Since 2019, Expand Energy has proudly partnered with Cristo Rey OKC, a private high school whose mission is to make financially accessible, high-quality education available to underserved communities. A key differentiator for the school is its innovative Corporate Work Study Program. Through this program students pair college preparatory classes with real-world professional experience — graduating with an impressive 1,600 hours of workplace exposure from companies across Oklahoma City.
EXE currently hosts eight Cristo Rey students in our Oklahoma City office: four in Land and four in IT. Each day, a different student joins Land and IT on-site during school hours. In addition to building skills and career awareness, students also receive free tuition as part of our company’s sponsorship of the program.
“Our involvement in the Cristo Rey Work Study Program is a direct line to investing in the lives of students and providing them the opportunity to gain valuable workplace skills,” said Matt Aderhold, Manager of End User Support & HelpDesk and the chief liaison for our Cristo Rey program. Aderhold also serves as a board member for the organization, alongside CEO Nick Dell’Osso, and chairs the school’s Corporate Work Study Program Board.
In IT, Cristo Rey students shadow team members, contribute to meaningful projects including processing laptops for donation, and work toward their Dell certification. In Land, students help ensure royalty payments are accurate, processing returned checks and updating owner addresses. These experiences provide students with opportunities to explore the oil and natural gas industry and build real-world capabilities.
Sometimes, the impact goes even further. One standout student from the 2019 – 2020 cohort began in Land but quickly revealed a natural talent for IT. He developed an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool that utilized an advanced search to find specific clauses in leases, creating efficiencies for the Land team. Now in college, he continues to work with the company as a contractor and will be an incoming 2026 intern.
Supporting this program aligns with our core value of learn as it relates to the students. But as Aderhold points out, EXE employees also benefit.
“We provide students with opportunities to learn through hands-on work experience,” said Aderhold. “But in return, our employees are exposed to fresh perspectives through their mentorships.”
He shared a personal reflection:
“Through my work with the Cristo Rey students, I’ve learned to not underestimate what they can do. Mentoring has also helped shape the way I lead and approach things. I’ve learned that the clearer and more concise I am with objectives and goals, the greater opportunity we have for success.”
This is what it means to learn — curiosity to see potential in others and a commitment to continuous improvement through shared growth.
