Dr. Steven Bishop can sum up his 25-year career at Ozarks Technical Community College with just four words: Lots of happy accidents. Opportunity often came knocking when the soon-to-be-retired provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs didn’t expect it. But every time it did, Bishop took on the challenge, and OTC is better for it.…
Thanks to Springfield’s inaugural Hack 4 Good event, a group of OTC students can proudly say “there’s an app for that,” when people ask how they can share local resources with Springfield’s homeless population. OTC computer information science students, graduates and instructors ─ along with area engineers, developers, entrepreneurs and technologists ─ volunteered around the clock…
Need a distraction from finals week? Take a break from your last-minute study sessions and head over to Snapchat for our Finals Week Challenge. We’ve placed a special filter at each of our campuses and centers Monday, Dec. 12 through Friday, Dec. 16. Use the filter to let us know how you’re coping with exams — there’s a…
Wintry Weather It’s that time of year again — time to prepare for slushy, sleety or snowy weather and the possible cancellation of classes. Here are a few reminders about our inclement weather procedures. Be prepared for class cancellations, early dismissals. There are times when weather conditions will cause us to cancel classes for the safety of…
Clearly, Opal-Jewel Clark has a unique name, but it’s fitting for this OTC Career Center student because Opal-Jewel is a rarity: she’s a female who hopes to become a welder. “Welding is meant for me. I felt like that’s what I should do,” the junior from Clever High School said. Opal-Jewel, 16, hopes to be…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Early Childhood Education Center earned statewide recognition for its commitment to children’s health and wellness. The center adopted the Missouri MOve Smart Guidelines, developed by the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance, which were designed to boost physical activity practices and improve the health and wellness of…
A $3 million grant to the City of Springfield‘s Department of Workforce Development in partnership with Ozarks Technical Community College will provide training opportunities for individuals seeking to enter the healthcare industry. The grant funds from the U.S. Department of Labor will provide 372 individuals the opportunity for tuition-free training and certifications in health care…
OTC and Drury sign agreement to benefit honors students Ozarks Technical Community College Honors program graduates who transfer to Drury University will automatically be eligible for honors-program admission and scholarships thanks to an articulation agreement signed today, Nov. 21 at Drury University. “Many outstanding students attend OTC before pursuing a bachelor’s degree, and the OTC…
For OTC construction technology students, the words “sustainability” and “eco-friendly” are more than just buzzwords ─ they are construction industry standards. “We need to be smart about how we build,” said Jamie Reeder, a Career Center student at OTC. “We are consuming precious materials we can’t get back, and we need to use them wisely.” Reeder…
It’s that time of year again — time to take a quick break from the lectures, assignments and projects to spend a few days celebrating one of America’s most beloved holidays. Are you looking forward to your five-day break from OTC? The college will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 27 to commemorate Thanksgiving. And whether…
Phillip Taylor, a licensed practical nursing student from OTC, spent a dozen days this summer in the Land Down Under among the koala bears, vegemite sandwiches and the Great Barrier Reef. It was during Taylor’s second year at OTC that he was invited to attend the International Scholar Laureate Program in Australia as a member…
Dr. Tracy McGrady will be the new provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Ozarks Technical Community College. Dr. McGrady was chosen following a national search that garnered dozens of applicants. The OTC Board of Trustees approved her appointment today, Monday, Nov. 14. Dr. McGrady will fill the position vacated by retiring Provost and…
Military personnel dodge bullets and roadside bombs on a daily basis, so it’s easy to understand if they don’t have the time to floss or brush their teeth properly when they’re deployed in combat. When those veterans transition back to civilian life by attending OTC, they have a great resource to keep their pearly whites…
When Daniel Padilla applied to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Workshop, he thought he was taking one small step toward a potential career. However, that one small step turned into a giant leap toward a newly discovered dream career as an astrophysicist. The OTC Honors student and Phi Theta Kappa member was scrolling through Blackboard when…
Ozarks Technical Community College will host a free FAFSA Frenzy event on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 1:30–4 p.m. at its Springfield and Waynesville locations. The event, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education, is designed to help prospective college students file their FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The event is open…
After graduating from Branson High School 10 years ago, Kendra Colson spent a lot of time traveling the country. But it wasn’t until she made the long trip back from Idaho to the Branson area and enrolled at the OTC Table Rock Campus that she found herself and her career. Kendra received her Associate of…
The Missouri Community College Association recognized three Ozarks Technical Community College students with Student Leadership Awards at the association’s 52nd annual convention held this week in Branson, Mo. The following students were chosen for their outstanding leadership, innovation and support of their community college campuses: Nora Browne: Browne, a student…
Ozarks Technical Community College will commemorate Veterans Day with ceremonies at its Springfield and Waynesville locations on Friday, Nov. 11. The public is invited to attend. The OTC Springfield Campus ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. The event will feature a speech by U.S. Army veteran Ron Timmins. Timmins is the Safety and Security supervisor…
CoxHealth received the Missouri Community College Association’s Distinguished Business and Industry Award at the association’s 52nd annual convention held this week in Branson, Mo. The locally-owned nonprofit health system partnered with Ozarks Technical Community College to establish an Associate of Science in Nursing program at the OTC Table Rock Campus. The program expansion will create…
Grant Sloan received the Missouri Community College Association’s News Media Award at the association’s 52nd annual convention held this week in Branson, Mo. As the reporter in KOLR10’s Branson Bureau, Sloan worked to provide comprehensive coverage of the significant milestones achieved by the Ozarks Technical Community College Table Rock Campus. He covered the community’s recent…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Fine Arts Department will present its annual holiday production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at the Gillioz Theatre Friday, Nov. 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2:30 p.m. “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” is set in a…
Jacque Harris received the Missouri Community College Association’s Technology Innovation Award at the association’s 52nd annual convention held this week in Branson, Mo. Since arriving at Ozarks Technical Community College in 2011, Harris has provided outstanding support to students using Blackboard. She has also increased student success in the process. From 2012 to 2015, her…
Dr. Steven Bishop received the Missouri Community College Association’s Senior Service Award at the association’s 52nd annual convention held this week in Branson, Mo. Dr. Bishop has served as provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at Ozarks Technical Community College since July of 2012. Prior to this appointment, he served as dean of allied…
More than a dozen Ozarks Technical Community College students and employees attended a 6-hour training on Friday, Oct. 28 to earn their Green Dot Bystander Intervention Certification. Participants learned how to respond safely as a bystander to prevent imminent or potential acts of sexual or interpersonal violence on campus. As of today, more than 1,000 students,…
Interested in studying abroad in China? OTC history instructor Jessica Gerard plans to take another group of students across the globe next spring. Since 2008, she’s led five groups of students through China to study its vast culture and history. Students interested in studying abroad in China may attend one of three informational sessions offered…