Hey Falcons!
My name is Tramaine Anderson and I’m a proud Falcon alumna and native West Texan. A little bit about me; I was born and raised in the Permian Basin, graduated from Big Spring High School in 1998, received my Associate of Arts from Howard College in 2001, and received my Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of North Texas-Denton in 2003. In 2005, I returned to the Permian Basin where I enrolled and completed a Master of Arts Degree in History at UTPB. After graduating in 2007, I spent more than 10 years as a community college History Instructor in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex before deciding to move into higher education administration. In 2019, I received a Doctorate of Education from Capella University in Curriculum and Instruction. I am currently serving as Vice President for Instruction at Odessa College. One of the best parts of my story and position at OC is that, in my role as Vice President for Instruction, I have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people at both UTPB and at OC.
One of my favorite things about this University is the close relationships I was able to establish as a graduate student with my professors and classmates. I was and I am a bit of a nerd! My classmates and I would spend a lot of time talking and studying at The Dunagan Library, which, by the way, was one of my favorite buildings on campus. It was the relationships that were built and the sense of community that we had as graduate students that really made this University feel like home.
I had so many opportunities as a graduate student at UT Permian Basin. I taught my first U.S. History course at UTPB and that experience helped define my passion and my personal career in education. My amazing professors afforded me so many opportunities. I was also a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an academic honor society for colleges and universities whose mission is to promote the study of history.
Over the years, I have watched UTPB grow and I’ve followed all of the news that has happened on campus and with other alumni. The Falcon Alumni Network (FAN) e-mails and newsletters have helped keep me in the loop about all the great things going on at UTPB. I knew that I wanted to get more involved when I moved back to the Permian Basin from DFW. I am committed to helping our community of alumni and to promote UTPB wherever I am and wherever I go!
I am so excited to serve as the secretary for the FAN board. I truly stand by Muhammad Ali's quote “service to others is the rent you pay for the room here on earth.” Serving as part of this board is my way of giving back to UTPB. Also, since we are living and working through a global pandemic, it makes you realize that every opportunity you are given is so important, and this opportunity has given me more of a reason to get involved.
My advice to other alumni is to get involved no matter where you live! Support our University by sharing your story about both your time at UTPB and your current success. The power of your story and your experience here is important. You may be able to help someone else discover their own path. Find a way to get involved, whether that is through serving on the FAN board, helping to support UTPB during a Falcon Giving Day, or simply just asking how you could be of service to UTPB.
Sharing my experiences with you through this alumni blog has been a pleasure; my life is only a reflection of my experiences. Some of those experiences were difficult, but they made me who I am and why I believe that getting an education changed my situation. I was raised by a single mom in Big Spring, Texas who often worked two jobs so that I could have more opportunities. In hindsight, I don’t think I could have imagined myself in the place that I am in at this moment. Coming to UTPB as a graduate student and finishing a Master of Arts Degree was a step in the right direction that prepared me for my future, and now I have the pleasure of giving back through the Falcon Alumni Network.
Falcons Up!
Tramaine Anderson, ‘07
2020-2021 FAN Secretary
