Maguire Energy Institute celebrates 40 years of energy education

Dallas, TX (SMU) December 5, 2014—The founders of the Maguire Energy Institute at SMU Cox School of Business marked the Institute’s 40th anniversary in late November in a private celebration at the Cox School. 

Cary M. Maguire

Beyond the celebration of four decades of energy education, the event also honored Institute namesake, SMU Trustee Emeritus and long-time Texas oilman Cary M. Maguire.

“Cary Maguire’s foresight in establishing this Institute has not only helped shape the energy debate and the energy industry itself, but perhaps most importantly, it has shaped the lives of thousands of students who have come through these doors and now have rewarding and productive careers in the industry,” said Bruce Bullock, director of the Maguire Energy Institute since 2007, who hosted the event.

Guided by a 30-member advisory board of distinguished industry energy leaders, the Institute established programs that benefit undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the industry and the community at large. They include:

• Student-led graduate and undergraduate energy clubs – As some of the largest and most active clubs on campus, these organizations connect students to the industry via field trips, speakers and forums.
• Academic programs – Energy concentrations are now available to both undergraduate and graduate degree candidates. As the industry ages and the leadership gap expands, the Maguire Energy Institute is preparing well-qualified graduates for successful careers in energy.
• Career Placement – The Cox School places graduates in outstanding positions in all sectors of the energy business, from Credit Suisse to ExxonMobil to Pioneer Natural Resources and beyond.
• The annual L. Frank Pitts Award for Energy and Innovation – This award has been given to leaders who have exemplified innovation and leadership in the energy field. Past recipients include Ray Hunt, Larry Nichols, Mark Papa, Scott Sheffield, and this year’s winner, David Miller. Annual scholarships are also awarded annually in L. Frank Pitts’ name.
• Active and ongoing research spanning all areas of the industry – The Maguire Energy Institute’s research and thought leadership has been able to significantly impact the current national and international energy debate.

“Cary Maguire’s original vision for this Institute back in the early 70s was to create the premier university-based energy institute in the nation right here at SMU Cox,” Bullock said. “Thanks to Cary’s advice and counsel, along with that of SMU Cox Dean Al Niemi, Dr. Bobby Lyle and our other venerable advisory board members, we have been able to achieve that goal.”

In turn, students are heeding the call for employment, as well as giving their time and expertise freely to the Institute that set them up for success. At the anniversary dinner, Nick Saliba, an L. Frank Pitts Energy Leadership Award Scholarship recipient, SMU Cox triple-major graduate and current Maguire Research Fellow, offered the student perspective.

“Previously, some banks and energy firms did not hire SMU students,” Saliba said. “Now companies are clamoring for our students to apply, and they are amazed by our poise and technical knowledge relating to energy. I believe this change has occurred because of the Maguire Energy Institute programs.”     

Along with Bullock, economist Bernard Weinstein, Ph.D., serves as associate director of the Maguire Energy Institute, and Marsha Faram is the assistant director. According to Bullock, the team is already working toward energy education opportunities for the next 40 years.

“We have recently kicked off The Mustang Spindletop Fund, one of the few energy-only student-managed investment funds,” Bullock said. “Students manage a portfolio of energy-only assets to gain investment experience as well as to fund future energy programs at SMU Cox. The Fund further cements Cary Maguire’s dream to create the preeminent energy institute in the nation.”

About Maguire Energy Institute

The Maguire Energy Institute encourages the study of management, marketing and policy issues related to the energy industry. It sponsors a number of programs that prepare students for careers in the energy industry, provides focused research for direct business application and informs the public through independent, unbiased information.

The Institute conducts seminars, lectures, forums, field trips and other programs designed to explore the many issues surrounding the energy industry. Most recently, the Institute worked with the Finance Department in the Cox School to create the new Energy Finance concentration in the MBA program.

The Institute has a 30-member advisory board of prominent energy experts to assist the director and the school in the development of its energy programs. Its programs cover all forms of energy, including traditional oil and gas, nuclear, wind, solar biomass and bio-fuels.

Initial funding for the Maguire Energy Institute was provided by Cary M. Maguire, president of Maguire Oil Company. Maguire plays an important role in support of education and SMU, serving as trustee emeritus.

About SMU Cox  

The Cox School of Business was originally established in Dallas in 1920 on the campus of Southern Methodist University and was named in honor of benefactor Edwin L. Cox in 1978. 

SMU Cox offers a full range of highly-ranked undergraduate and graduate business education programs:  BBA, Full-Time MBA, Fast Track MBA, Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), JD/MBA, MA/MBA, Master of Science (MS) in Accounting, MS in Business Analytics, MS in Finance, MS in Management, MS in Sport Management, as well as Executive Education and multiple certificate programs. 

The school also offers a number of unique resources and activities for students, including the Business Leadership Center (BLC), the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, the Folsom Institute for Real Estate, the Maguire Energy Institute, the Global Leadership Program and the Associate Board Executive Mentoring Program, as well as an international alumni network with chapters in more than 20 countries.

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