INFORMATION FOR SPONSORS

If you or your organization are interested in connecting with the Longhorn Energy Club to host an event, meet with our members, or get involved with the UT Austin energy scene, read the following FAQ for more information. Email the LEC President, Samuel Mercer, at smercer@utexas.edu if you have any questions or want to get connected.

Why LEC?

Our club is one of the oldest energy-focused student organizations at UT Austin and one of the largest. Our events have - on average - 30-60 attendees, with larger premier events in the hundreds. We are affiliated with the UT Energy Institute and advised by its director, Brian Korgel. Our partnership with the Energy Institute serves as the linkage between our group and over 35 energy/climate groups across campus.

Importantly, our members are cross-disciplinary, studying engineering, business administration, public policy, computer science, physical sciences, communications, economics, and much more. Speaking at our events captures a sizable fraction of both the undergraduate and graduate student population interested in energy at UT.

Event Formats

Our club is interested in hosting speakers and panels from outside the University for the following events:

  1. Seminar with Q&A at General Meeting

    1-1.5 hour event with one guest speaker who delivers a 30-45 minute talk about their work, experiences, or an interesting topic followed by a Q&A. This event is primarily educational and less focused on recruiting.

  2. Panel at General Meeting

    1.5-2 hour event with multiple speakers and an event coordinator. This format is preferred if your company is recruiting, so you can discuss several roles or functions at your company during and after the panel.

  3. Roundtables and Workshops

    1-1.5 hour events with an event theme (like nuclear energy or the electricity grid) where our guest speakers pick a topic that they are knowledgeable about and sit down with 9-10 students for a group discussion for 20-30 minutes. These are primarily casual, educational events for our members and speakers.

  4. Premier Events

    The LEC is launching its first ever Texas Energy Innovation Night and Texas-to-X Energy Forum. We are actively looking for individuals and groups to come to these events and showcase their work through speaker presentations, represent their companies through tabling, and connect with our members. We are still working out the logistics and will have more information by July 15.

Event Logistics

The Longhorn Energy Club coordinates with vendors, sponsors, and campus groups. These are some things to expect:

  1. Parking

    Our communications team will request a one-day parking pass for you on-campus. After your arrival, a member of our team will meet you at the garage and guide you to the event location.

  2. Food and Catering

    We work with local vendors to provide food and drink at our events. Our catering is covered in our club’s annual budget.

  3. Travel Costs

    You will have to pay for your lodging and your travel to / from UT Austin.

Event Financing

The Longhorn Energy Club has funds for events on campus, although some companies decide to contribute to the cost of the event. For larger, more formal events, the Longhorn Energy Club can work with the UT Energy Institute to cover the costs. Many organizations at the University of Texas choose to have food at events that are held during lunch or dinner, as well as offer coffee and snacks for events that are held in the morning or afternoon.

The estimated cost of catering will depend on the event. Based on our previous events, we estimate:

  • Coffee and Snacks: $150 (20 people) - $300 (50 people)

  • Lunch or Dinner: $400 (40 people) - $700 (60 people)

Next Steps

If you are interested in collaborating with the Longhorn Energy Club, here are the next steps:

  1. Email Us

    Contact our club president, Samuel Mercer, by email at smercer@utexas.edu to let us know that you are interested in working with us in the future.

  2. Scheduling and Release Form

    We will email you a Google form that asks when you are best available and what types of events you are interested in. This will help us with scheduling an event that works for you and your organization. The form also asks for your permission to advertise the event using your profile photo or company logo.

  3. Follow-Up

    After you fill out the form, our events team will plan the event at least one month ahead. We will keep in close contact with you and share a packet one week prior to the event date. This file will detail the specific event logistics, such as the parking garage location, the venue location, and the event schedule.