Bringing MPC careers to life in Canton, Ohio

Community News

Canton, Ohio, Foundation, Logistics
MPC employee Amanda Szymanski poses with students at the emergency preparedness and response station.
  • MPC's Canton light product terminal and Stark Education Partnership hosted a student field day for 70 high school students to experience hands-on activities in MPC operations, aiming to connect students with skilled trades in the oil and gas industry.
  • Seventy MPC employees from various departments provided practical demonstrations and experiences at 13 stations, offering students insights into operations, maintenance and support roles within the company.
  • The event, coordinated by the Marathon Canton Community and Educational Outreach team, also featured a $25,000 grant awarded to Stark Education Partnership to support future educational and workforce connection events.

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MPC’s Canton light product terminal collaborated with Stark Education Partnership, an organization that connects schools with workforces, to host a student field day. Approximately 70 high school students from six schools across Stark County attended to gain a hands-on look at Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) operations.
 
Seventy MPC employees from MPC operations across the Canton area participated in the 13 stations that provided students who have an interest in skilled trades and the oil and gas industry with operations, maintenance and support group hands-on experiences. Employees from Logistics & Storage Terminals, Refining, Transport, Marathon Pipe Line, Marketing, Supply Chain and Health, Environment, Safety & Security were represented at the event.
Members of the Canton refinery’s emergency preparedness and response team: Scott Bauer, Blake Hill, Nate Mathias, Rob Buehler and Amanda Szymanski. They brought their command unit, fire truck and equipment to share with students.
“The folks we have here are experts at what they do, and they have built a career of experience that they can share,” said Logistics & Storage Terminals Ohio Valley Area Manager Andy Schulze. “That’s hard to convey in a career fair setting when it’s just a conversation, so having the equipment, the cutaways and the demonstrations really makes it a more rewarding experience for the students as they determine really where they want to take their careers.”
Lead Driver Keith Phelps, Driver Roger Peters, Mechanic Tony Argento and Driver Jed Marmet from Canton Transport operations brought a transport truck and equipment for students to experience.
The Marathon Canton Community and Educational Outreach team coordinated the event. Formed in 2023, this cross-functional team that includes more than 20 MPC employees from Refining, Midstream, Transport, Maintenance, Human Resources and Supply Chain is focused on developing and executing a plan to connect with students and teachers in Stark County. The group provides students and teachers with experiences that help drive industry learning and engagement and delivering awareness of future career opportunities within MPC and the oil and gas industry.
Logistics & Storage Terminals VP Regina Zolnor (right) watches students practice CPR as part of a station.
During the event, MPC’s Canton refinery and Canton light product terminal awarded a $25,000 grant to Stark Education Partnership. The grant will help Stark Education Partnership connect education and the workforce through more hands-on events like the MPC event.
Engineers Nathan Lex and Mitch Kamerer discuss maintenance and improvement projects with students.
Geoff Husted discusses refinery operations with the students.
Approximately 70 MPC employees participated in the event.
A student looks at a crude oil sample.
As part of the demonstration, students had the opportunity to wear a virtual reality headset to experience what it is like inside a terminal Vapor Recovery Unit.
Event coordinator Whitney Reinhart talks with students.