The geographical scale of West Texas provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate active engagement between Texas Tech University and the residents of this vast region. The institution responded to community requests and collaborated to develop four new, rural off-campus teaching and research sites and expand the presence of an existing site. These initiatives focused on expanding access to higher education, engaging in outreach research and scholarship, and enhancing early childhood through 12th grade school partnerships. Technology networks and distance-delivered academic resources were leveraged to achieve these goals. State guidelines for the development of new off-campus sites provided limited guidance for rural educational delivery of research partnerships. As a consequence, the institution's engagement with rural communities yielded increased understanding of these institution-community partnerships, their symbiotic benefits, and the constraints that should guide them.