Blog: Around The College Archives - News and Information

Drury University and Ozarks Tech collaborate through Drury Springfield Promise for affordable and accessible education

Blog: Around The College, News, News ReleasesBy Donna Barton November 20, 2024

In a significant step to broaden educational pathways and make higher education more accessible for transfer students, Drury University and Ozarks Technical Community College are partnering through the Drury Springfield Promise. This innovative partnership enhances degree access, reduces financial barriers, and provides a seamless transition for academically qualified Ozarks Tech students aiming to complete their…

National STEM Honor Society chapter started at Ozarks Tech

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton November 14, 2024

Ozarks Tech students pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education now have an opportunity to further stand out in their fields with the addition of a National STEM Honor Society chapter at the college. The introduction of the new STEM Honor Society was a move initially driven by students. Since 2022, the college has…

Ozarks Tech unveils new Ozzy Eagle logo

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton November 13, 2024

A new eagle has come to roost at Ozarks Tech! Throughout the fall semester there’s been a buzz on campus that the Ozarks Tech’s Eagle logo was getting an update and on Nov. 12 the college officially revealed the refreshed design to students, faculty and staff. The updated logo, which was created by the Ozarks…

Ozarks Tech event pays tribute to veterans

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton November 12, 2024

On Nov. 11 the college gathered to honor the courage and sacrifice of veterans at the annual Veterans Day ceremony. It was a meaningful time of remembrance and gratitude for those dedicated to our country. For more than 20 years Ozarks Tech has held the celebration as a thank you to each veteran who has…

Ozarks Tech holds Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society induction ceremony

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton October 23, 2024

On October 22, the historic Gillioz Theatre provided the backdrop for the induction of Ozarks Tech students into the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. PTK is an international honor society committed to recognizing the academic achievements of college students and providing opportunities for its members to improve their academic and leadership skills. PTK also…

Ozarks Tech graduate to represent college at Association of Community College Trustees Leadership Congress

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton October 23, 2024

2024 is turning into a banner year for Frankie Fahringer. In the spring she graduated from the Ozarks Tech Physical Therapy Assistant Program. That hard work and dedication further paid off in August when she landed her dream job working with pediatric patients experiencing autism and developmental delays. Fahringer contributes her recent successes in…

Ozarks Tech Car and Motorcycle Show helps fuel the future for students

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton October 15, 2024

Everything from hot rods and vintage cars to motorcycles and even tricked-out trucks helped make this year’s Ozarks Tech Car and Motorcycle Show a resounding success. With nearly 120 vehicles and multiple vendors, each year the event continues to grow in popularity for the college and community. The show started in the 1990s and is…

OTC Foundation Scholarship Reception connects students and donors

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton October 4, 2024

As a single mom attending college, Sarah Emert worked hard to manage life and classes. From donating plasma, cleaning houses and even substitute teaching, she did everything she could to meet her obligations and pay her bills. But with a kindergartener to care for, a car that needed four new tires, a faulty laptop and…

Veterans Upward Bound program provides vital link for vets considering college

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton September 24, 2024

John Larson admits the path that led him to take classes at Ozarks Tech was not an easy or straightforward one. For the 36-year-old, it involved an injury that eventually ended a more than decade-long stint in the Air Force, the loss of a buddy to addiction and time traveling the country in a converted…

Community support makes OTC Foundation Golf Tournament a success

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton September 17, 2024

Thanks to the generosity of the Springfield community and area golf enthusiasts, the annual OTC Foundation Golf Tournament was another successful event. More than 140 golfers took to the links at Hickory Hills Country Club on Sept. 16. The goal of this popular fall event is to support students by raising money for scholarships. Financial…

Ozarks Tech preps for groundbreaking ceremony

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton September 10, 2024

There are a lot of exciting changes and preparations occurring – both visible and behind the scenes – at Ozarks Tech for the start of construction and the groundbreaking ceremony event planned for the Center for Workforce and Student Success. Most notable is for those traveling Chestnut Expressway to campus, the double turn lanes on…

