Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Minority Scholarship Program
Through a partnership with DFW international Airport, Chesapeake initiated a scholarship program for minority students in the DFW aspiring to attend college. With an initial investment from Chesapeake, the communities of Dallas and Fort Worth responded to a challenge to match the funds. Today, $3.75 million has been raised to allow excellent minority high school students the opportunity to attend college, while easing the financial burden and the minds of parents and students alike.

Each year, community volunteers assess applications and award up to $20,000 a year for four years to dedicated students, based on academic and extracurricular performance, which can go towards tuition, books and room and board. This allows qualified students from Fort Worth and selected Dallas Independent School District high schools to attend the college or vocational school of their choice.

Since 2008, the Chesapeake energy Barnett Shale Minority Scholarship Program has awarded more than $968,000 to help outstanding local minority students realize their educational dream.

By making it financially possible for students to complete their educations and receive their degrees, not only do they benefit, but the entire Barnett Shale community benefits today and for decades to come.

The Chesapeake Energy Presidential Scholars Program: Oklahoma City University’s Meinders School of Business
The Chesapeake Energy Presidential Scholars Program at the Oklahoma City University Meinders School of Business was established with a $5.0 million commitment to be distributed over five years. The Chesapeake Scholars Program will provide up to $25,000 per year in tuition to selected students pursuing careers in finance, economics, accounting, marketing, business administration, computer science and information technology. In addition, scholars will take part in a Chesapeake Presidential Leadership Course facilitated by faculty members in coordination with designated Chesapeake leadership coaches, including a Chesapeake Senior Vice President and OCU alumni.

Fort Valley State University’s Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP)
In Northwest Louisiana, we provide scholarships to 25 students at five universities and colleges based on need and community leadership. To increase diversity in the energy industry, Chesapeake partnered with the Fort Valley State University’s (Fort Valley, Georgia) Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) to award scholarships to minority students pursuing geoscience and petroleum engineering degrees. Last year, more than 50 students benefited from our CDEP contributions.

Peak Mentoring and Scholarship Program
To help ensure the training of qualified geologists, engineers, landmen and energy lawyers in the next generation, we strategically award scholarships to students pursuing energy-related degrees, such as geology, IT, land and law and engineering. In 2009 the Peak Program was added at Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa. This unique mentor program provides current scholarship recipients the opportunity to learn more about the energy industry by building a one-on-one relationship with Chesapeake employees. Through this program, scholars are matched with both an established professional and a promising young professional who will provide them with exposure to Chesapeake and the energy industry. There are currently 30 employee mentors and 40 scholarship recipients participating in the Peak Program.

The Peak Program is continuing to grow and more colleges are slated to be added in the upcoming years.

Lackawanna College Natural Gas Technology Program
The Natural Gas Technology Associate’s Degree Program in New Milford, Pennsylvania, began in the fall 2009 and has been developed in cooperation with the natural gas industry to prepare students for a career in the operations segment of the industry. Chesapeake made a $50,000 donation to the school to purchase equipment for training purposes.

West Virginia University
In 2009, the Chesapeake Scholars program committed $750,000 over the next five years to the West Virginia University Department of Geology, Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and College of Law. The donation will be used toward scholarships, fellowships and curriculum enhancements at the university.

University of Arkansas College of Law
In 2009, the Chesapeake Scholars program committed $125,000 over the next five years to the University of Arkansas College of Law. This donation supports curriculum enhancements and scholarships at the university.

University of Oklahoma Endowed Chairs
University science departments are centers for research to find the best approaches for meeting society’s energy needs while reducing environmental costs. To further such efforts, the company funded $1.5 million to endow two Chesapeake Energy Chairs in the field of Climate Studies in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences.