University Centers and Institutes
Center for Energy and Economic Diversification
The Center for Energy and Economic Diversification (CEED) encompasses the UT Permian Basin research and extension programs targeted to strengthening the economic development of the region. CEED is housed in a special use facility which carries its name. It has become the focal point for economic development in West Texas. Programs housed in the CEED include the Economic Diversification Program, the Small Business Development Center, and the Petroleum Industry Alliance.
University Psychological Services and Counseling Center
The University Counseling and Psychological Services Center is located on the South Campus in the Founders building. Services are available at no charge to UT Permian Basin students. Counseling, consultation, psychological evaluations, and educational presentations (by request) are available for students and their families. Office hours are 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM weekdays. Evening times and/or weekends may be available by appointment. The Center is also a training site for advanced graduate students in psychology who are completing the apprenticeship requirement for their master's degrees.
Petroleum Industry Alliance
The Petroleum Industry Alliance (PIA) was formed in October 1992. The PIA has established its goals to be:
- An effective catalyst for bringing new oil projects into the Permian Basin;
- A respected research organization in its own right; and
- An agent for education and training related to the oil industry.
One of the most natural of roles that the PIA can play in the Permian Basin is that of an agent or facilitator in technology transfer to the oil and gas industry, especially to the independent sector of the industry. PIA is actively involved in these activities through its educational seminars, short courses and forums. It is also serving the technological needs of the industry through contacts with the Department of Energy, the National Labs, and the Independent Petroleum Association of America's Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC).
The Petroleum Industry Alliance is the one organization of UT Permian Basin directly serving the oil and gas industry.
The Jan and Ted Roden Center for Entrepreneurship
The Jan and Ted Roden Center for Entrepreneurship was officially opened in the Fall of 2004 with private funding from Jan and Ted Roden to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of the students at UT Permian Basin. The Center serves as a focal point for all student-related activities in the area of entrepreneurship. Included within the Center are individual cubicles for a creative learning environment, double computer screens, and wireless capabilities, collectively with a well-equipped library for student research in the areas of small business and entrepreneurship.
Mission: The Jan and Ted Roden Center for Entrepreneurship will serve as a vehicle for encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit in our students and surrounding community. Primarily, the Center will strive to remind our students that self-venturing is a viable option as a career choice.
Small Business Development Center
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program was initiated at UT Permian Basin in 1986 and moved to the CEED facility in 1990. The SBDC and its business consultants work closely with potential and existing business owners to ensure that they are as fully prepared as possible to reach their goals and objectives and are available to assist clients with:
- Business Plan development and improvement;
- Finding sources and preparing for financing;
- Business start-up/expansion;
- Marketing research and planning;
- Financial analysis; and
- Ongoing management issues.
The core objective for the SBDC program is to provide clients with consulting and training. This activity focuses on start-up, expansion and problem solving for small business owners in a sixteen-county area. A variety of training seminars covering all aspects of business development is presented throughout the year. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) operates in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute
The John Ben Shepperd Leadership Forum began in 1984 with private funding and brought leadership training to young people of Texas through an Annual Forum as well as through high school forums throughout the state. To expand on the Forums' vision, the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute became part of UT Permian Basin in the fall of 1995 with funding from the 74th Session of the Texas Legislature.
Mission: The Mission of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute is to provide young Texans an education for and about leadership, ethics, and public service.
John Ben Shepperd Programs
Academic Studies
The Institute supports the BA undergraduate program in the field of Leadership Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. A feature of the program is the opportunity for students to practice leadership skills through internships with established leaders in the community. In addition, the Institute sponsors scholarly research, publications, and seminars on issues regarding leadership. It was instrumental in establishing a new graduate degree program leading to a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Leadership Studies at UT Permian Basin.
Distinguished Lecture Series
Each year on campus there is a series of distinguished lecturers invited to conduct intensive discussions on selected topics of leadership. This is a unique opportunity for the participants to exchange thoughts and ideas with some of the great leaders of the country. The program is open to the public and is available through video and interactive communication.
Specialized Seminars
The Institute holds a series of seminars concerning various aspects of leadership that can be utilized by business, community, and school leaders. The seminars can also be specialized to fit the needs of a specific organization or group.
Student Forums
Throughout Texas, local organizations such as Jaycee Chapters, Chambers of Commerce, colleges and universities, and Electric Cooperatives such as LCRA and ONCOR sponsor student forums. The participants learn the basics of leadership, communication skills, and goal setting, exchange ideas with local leaders and develop a project to focus on local issues to continue their training and education. Some fifty student forums are held throughout Texas each year, reaching approximately 5,000 high school students.
Summer Teacher Institute
Each summer, the Institute sponsors a month-long education program for current teachers. The accepted participants can earn six hours of graduate credit and are eligible for a scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, books, and lodging during the Institute, with an option of returning for a second summer of graduate studies.
Annual Forum
The Annual Forum is designed to bring together the experience and wisdom of today's established leaders with the energy and idealism of young emerging leaders to develop skills and ideas necessary to meet the challenges of future generations of Texans. In addition to those who have completed the nomination process, selected members of student forums are invited to attend. During this unique weekend conference, participants develop visions of leadership to encourage them to think specifically of application to issues in their communities.
Student Leadership Camp
Each summer, the Institute hosts an intensive weeklong leadership camp for up to thirty high school students on campus. The goal of the camp is to return students to their respective communities prepared to assume leadership roles at their schools and become involved in public service.
Awards and Recognition
The Institute annually recognizes outstanding Texans with the Outstanding Texas Leader and Outstanding Local Leader awards. Nominations come from the general public, business, academic and political entities. In addition, recognition is given to outstanding students who have met the award criteria.
JBS Crisis Leadership and Learning Center
The JBS Crisis Leadership and Learning Center (CLLC) is an interactive, technology-intensive classroom designed to teach leadership and other related topics through the use of simulations. A group of ten to twenty participants, initially present in the CLLC but eventually networked in from any of the four corners of Texas through the use of remote access technology, will be assigned roles in a simulation of historical or present-day events, then bombarded with information and forced to make decisions under pressure to deal with the crisis being simulated. Through this process, participants will be taught the value of leadership, what leadership looks like under pressure, and their own potential as leaders. Depending on the simulation, the participants may also learn important lessons related to other topics, including emergency management, criminal justice, financial literacy, etc.