UH Energy

CAMPUS ENERGY LEADER

Energy Coalition Vice Chair Ready to Share her Passion for Energy on Campus

07/19/2017 | By Claire Andersen

As the upcoming school year fast approaches, the Energy Coalition’s new board is preparing for a new year of expansion and growth. As one of the largest student organizations on campus, the board is determined to educate and impassion UH students on all things energy.

Executive board member Kamalpreet Kaur is a key part of this effort. Now a senior Management Information Systems (MIS) student, Kaur is determined to share her passion for energy with other students before she makes her own start in the industry.  

UH Energy: How do you define energy?

Kamalpreet Kaur: Energy for me represents opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. At first I thought it was only oil and gas or fossil fuels, but once I got into energy I realized it has such a broad outreach. The industry is very diverse and offers a place for everyone regardless of his or her field of study.

UHE: What made you want to study MIS?

KK: In my general business class we had a week where all different majors came in to tell you a little bit about themselves and what kind of jobs they have. The management information systems panel was very interesting to me and at the time, I was undecided. After listening to the panel, I could see myself in in this career path.   

UHE: How do you see yourself being involved in the energy industry after you graduate?

KK: I hope to be in the information and technology part of the industry. There is so much data coming in at such a rapid pace and I want to be part of putting it all together to help companies work more efficiently and effectively.  

UHE: What is your dream Job?

KK: My dream job would be one that allows me to be a leader and in which my actions have real-life effects on the company. MIS has that kind of impact on business because we are working with databases as well as technology that is changing very rapidly.  

UHE: What opportunities have you had at UH to make connections with industry leaders?

KK: With EC I have received many opportunities to learn about the energy industry. At our banquet we had the Energy Advisory Board members, who are renowned in the Houston energy industry. This gave me a chance to network and talk with them about their experiences. Another great opportunity that EC brought to me was the tour of Phillips 66. EC was invited by Phillips 66 to take a tour of their headquarters and meet up with their commercial recruitment team. This was a very informative trip, we got a chance to see the commercial floor and get inside view on how big companies like Phillips 66 functions.   

UHE: Tell me about your involvement with the Energy Coalition. 

KK: I am the Vice Chair General Events Project Manager. I first heard about EC at Energy Night and it seemed really appealing to me. I was drawn to EC because it has such a large outreach and a large number of the student population is involved with an organization that is a part of EC. In addition to this I have the opportunity to host large events like our annual Banquet, the Energy Career Fair, Energy Night and any other event that come our way. 

UHE: What are your goals for EC this year?

KK: Our main goal is to expand upon the Energy Coalition by actively marketing our organization. We host many huge events and this year our main goal is to spread as much awareness as possible about the work we do. 

UHE: What advice would you give to incoming students?

KK: My main piece of advice for incoming students would be to get involved. Classes can only teach you so much. Get involved with an organization that has good representation and is geared towards your major or minor. If they’re interested in knowing more about energy, get involved with EC or one of the organizations part of it. We would love to see more people that are passionate about energy join us in the Energy Coalition.