During NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, students from Utah and Louisiana colleges were given the red-carpet treatment by Dominion Energy, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and our partners at Professional Pipeline Development Group (PPDG).  

The cohort comprised of 30 college students from the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, Weber State University, and Southern University Law Center (Louisiana). During this two-day event, the students toured Dominion Energy Utah’s Training Academy, learning about the properties of clean burning natural gas and tools of the trade.  

A significant component of the event centered on the students learning more about Dominion Energy and exposing the students to the utility and energy industry. For Matt Bartol, GM of Western Distribution Operations, the event allowed us to showcase one of the best run utilities in the industry.  "Whether they choose to pursue a career with Dominion or not, I think it opened their eyes to the utility industry and to the fact that we're trying to do the right thing when it comes to the environment." 

In addition to the facility tour, the students had a networking session with Dominion Energy ERG Leaders, executives, and guest business leaders to learn and share their thoughts about their future ambitions. The panel discussion with visiting business leaders revolved around their career journeys, challenges, motivations, and how they navigated their personal and professional lives while succeeding at the highest levels in their industries.

The highlight for many that weekend was the presentation of four scholarships given to one student from each university. Leighton C. McCoy, VP of Distribution Technical Services, remarked, "The excitement of the scholarship recipients (and their peers) was a reminder of the commitment the corporate community must make to the next generation of leaders."

Student Demos During the NBA All-Star Weekend

One of those scholarship recipients, Tony L. Black Jr., a Southern University Law Center law student, commented, "{I’m} extremely fortunate to have spent last week in Salt Lake City, UT, learning more about employment opportunities available in the Mountain West region and clean energy."

Against the backdrop of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains and NBA All-Star weekend, Dominion Energy's commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and supporting the development of future leaders in the energy industry is what truly shined during this weekend's events.