Dr. Odland joined the administration of the university as dean of the College of Home Economics (later the College of Human Ecology and now part of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) in 1959. She was concomitantly appointed as professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science.
She served as dean until 1979 and as a professor until 1982. She was a specialist in nutrition and home economics. She was the coauthor of Perspectives for the Nutrition Profession (1975), and author of over 50 technical publications. During her tenure as dean, enrollment in home economics more than tripled, and doctoral programs were initiated in nutrition and food science. She directed and advised educational and nutrition research programs in India and Pakistan and served as a consultant to the US Department of Agriculture (1960–64). She was president of the Association of Administrators of Home Economics (1975–76) and president of the Tennessee Home Economics Association (1964–66). In 1977 she received the Borden Award of the American Home Economics Association, the highest award granted for research in home economics. Her intellectual contributions to the life of the university have been recognized by placement of a plaque in her honor on a faculty study.
She was a licensed pilot (Private, SEL). In 1969 she joined the International Organization of Women Pilots, started in the 1930s by Amelia Earhart, an organization more commonly known as the “Ninety Nines” (for the 99 female licensed pilots at the time of its founding). In 1975 she was recognized by the Ninety Nines as one of the 10 most honored women in Tennessee.