CNX Resources President and CEO Nick Deiuliis delivered the following remarks to the inaugural CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy Class at their June 1, 2022, graduation ceremony.

The ceremony represented not only a significant milestone for students, but also affirmed the pioneering initiative’s concept: provide urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged communities with greater opportunities and a bridge to family-sustaining careers that do not require a college degree.

Following this successful first year, the Academy is now working to expand the program to ensure every school district in every disadvantaged community in the region is aware of its offerings and format. CNX Foundation envisions the program being replicated by others in Appalachia, resulting in a stronger, more prosperous middle class.

Good evening friends, colleagues, mentors, parents, partners—and most importantly—Academy students.

We could, and we should, spend time thanking and acknowledging a host of different people and groups who made the past year possible.

Partner companies like Alex Paris Contracting, Deep Well, Ferry Electric, Evolution, Chef Claudy at the EAT Initiative, Eaton, Shell, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Aramark, AEG, and Bettis Brothers. All the local building trades have been awesome partners: the Steamfitters, Iron Workers, Electrical Workers, Operating Engineers, and Carpenters. This year would never have been the success it was without you taking the time out to highlight the career opportunities awaiting these students in western Pennsylvania.

We also need to express our gratitude to two regional community colleges that played a pivotal role in this inaugural class: the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). Dr. Bullock, the President of CCAC, has been a valued advisor to me this past year and his team continually help us to ultimately deliver on what we initially propose. That is important because I tend to commit to things that every once in a while are great ideas with much potential, but that require expertise in the real world to bring home. Our regional community colleges have that exact type of expertise. I went from liking our regional community colleges to loving them. CCAC and CCBC are regional crown jewels.

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

We also need to thank the glue of this effort, the mentors that invested that valuable face time with the students not just at the scheduled events, but more importantly offline in the time between the scheduled events. Mentors like Jamal (also one of the Academy’s originators), Coach Bud, Coach T, Krista, Shawnie, Lee, and Tom. CNX coworkers who stepped up as mentors: Dan, Tracy, Joan, and Shilpa. I work with the best people in the world, and these four who put the extra time in to serve as mentors have set a new bar for what it means to be working alongside exceptional people. They motivate me to perform even better.

And of course, we need to thank the CNX Foundation and its Board of Directors for providing the resources to be able to run an effective program across a significant period of time.

However, when preparing for this evening’s event, the Academy leadership team decided there would be plenty of time after today to thank these partner groups and individuals. Today is dedicated to these students.

They are, you are, the ‘why?’ that gave us the guts, or naivety, to try this out. And their/your success through the past year’s program is the reason why we are here today. To celebrate them. To celebrate you.

Where do you start when it comes to the young men and women of our inaugural Academy class? I see a series of comparisons and contrasts. How they came in this past August, and where they are now.

• Then: Their heads were down and noncommunicative. Pretty quiet bunch at first. Now: Heads are held high and expressive. That makes an awesome first impression to anyone meeting you.
• Then: Anxious and apprehensive. Now: Cautiously confident. I love that term ‘cautiously confident’ because these students don’t have confidence bordering on arrogance, but instead that all-important balance of thinking things through with running down what’s next. That balance will serve you well through life.
• Then: Unaware of who they can be professionally. Now: Self-aware of options in front of them.
• Then: Didn’t know what opportunity sits in this region for them beyond their zip code. Now: Eyes wide open on career paths all over this region.
• Then: I remember saying how we were going to build a resume and half the students looked at me and replied, “What’s a resume?” Now: Not only do you have resumes, but, more importantly, you sport resumes that have substance, are stacked with great content, and that are superior to 90+% of who you will compete with for career opportunity. And remember what we discussed: that resume is not a one-and-done thing. Instead, it is a process that never ends. Always be on the lookout to develop a new skill, pursue a new experience, and volunteer for a new effort. All of these can be added to and supplement what is already an impressive resume. Your resume is your life’s work.
• Then: A limited network when it came to regional players. Now: A regional network that would make a more experienced professional envious. The people and entities you now know that will vouch for you, that will open a door for you, are about as good as it gets for anyone, including individuals ten years older than you.
• Then: Reactive and waiting. Now: Proactive and first movers. You are leaders.
• Then: No one knowing anyone else, with an exception or two. Now: A tight group of friends moving forward. My hope is that you keep in close contact and continue helping each other out twenty years from now. Stay close to your classmates, you are all going places.

And the most important difference of all? Today you have a room full of lifelong supporters that will be there when you need us, stand by you, assist you, advise you, and be there for you.

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

But this a two-way street, you see. You have a crucial part. No, check that, you have the most important part. Your job, students, is to make the most of what is in front of you. To grab ahold of that potential and convert it into something tangible. For you and your self-interest: this is the time for you to be selfish and achieve. Because to the extent you are and do so, you will pull along in your successes your family, your community, and this region we all love.

