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More than 100 West Virginia high school students have EQT to thank for making college a little more affordable. 

For the past three years, EQT Corp. has been a sponsor and supporter of the Students of Excellence program published in The State Journal.

During the program's inaugural year in 2009, EQT was one of three primary sponsors of the scholarship program. The following year, EQT become the primary sponsor of the program, providing one student in every county with a $1,000 scholarship. 

"We liked the opportunity to help a student from one of our operating counties fulfill their dream for a college education, even though it was very difficult to decide which student, from which county. The opportunity to help a student from every county in the state receive a scholarship eliminated that problem and also allowed us to spread our commitment to education across the entire state," said Charlene Petrelli, EQT Corp.'s vice president and chief human resources officer.

This year, EQT was even more generous. The 2011 EQT Students of Excellence program includes three full rides worth up to $18,000 per year for up to four years, in addition to the $1,000 scholarships to one student in each county. To be eligible for the full-ride scholarship, students need to major in one of six specific areas, including engineering, information technology, safety science and geology, as well as maintain a high grade point average in college. 

Petrelli said sponsoring the full-ride scholarships made sense for the company.

"For a company like EQT, these are the core skills that drive our business. As a local employer, we hope to be able to increase the number of students who pursue these disciplines and maybe encourage them to consider EQT when they launch their career," Petrelli said, adding, "From an economic development standpoint, we want to encourage students to stay local, pursue skills that will prepare them for the industries that are coming to their hometowns, and contribute to the growth of their communities."

Petrelli said supporting the Students of Excellence scholarship program is a natural way for EQT to give back to West Virginia, a state in which the company has had operations for many years, as well as help local students and families at a time when the cost of education is rising.

But then again, supporting education and giving back to the community is what EQT is all about.  

"The natural gas industry of today is much more complex than it was back in the 1800s when EQT's corporate ancestors drilled the first commercial natural gas well in the county," Petrelli said. "Today, math, science and technology play critical roles in everything we do, and most of the individuals we employ must be proficient in these areas — with or without a college degree. As a local employer, we want students to have these skills so they can fill the jobs we are creating, and our philanthropy supports programs that can help students gain access to the help they need."

EQT's support of education isn't just limited to the Students of Excellence program, however. Petrelli said EQT's philanthropic foundation also supports numerous other education programs and partnerships, including West Virginia Public Broadcasting and PBS KIDS GO!, a young writers contest, the Clay Center for Arts & Sciences of West Virginia and the creation of the Education Pavilion at the annual Jamboree at the Mill.  

In addition, EQT's ‘Have a Heart…Save a Life' partnership with the American Heart Association helps seventh-graders in various counties throughout the state learn CPR, then go home and teach it to friends and family members. 

"On average, every student we teach has the ability to help two or three additional residents learn the skills to potentially save a life," Petrelli said.

And in 2010, EQT brought a chapter of its ASPIRE mentoring program to Charleston to link high school students with EQT employees who serve as mentors to help them make good decisions about their prospective educational and career choices.

Other core funding areas for the foundation include community development, such as Main Street programs, fairs and festivals, community service and volunteering; environment, such as sponsoring community gardens, promoting wildlife and watershed conservation, encouraging recycling initiatives and hosting environmental education programs; and arts and culture, such as helping to fund museums and cultural centers, supporting academic programs that expose students to history and sponsoring multi-cultural fairs.

"The foundation's funding strategy endorses programs that directly touch the community and its residents, rather than fundraising initiatives designed to support general operating expenses," according to EQT's website. 

"The foundation supports projects that demonstrate positive, significant, measurable and sustainable impacts. The preference is for proposals grounded in solid research and analysis that demonstrate creative approaches to addressing critical issues."

Since the foundation was established in 2003 EQT has contributed more than $14 million to nonprofits in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.

EQT is the one of the largest natural gas producers in the Appalachian Basin and in the country.

"We are committed to meeting the country's growing demand for clean energy while promoting safety, providing a rewarding workplace and enriching the communities where our 1,800 employees live and work," Petrelli said. "We understand the natural gas industry, but we also understand the needs and concerns of the people who share this region with us, and we are committed to helping West Virginia thrive."

To learn about each student who is receiving a scholarship, check out the EQT Students of Excellence page.