"When you come to UTPB, it’s like you matter."
When Parker Goin first set foot on The University of Texas Permian Basin campus, he didn’t know what to expect. Originally from Washington State, West Texas felt like a world away.
"It's a stark contrast to Washington State, but it's got its own beauty in a sense. And so, the longer that I've been out here, the more it feels like home," said Goin.
What began as a pursuit of athletics, coming to UTPB to play baseball, quickly transformed into a journey that would shape his future in ways he never imagined.
"When you come to UTPB, it’s like you matter," he said.
At first, Parker set his sights on a business degree. But like many students at UTPB, he discovered a new passion along the way. Living in the energy epicenter of the world sparked his interest in the Energy Land Management program, a field that felt like the perfect fit.
"My opportunity at UTPB came from the fact that it’s boutique and it’s critically located in the industry. This is one of the busiest and most productive oil fields, some say, in the world," Goin explained.
With national attention turning to West Texas thanks to the hit series Landman, interest in the energy industry has never been higher. For Parker, it’s an exciting time to be entering the field.
"In my mind I am thinking, okay, land is never going away. It’s one of the only assets that appreciates, so if I am dealing with land, I’m going to be in a good position. It’s a good industry to get into," he said. "People ask me, oh okay, what kind of landman do you want to be? And I’m thinking, the kind that deals with land? But there’s a lot more that goes into it. There’s field landman, in-house landman so very quickly I found myself diving into the rabbit hole," Goin added.
Of course, his own path might look a little different than what you see on TV.
"Yeah, I’d rather stay away from the cartel. But Tommy Norris seems like a good guy, he can handle them. I’ll leave that up to him, for sure," he joked.
UTPB’s Energy Land Management program is one of the few in the country accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), meaning students here receive a top-tier education tailored specifically to the energy industry.
And recently, Parker earned a major honor: he was named Outstanding Graduate by the AAPL. The award is given to just one student from a competitive group representing accredited programs including Texas Tech, West Virginia, UT Austin, and many more.
"It's my biggest award. It's probably the thing I am most proud of right now, other than my family and West Texas," said Goin.
"I've gotten to know Parker a little bit over the past year or so and I am so impressed with him as a person and as a student," said UTPB President Dr. Sandra Woodley. "His story is really inspiring to me and to many of us. He came here to play baseball and fell in love with the region, and he switched his major to landman. And then of course this year he was named the Outstanding Graduate for the AAPL, and that's a really big deal. So, when I think about Parker, I think about the quintessential work ethic of our students. They come here and they work hard, they find a family here among the Falcons, and they find really great jobs."
As Parker prepares to walk across the stage and receive his degree, he’s not just celebrating the end of his college journey, he’s stepping straight into the next chapter. Thanks to the connections he’s made and the support he’s received at UTPB, Parker already has a job lined up with Fasken, a position that came from a successful internship.
In the meantime, he’s working on settling in and embracing life as a true West Texan.
"I’m not from here at all, but I own boots and I am looking to buy a hat. I got to do my research," Goin said with a smile.
And while West Texas once felt like a world away, today, it feels like home.
"West Texas is home now. I'm going to be here. I keep telling people, God willing, for the next 60 years," he said.
"It's a stark contrast to Washington State, but it's got its own beauty in a sense. And so, the longer that I've been out here, the more it feels like home," said Goin.
What began as a pursuit of athletics, coming to UTPB to play baseball, quickly transformed into a journey that would shape his future in ways he never imagined.
"When you come to UTPB, it’s like you matter," he said.
At first, Parker set his sights on a business degree. But like many students at UTPB, he discovered a new passion along the way. Living in the energy epicenter of the world sparked his interest in the Energy Land Management program, a field that felt like the perfect fit."My opportunity at UTPB came from the fact that it’s boutique and it’s critically located in the industry. This is one of the busiest and most productive oil fields, some say, in the world," Goin explained.
With national attention turning to West Texas thanks to the hit series Landman, interest in the energy industry has never been higher. For Parker, it’s an exciting time to be entering the field.
"In my mind I am thinking, okay, land is never going away. It’s one of the only assets that appreciates, so if I am dealing with land, I’m going to be in a good position. It’s a good industry to get into," he said. "People ask me, oh okay, what kind of landman do you want to be? And I’m thinking, the kind that deals with land? But there’s a lot more that goes into it. There’s field landman, in-house landman so very quickly I found myself diving into the rabbit hole," Goin added.
Of course, his own path might look a little different than what you see on TV.
"Yeah, I’d rather stay away from the cartel. But Tommy Norris seems like a good guy, he can handle them. I’ll leave that up to him, for sure," he joked.
UTPB’s Energy Land Management program is one of the few in the country accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), meaning students here receive a top-tier education tailored specifically to the energy industry.
And recently, Parker earned a major honor: he was named Outstanding Graduate by the AAPL. The award is given to just one student from a competitive group representing accredited programs including Texas Tech, West Virginia, UT Austin, and many more.
"It's my biggest award. It's probably the thing I am most proud of right now, other than my family and West Texas," said Goin.
"I've gotten to know Parker a little bit over the past year or so and I am so impressed with him as a person and as a student," said UTPB President Dr. Sandra Woodley. "His story is really inspiring to me and to many of us. He came here to play baseball and fell in love with the region, and he switched his major to landman. And then of course this year he was named the Outstanding Graduate for the AAPL, and that's a really big deal. So, when I think about Parker, I think about the quintessential work ethic of our students. They come here and they work hard, they find a family here among the Falcons, and they find really great jobs."
As Parker prepares to walk across the stage and receive his degree, he’s not just celebrating the end of his college journey, he’s stepping straight into the next chapter. Thanks to the connections he’s made and the support he’s received at UTPB, Parker already has a job lined up with Fasken, a position that came from a successful internship.
In the meantime, he’s working on settling in and embracing life as a true West Texan.
"I’m not from here at all, but I own boots and I am looking to buy a hat. I got to do my research," Goin said with a smile.
And while West Texas once felt like a world away, today, it feels like home.
"West Texas is home now. I'm going to be here. I keep telling people, God willing, for the next 60 years," he said.