I know you all too well now. I know you have what it takes. I know that you know you have what it takes. So, if it doesn’t happen from here forward, that would be a shame. This is not a drill. This is life. You get one shot. Time to make the most of it.

And you will hit roadblocks, experience setbacks, and stumble from time to time. Chasing excellence and pursuing achievement demands these things happen from time to time. Overcoming adversity is part of the journey. Like Coach V once said: “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” You just keep doing.

I’ve been around this company now for over thirty years, and I was just a little bit older than you when I started here. I lived my entire life in this great region. I look at you and I see me. You are me. I am you. Want to know why this region is the greatest place in the world and why I stayed here? Look around this room at these great people. Question answered.

Launching the Academy, getting to know you, and seeing everyone’s unique development has been one of the greatest things I have been part of in 32 years—and I have been fortunate to have been a part of many great things. I thank you for letting me and CNX and the rest of us to become part of your world. From everyone here today, we love you. And we are just getting started.

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

2021-22 Graduation Ceremony

You’re going to receive a diploma and memento. The memento has a quote on it that I ask you remember and consider as a credo in the coming years. It’s short and sweet. It says: “To be is to do.” The person who said it in the 1700s was one of the great all-time minds: Immanuel Kant. No one talks much about him these days, but that guy started what is known as the Enlightenment, a movement that vastly improved the human condition and played a big role in why we enjoy what we do today. That simple sentence from hundreds of years ago provides just about all the philosophy you will need this summer, next year, and the next thirty years of your career.

Yeah, like another great mind from a while ago once said, this is not the end. This isn’t even the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning. Get out there and go do.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

Last week, students in the inaugural class of the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy convened in downtown Pittsburgh at the Energy Innovation Center to hear from two regional leaders and to develop a few culinary skills.

Dr. Vladimir St. Surin is the Dean of Students at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC).  He is one of those success stories regarding how western Pennsylvania can recruit and retain the best and brightest.  Dr. Vlad’s family hails from Haiti by way of New York City, and he arrived in the Steel City to play football at Robert Morris University.  And he never left town.

As Dean of Students, Dr. Vlad manages the full spectrum of issues facing those enrolled at CCAC, including applications, logistics, interaction with faculty, and advisement.  He’s heard it all and seen it all during his 15-year tenure at CCAC.

That experience showed when Dr. Vlad addressed the Mentorship Academy class.  He holds an all-too-rare talent:  the ability to speak ‘with’ a person and not ‘at’ them.  Couple that talent with his personable approach, and you have an effective means to connect to students and manage the most challenging or stressful of issues.

Dr. Vlad emphasized to the Mentorship Academy students the importance of a career plan and having a plan-B if things do not go according to one’s initial plan.  He made an impactful point about the difference between one’s responsibility and one’s fault, and how understanding the contrast can make a big difference in life.

After Dr. Vlad wrapped his discussion, Chef Claudy Pierre took over.  Ironically, Chef Claudy’s family also hails from Haiti by way of New York City.  The odds of these two men converging in a room in downtown Pittsburgh to speak to young adults must be astronomical, but that’s part of the serendipitous magic of the CNX Mentorship Academy.

Chef Claudy has an outsized personality that exudes energy, passion, and excitement.  As founder of the EAT Initiative (covered in a prior blog post), Chef has developed and teaches a Knife Skills and Life Skills program, training students in the basics of the culinary arts. After completing the program, students receive a certification that allows them to work in the region’s high-end restaurants and hotels.

2022 May EIC Visit

2022 May EIC Visit

2022 May EIC Visit

Under the direction of Chef, the students prepared lunch in the kitchen and then proceeded to enjoy the result of their efforts.  After about an hour of listening, watching, and performing in the industrial kitchen, several students developed an interest in following up with more extensive training this summer with Chef Claudy.

It was great spending the morning with the students.  It was awesome to do so in a setting as cool as the Energy Innovation Center.  And it was inspiring to watch Dr. Vlad and Chef Claudy do their thing.

The graduation ceremony for the first class of the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy is three weeks away.  Hard to believe the year went by this quickly.  But grateful to be a part of it.

So, the next time you are in a room and two guys named Dr. Vlad and Chef Claudy walk in, pay attention.  You will learn something.

For more information:

• Visit https://www.eicpittsburgh.org to learn more about the Energy Innovation Center.
• Watch an interview with Dr. Vladimir St. Surin and follow him on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Chef Claudy Pierre in this recent “Very Local” interview, and visit his personal website at chefclaudypierre.com.
• Please contact the CNX Mentorship Academy team at CNXMentorshipAcademy@cnx.com for more information on the program.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

Over the past month, senior students in the inaugural class of the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy have been meeting one-on-one with mentors at CNX Resources to accomplish two crucial objectives.

First, to define a preferred career path; in other words, answering the question of, “So, what do I want to do with the rest of my life?”

Second, putting the finishing touches on the plan to land the desired job in the targeted profession:  finalizing impressive resumes, setting a schedule for the coming months tailored to the end goal, and practicing interviewing skills.

