Daily Skiff

A big play requires big ideas.

Two freshman TCU students decided to put their big ideas into action in the form of an energy club.

Ken Morgan, director of operations at the TCU Energy Institute, said the idea for the club was brought to him by Ben Voigt, a freshman real estate and finance major, and Justin LaPoten, a freshman finance major.

"I was actually going to start putting out feelers for an organization like this," Morgan said. "It was great timing when the students stepped up."

Voigt said they met with the assistant director of student organizations, Forrest Lane, on Wednesday to file the paperwork.

He said the goal of the club is to provide an opportunity for students interested in the energy industry to come together and learn more about the field.

"Hopefully we can start a guest-speaker series and take some field trips," Voigt said. "The goal is to learn from industry leaders and provide networking opportunities to students."

Voigt said he thinks this club is perfect for TCU because of the immensity of the Barnett Shale and its proximity to the university.

Morgan said the energy club will be under the umbrella of the TCU Energy Institute, which was founded in June 2007, and the club will coordinate with several other areas on campus.

"We want to work with anyone on campus who is interested," Voigt said. "We are hoping to coordinate with the geology department and engineering, as well as the business school."

Voigt said the most important thing to him about the club is that it would be student-operated.

Morgan agreed that the student operation of the club is also vital.

"It is very important for me to let the industry know that it was students who started this," Morgan said. "It shows them there are students interested in the future of the industry."

Morgan said his role will be to help the club find matching resources and help coordinate it with other sectors of campus.

Larry Brogdon, a partner with Four Sevens Oil Co. and an adjunct professor, said he thinks the club is an innovative idea.

"I've never heard of an energy club before," Brogdon said. "I'm sure they're out there, but I've never heard of it."

Brogdon said he thinks the club will be a valuable networking tool.

"It's never to early to start networking," Brogdon said.

Voigt said they have big dreams for the club, and Morgan said that's the way it should be.

"The energy game is a big game, so I like that they've got big ideas," Morgan said.

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