Liberty Energy founder, CEO to deliver commencement address for Montana Technological University

Chris Wright, founder and chief executive officer of Liberty Energy, will be Montana Technological University’s commencement speaker on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Wright will speak at both commencement ceremonies in the HPER. The first will be at 10:00 am for Highlands College and College of Letters, Sciences, & Professional Studies graduates. The second ceremony will begin at 1:00 pm for Lance College of Mines & Engineering and Graduate School graduates.

Wright will attend as the first Liberty Energy Scholars graduate from the University. The Liberty Energy scholarships were established in 2019 with a $400,000 gift that will be expended over a 10-year period. The scholarship covers the unmet financial need of Butte students after other scholarships and grants are applied. The first graduates are Myles McClernan,Ty Insko, Ravyn Goodwin, Jenna Hodges, Haylee Powers, and Isabelle Ralph-Puderbaugh.

Since the program’s inception, 31 scholars have been awarded the Liberty Energy Scholarship.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the generous support of the Liberty Scholars Program from Chris and Liz Wright, and are delighted to have Chris join us as our commencement speaker where the first Liberty Scholar’s will graduate from Montana Tech,” Chancellor Les Cook said. “Chris is a tremendous individual and leader in the energy sector and beyond. His vision of and passion for energy transformation and bettering human lives is profound, progressive and impactful. Our graduates and their families and guests are in for a real treat.”

Wright is a self-described tech nerd turned entrepreneur and a dedicated humanitarian on a mission to better human lives. This passion has inspired a career in energy, working not only in oil and gas, but fusion, solar, and geothermal.

Wright completed an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduate work in electrical engineering at both the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to his role at Liberty Energy, he serves on the board of numerous organizations and nonprofits. Wright grew up and currently lives in Colorado with his wife, Liz. He is a passionate father, skier, cyclist, climber, and outdoor enthusiast.