Longtime supporter boosts UTPB band

Yahoo

05-02-2025

Feb. 4—Although he can't read a note of music, longtime University of Texas Permian Basin supporter Jim Woodcock loves to listen so he donated $8,000 to the Falcons' band program Tuesday.
The funds will go toward travel, meals, instruments, uniforms and other band needs.
Woodcock noted that about 70 percent of the band members are not music majors.
"I was floored when I heard that. I think it's fanatic what they've done with this group of young people who are interested in music," Woodcock said.
He added that he found out that the university supplied a lot of the instruments, so he thought that might be a good place to contribute some funds. He's hoping some of his friends will follow suit.
The gift also kicks off Falcon Giving Day which starts Feb. 13 and lasts for 24 hours.
"I'm always impressed when I see what the school is doing over here, the quality of the people they're bringing in and I think the music department is a good example of it," Woodcock said.
He added that the band helps students become well rounded.
Jorge Payen, director of annual giving and interim director of alumni relations, said UTPB is grateful to its donors.
"We have wonderful, wonderful donors that are willing to ... give us these opportunities to generate more money for the university," Payen said.
There is a kickoff event Feb. 13 where they will have a telethon. Students can participate by calling their loved ones or even some of the donors for contributions.
Also on Feb. 13, UTPB will have a profit sharing night with Raising Cane's in Odessa.
"We're fortunate to be able to ... partner with them on Falcon Giving Day," Payen said.
He added that no gift is too big or too small.
Associate Director of Bands Lyndsay Eiben said students buy their own instruments or UTPB supplies them if students can't afford them. The instruments are supplied to them for the year as long as they are in band.
The lifespan of many of the instruments is finite so they have to be rotated in and out.
They also have to have instruments repaired after a certain period of time and have to have them cleaned after a student uses them so they can be checked out to a new student.
"All those things cost money and so we are so grateful for any ... help that we can get," Eiben said.
To say that they are grateful for the donation would be a "vast understatement," Eiben said.
"There's so much that goes into it and we show up to work every day and we get to see these students. They come from all walks of life.
"Some of them it's really difficult for them to even afford college at all, so the fact that we can supply not only an environment that's fun where they get to make music and meet new people, but they also get to get help with paying for their college education.
"I'm a first-generation college graduate myself and I'm someone who also struggled paying for school and so I know exactly what it means to these kids to get that kind of support. It means everything and now they're going to have a better future and a better shot at having a wonderful job because of people like Jim Woodcock," Eiben said.