He attended the Michigan School of Mines ( now Michigan Technological University ) in 1910 , became a geologist , and worked for Union Oil as Manager of Lands and Foreign Exploration . He help build the first wells in Mexico and Venezuela . He attended the Michigan School of Mines ( now Michigan Technological University ) in 1910 , became a geologist , and worked for Union Oil as Manager of Lands and Foreign Exploration helping to develop the first wells in Mexico and Venezuela .