Alumni Spotlight

Tim Dugan attended Pitt-Greensburg from 1979 to 1980 before transferring to the Oakland campus from which he graduated with a BS in chemical engineering with a petroleum option.

What brought you to Pitt-Greensburg?
I grew up a mile from the Pitt-Greensburg campus, and I was undecided on whether I should go to school locally so I could work while in school, or go away to school. I attended Pitt- Greensburg my freshman year and figured out I wanted to study engineering.

Were you a commuter or a resident? Commuter

What activities were you involved with as a student?
At the Oakland Campus, I was involved with the Society of Petroleum Engineers and intramural sports (water polo).

Did you have a favorite professor, staff member, coach, or mentor that really impacted your life?
The individual that made the biggest impact on me at Pitt-Greensburg was a career counselor that I spoke with at the beginning of my freshman year. I don't remember the individual's name, but they helped understand some of my academic strengths and interests which lead me to change my curriculum focus to engineering, and more specifically, chemical
engineering. They took the time to understand me as an individual and that was extremely helpful.

Of all the classes you took, what is the one class you would recommend everyone take? Who taught the class? Why would you recommend it?
The two classes from Pitt-Greensburg that stand out to me were calculus and the Freshman engineering class. Calculus was difficult for me, but it helped me realize that I could do it if I worked hard and put time into my classes. The Freshmen engineering class covered general subject matter on different types of engineering, and it helped me understand how broad the career opportunities were for someone with an engineering degree. The class that was most impactful to me within my particular discipline was intro to Petroleum Engineering (I chose the Petroleum option as part of my ChemE degree). It was taught by Dr. Alan Reznik. His real-world experience helped me to decide on a career in the energy industry. It was not the class as much as it was the professor and how he connected with his students. It was obvious that Dr. Reznik loved what he did.

What do you remember most vividly from your time at Pitt-Greensburg?
The campus and the environment. When I attended Pitt-Greensburg, there were only a few buildings, so it was easy to meet and get to know people because you saw them every day.

What have you been up to since graduation?
I have worked most of my career in the energy industry within Appalachia. I held various staff engineering positions within different companies before being elevated into engineering management positions. I have held positions as vice president, chief operating officer, and now chief executive officer. My current employer is Olympus Energy.

How did your experiences and education at Pitt-Greensburg prepare you for life after college?
Pitt-Greensburg helped me to understand my career path and set the foundation for a solid education that lead to my degree in Chemical Engineering.

As an alum, how do you support Pitt-Greensburg?
I have tried to support Pitt-Greensburg by participating in career panel discussions, career development seminars, and other mentoring opportunities.

What advice do you have for your fellow Bobcats?
Work on your interpersonal skills and communication skills. The combination of your education and communication skills is critical to success. Building and managing collaborative relationships is just as important as what you know.

For fun:
What series do you recommend alumni binge watch? Billions
List 3-5 fun facts about yourself that most people probably wouldn’t know.
1. I am generally introverted and shy.
2. I have run two marathons and completed three Tough Mudder races.
3. I am the third of nine children.