.” Specific applications include a new “Cenovus Energy First Year Engineering Showcase” and the designation of the “Cenovus Energy First Year Engineering Workroom” on the second floor of the Engineering building.
Dean of the College of Engineering J.D. Yoder is quoted: “This commitment from Cenovus will impact every student who walks into our college…By sponsoring the Showcase and establishing the Workroom, Cenovus is engaging with our students from the first day of their educational journey, providing the resources and exposure necessary to develop exceptional, career-ready engineers.”
According to the press release, Cenovus Energy is an oil and gas production company headquartered in Canada with a refinery in Lima, Ohio. Its Forbes profile places it as #895 in “World’s Best Employers” and #460 in “Global 2000” (#318 for sales, #486 for profits, #937 for assets, and #830 for market value). For Canada specifically, Cenovus is #18 of the Global 2000 and #88 on “Canada’s Best Employers.”
Lima Refinery General Manager Dean Hempfling is quoted: “We couldn’t be more excited about supporting Ohio Northern University’s engineering program and students. This partnership just makes sense: we appreciate ONU’s immersive, creative, hands-on approach to teaching engineering. And we know from experience the university produces high-quality engineers, many of whom are employed with us today…But more than financial support, this partnership helps us engage with students. As we help them find their path, we hope that path leads to work with us.”
Alluded to in the press release, Ohio Northern is ranked at #14 in “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” (among schools not offering a Ph.D. in Engineering) by the U.S. News and World Report.
Ohio Northern joins a list of prestigious schools which have previously earned the support of Cenovus energy, including $2M for the University of Alberta, $2M for the University of Calgary, $1.5M for the University of Saskatchewan, $1M for the University of Toledo, $450,000 for the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and $200,000 for the Ohio State University.Previous donations and grants to Ohio Northern supporting Engineering include those from the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation, the Sholl Student Competition Fund, the Don Wood Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the State of Ohio.
[…] ONU also recently partnered with oil and gas company, Cenovus Energy, and received a $400,000 donation from them toward our engineering program. While the donation is […]