2026 Scholarship Recipients
The following candidate was awarded a $5,500 scholarship:
Andrew Kuntz is a Senior at Purdue University majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Business Management. He has a passion for the oil and gas industry, particularly in petrochemicals. Andrew is interning at ExxonMobile for the 2nd year, gaining more knowledge and experience with petrochemicals. He hopes to expand the internship to a full-time position and eventually be a Site and Process Manager.
The following candidate was awarded a $3,500 scholarship:
Reagan Sherretz is a Junior and a 3-time Indiana Oil & Gas Association Scholarship recipient. Reagan is from Wadesville, IN. She is a graduate of Mater Dei School where she excelled in sports and participated in many school clubs. Reagan volunteers across many organizations. She is attending Indiana University and majoring in Geology and Environmental Science, for which she has sincere love and respect. Post degree she desires to work in the Oil and Gas Industry and hopes to work on reservoir mapping and waterflood technology. This summer, Reagan is visiting various gas fields in Indiana and Kentucky to gain more knowledge and hands on experience to understand field patterns and operational challenges. She is also assisting a consulting firm to further her skillset in mapping, land research, permitting and compliance.
The following candidate was awarded a $3,000 scholarship:
Brody Runyon is a 2-time Indiana Oil & Gas Association Scholarship recipient from Olney, IL. He is currently a Sophomore majoring in Energy Management at the University of Oklahoma. Brody is also a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, active member of the OU Energy Management Student Association and participates in the Majors Mentoring Program. He is spending the summer in Midland, TX working for Mewbourne Oil Company as a Petroleum Land Management Intern. Brody’s family has deep roots in the Illinois Basin. After graduation, Brody plans to return to the Illinois Basin where he first developed his passion for the industry.
The following candidates were awarded a $2,000 scholarship:
Claire Demeter is from Chesterton, IN. She is a 2-time Indiana Oil & Gas Association Scholarship recipient and a Sophomore Purdue University and is transitioning her major in Chemical Engineering to Mechanical Engineering. Claire is a natural leader and has an eagerness to collaborate. Her passion for safe, efficient process engineering will lead her to explore and expand on efficiencies in mining, refining and safety systems within the oil and gas industry.
Caroline Vendetti is from Newburgh, IN and a Sophomore at Taylor University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She understands the demand the world has for usable energy and has a passion to understand how energy systems work and how they can be improved as far as efficiency and reliability where she hopes to improve the energy sector through responsible engineering.
Callista Ridgely is from Parkersburg, IL and a Freshman Chemical Engineering major at Rose Hulman University. She was valedictorian of her high school class. She has completely various job shadowing experiences at Marathon and CountryMark refineries. She hopes to continue her engineering studies using her skills to make refining and the energy sector cleaner and more efficient.
Ethan Mansfield is from Mt. Vernon, IN. and a 2-time Indiana Oil and Gas Association Scholarship Recipient. He plans to attend Purdue University where he will major in Chemical Engineering with a minor in business. Ethan was recognized with the University of Evansville Math Scholar Award and the College Board National Rural and Small-Town Recognition for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Along with his academic achievements, he has also provided significant contributions to his high school baseball and basketball team. He is driven to improve energy efficiency and plans to work at a refinery post-graduation.
David Quinonez-Diaz is from Evansville, IN. He plans to attend Purdue University in the fall, where he will major in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering. David is a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo. He is a member of the National Honor Society and studied abroad in Saumur, France in the IU Honor Foreign Languages Program. David plans to pursue a career working with transportation systems such as pipelines and valve designs.
As part of 2026 Scholarship Program INOGA donated $2,000 to Tri State Desk and Derrick Trade or Technical School Scholarship. This donation will be reviewed for consideration in subsequent years.
The requirements for the scholarship are:
- Be a resident of IN, IL or KY and attending any accredited college; or be a non- IN, IL or KY resident attending an Indiana accredited college.
- Be a graduating high school senior; or a HS Transcript showing completion through home schooling; or currently enrolled in a post-secondary education program.
- Be attending college in the coming fall.
- Plan to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry; and be pursuing a bachelor's degree, with preference given for Earth Sciences, Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Geology majors.
- Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Have a financial need determined by the scholarship committee.
- Submit an original short essay which describes the applicant’s interest in the oil and gas industry and which career path the applicant is planning to pursue. The applicant is discouraged from resubmitting a previously submitted essay.
- Submit at least one (1) letter of recommendation from a Mentor, Educator or Oil and Gas Industry Professional.
- Applicant must not be an immediate family member of a member of the Scholarship Committee of the Indiana Oil and Gas Association and must be eligible to accept the Scholarship under the Indiana Code of Ethics applicable to state employees, special state appointees and their covered family members.
Please submit application form, transcript, recommendation letter and essay by April 1 of each year to:
Indiana Oil and Gas Association
PO BOX 272
Mount Vernon, IN 47620
If you have any questions, please email Indiana Oil and Gas Association at [email protected]
or call at 812-838-8135.