Odessa College and UT Permian Basin Anchor Ector County

Odessa College came before the university. The two-year community college was founded in 1946 under Murry Fly. Back then, Odessa was shifting from a ranch-and-rail town into an oilfield city.

UT Permian Basin began classes in 1973. In 1990, it was tied to the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification. That name sounds formal, but the idea was plain: help Odessa stand on more than oil booms and busts.

Together, the campuses give Ector County a civic backbone. They let students study close to home, stay near the Permian Basin economy, or come back later for a new credential.