The Odessa Chamber of Commerce announced Friday the 2017 Citizen of the Year as Odessa College President Gregory Williams. A luncheon to honor Williams has been set for 11:30 a.m. Feb. 1 at Odessa Country Club.
“Dr. Williams is the ultimate depiction of a true Odessan,” said Roy Gillean, chairman of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, in a news release. “He is always finding new ways to better our community through education and innovative thinking.”
Williams has led the OC team in breaking every major enrollment record, student retention record, student success record and fundraising record previously held by the college. His leadership has set OC on the path to becoming the best community college in the nation, the release said.
In 2017, Odessa College was first named an Aspen Institute Top 10 Community College, then went on to win the 2017 Rising Star Award for Community College Excellence from the Aspen Institute. The college then won the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 2017 Star Award for the program presentation “Eight Week Terms: A Pathway to 60x30TX,” the release detailed.
“During his tenure at Odessa College, Dr. Greg Williams has taken our community college to new heights,” said Renee Earls, chamber president and CEO, in the release. “His leadership has resulted in numerous awards and national recognition for Odessa College. Now, it’s his turn to be recognized for the impact he had made on Odessa as an overall community. The Odessa Chamber is proud to work alongside Dr. Williams as he paves the road for so many students and their future success.”