Refining, Prepping, Planning and Interviewing

Refining, Prepping, Planning and Interviewing

Refining, Prepping, Planning and Interviewing

Much of the effort invested into the Academy since inception was designed to help students answer the first question of what career they want to pursue.  The numerous site visits to regional employers and trades, presentations by their staff, and hands-on experiences are now paying off.  Students have a greatly expanded awareness of regional careers that don’t require a four-year college degree and that pay family-sustaining wages (with the latter trait making an impression on students as to how, for many majors, college tuition runs the danger of a being a massive losing financial proposition).  Most importantly, students have gained a feel for which career paths interest them most…something this author wishes he would’ve had better awareness of at 18.

But knowing which career paths are preferred is only the first step.

Next comes the methodical process of drafting a resume, refining it, assessing gaps, closing those gaps with experiences and activities, and then finalizing the resume.  If you’ve followed this blog, you know the students have been diligently working on this.  That effort has paid off with resumes that don’t look just good; they look great.

And wouldn’t you know it?  The process of polishing that resume had an ancillary benefit of building up student confidence.  Which is a great ingredient for preparing for, and performing well in the job interview.  Seniors (soon to be high school graduates) have been meeting with mentors one-on-one, talking about what to expect in the interview, how to prepare, and how to leave the right impression.  I wish I could be in the room when these interviews occur, because I have a feeling the students are going to impress.

Many of the seniors have already begun their interviewing.  An impromptu job fair/mini-job shadow rotation was set up at CNX Resources’ main office when senior students made their recent visits, and future operational field site tours are being scheduled for those students who are interested in energy industry careers.

A point of pride was seeing the connection develop between the Mentorship Academy and day-to-day teams at CNX.  In early April 2022, the company now has a list of entry-level job positions that would be great fits for these students once they graduate high school (in less than 60 days!).

The business world speaks of ‘synergies’ all the time, usually to justify certain decisions while ultimately not realizing many of the promised synergies.  But with the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy and CNX Resources Corp., I am happy to report the hoped-for synergies between the two are going to materialize to the benefit of employees, the region, students, and shareholders.

That’s it for now.  This phase of the Academy effort will continue through to summer graduation and, frankly, through the careers of these students.  The tools being developed in the Academy program are for life, not just for this year.  And we start the same process in late April for the juniors in the Academy.  Stay tuned.

Please contact the Academy team at CNXMentorshipAcademy@cnx.com if you:

• Are interested in interviewing one of our seniors for a job opening;
• Would like to nominate a rising-senior student for the 2022-2023 CNX Mentorship Academy class; or,
• Are interested in becoming a mentor or hosting a site visit for the 2022-2023 CNX Mentorship Academy class.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

The primary topic of conversation at a duo of CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy sessions this past week—during two snowy, cold, bleak days in western Pennsylvania—was, of all things, summer. As in summer will be here before the students know it. Thus it’s time to start refining those resumes, sharpening those interview skills, and developing a customized game plan to further expand resumes and target specific career or professional tracks to pursue.

Academy Dresses for Success and Tours CNX Center

Since every individual student is unique, each plan of attack from now till summer will be specialized. Such tailoring requires one-on-one discussion and contemplation between mentors and students. The prior six months of hard work by both parties has paid off. Trust and familiarity have opened communication channels. Site visits have laid the groundwork for a better student understanding of the various career paths to choose from in the real economy that pay family-sustaining wages and that don’t require a college degree (or the four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt that goes with it).

Mentors were blown away by the focus and value of these one-on-one sit downs with each student the past week.

Resumes drafted in January are being refined and sculpted in February. Gaps in experience, volunteer work, job shadowing, or references are being identified for each student. A plan is being put in place to fill those voids over the next few months by designing Academy curriculum and events to deliver the desired results and accomplishments.

The most exciting takeaway from these February sessions? That’s easy. Interacting with students who came into the program last summer as unsure kids without a plan, and now seeing young men and women growing more confident and aware by the day. That growing confidence and awareness is both internal and external; of oneself as well as the wider world that surrounds them.

And sometimes it is the little things that precipitate the most profound changes.

Our partner, Dress for Success Pittsburgh, set up shop at last week’s sessions and provided an opportunity for students to pick out a professional outfit or two to wear for future interviews. The impact was something to see; almost as if the attire created a new uniform for the student where their demeanor and attitude amped up to another level. Attire matters, not just for the people you will be meeting, but just an importantly for the individual making the impression.

The growing sense of excitement and the smell of pending success are great, but now is not the time to ease up.

The Academy, mentors, CNX, and partner entities are going to double down between now and summer to help each student progress to the finish line. That finish line is clearly marked with a simple objective of a young adult entering a chosen career path.

Ain’t no stopping now. As the Navy SEALS like to say: the only easy day was yesterday.

Learn more about Dress for Success Pittsburgh at https://pittsburgh.dressforsuccess.org/

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.