Friends and Visionaries
Alumni help students dream, achieve
Courtesy of
University of Communications
As a young boy, Robert Malone would often spend his Saturdays with his father,
Vince Malone, checking the operations of the iron ore mines of East Texas.
“During those times we would discuss science and engineering, and I became
fascinated with metallurgy,” says Malone, chairman and president of BP America
Inc., one of the world’s largest energy companies. “By the time I reached
high school, it was not a matter of whether I became a metallurgical engineer,
only where I would go to receive the education.”
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Engineering student Todd Dorethy with scholarship donors Robert
and Diane Malone
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Malone left the lush green town of Daingerfield,
Texas, and fell in love with sun-scorched El Paso and the University
of Texas at El Paso, where he earned a bachelor’s degree
in metallurgical engineering in 1974. He received a master’s degree in
management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
But his dream of becoming an engineer might not have come true if he had not
received financial aid, scholarships and teaching assistant positions at UTEP.
Malone pledged to give back to his alma mater.
“I made up my mind that when the day came, I would give UTEP the same help,”
Malone says.
In 2002, Malone established the Bob and Diane Malone Annual Scholarship with a
personal gift and additional matching funds from BP America, Inc., the nation’s
largest producer of oil and natural gas, and second-largest gasoline retailer.
Malone also credits the support of his wife Diane for his success. Together,
Malone and Diane support numerous education-related charities to help future
generations of students succeed.
“UTEP gave Bob a great foundation and education, so anything we can do to help,
we’ll do,” Diane says. “Our heart is back home in El Paso.”
The Bob and Diane Malone Annual Scholarship supports College of Engineering
students like 19-year-old Todd Dorethy.
“I’m really grateful for their contributions to UTEP,” Dorethy says. “Once I’m
able to, I would also like to give back. It’s only fair to help others when
you’ve been helped.”
Dorethy recently thanked the Malones for their support in person. The Malones
were honored for their support of arts and culture, health care, education and
the well-being of children with the KCET Visionary Award in Los Angeles. Dorethy was invited to attend
the gala.
“We get wonderful thank you letters from our scholarship recipients, but we had
never met any of the students,” Malone says. “It was very emotional. He made us
so proud.”
The Malones are members of two prestigious giving societies at UTEP: the
University Founders and President’s Associates – 2014 Society. In 2003, Malone
received the university’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, and in 2004 he served as
commencement speaker.
“I will always stay involved in UTEP’s future,” he says. “You’ll see me and
Diane continue to participate in everything.”