Winner of Missouri award for emergency medicine instruction joins Ozarks Tech

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton September 4, 2024

Chris Strobach has seen a lot of changes in emergency medicine since he first entered the field in 1992. Long gone are the days of new paramedic training consisting of little more than a set of ambulance keys and time shadowing a senior team member. “Being in emergency medicine takes a healthy amount of confidence…

SkillUP program helps Ozarks Tech student find their path

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton August 6, 2024

Trevion Holmes laughs when he thinks about how a short television ad changed his life. The St. Louis resident was facing hard times and desperately searching for ways to better his circumstances, but it wasn’t until he saw a commercial for Ozarks Tech that he recognized a path for how to do it. “Before that…

Greg Davis Readies to Lead First Plumbing Program Classes at Ozarks Tech

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Donna Barton July 24, 2024

For Greg Davis, a master plumber with more than 35 years in the field, it’s a natural fit to bring his hands-on knowledge to the classroom as an instructor for Ozark Tech’s new Plumbing Technology Program. The southwest Missouri native not only knows the ins and outs of the trade, he knows the opportunities the…

Ozarks Technical Community College Announces New Center for Workforce and Student Success

Blog: Around The College, News, News ReleasesBy Donna Barton July 1, 2024

Ozarks Technical Community College is moving forward with construction of the institution’s new Center for Workforce and Student Success, following the approval of the state’s FY 2025 budget by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The project, which is estimated to cost $60 million, was approved June 12 by the Ozarks Tech board of trustees. The college…

OTC Spring 2024 Chancellor’s List, Dean’s List and Provost’s List Recipients

Blog: Around The CollegeBy Ryan Tsai June 3, 2024

Congratulations to our Spring 2024 Chancellor’s List, Dean’s List and Provost’s List recipients! Students who complete 12 or more credit hours in a fall or spring semester are eligible for the Chancellor’s List and Dean’s List. Recognition is based on the grade point average during that semester. The Chancellor’s List requires a GPA of 3.85 or…

OTC is first community college in Mo. to award bachelor’s degrees

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER May 16, 2024

Ozarks Technical Community College’s 2024 commencement ceremony was historic. The 2024 graduation marked the first time in history that a Missouri community college has awarded bachelor’s degrees. Daniel Bowles, Samantha Gonzalez and Jade Humphreys each earned a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. In 2021, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education approved OTC and St.…

Three students will receive bachelor’s degrees at OTC’s commencement

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER May 14, 2024

Just over a third of Americans have bachelor’s degrees, and this year, Ozarks Technical Community College will directly contribute to the number of people with four-year degrees. At OTC’s 2024 commencement, the college will make history by awarding three Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy degrees to Daniel Bowles, Samantha Gonzalez and Jade Humphreys. This…

OTC celebrates another donation from long-time supporter Rick’s Automotive

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER May 9, 2024

Ozarks Technical Community College dedicated the Rick’s Automotive Student Lounge today, Thursday, May 9. The lounge is in the newly remodeled Industry and Transportation Technology Center. In 2022, Rick and Karen Hughlett donated to the new Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing to establish a student lounge in the PMC. “We continue to donate…

ARCADIA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS CELEBRATE COLLEGE AND CAREER PLANS AT DECISION DAY EVENT

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER May 6, 2024

IRONTON, Mo. (May 6, 2024)— Arcadia Valley High School today hosted Decision Day, an event for the 81 high school seniors to announce their plans following graduation, which ranged from enrolling in college, undertaking technical training, and enlisting in the military. Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. Margie Vandeven joined the event in recognition of the…

OTC’s 2024 commencement ceremony is May 16

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER May 1, 2024

The 2024 Ozarks Technical Community College commencement will be historic. The May 16 graduation ceremony at Great Southern Bank Arena will be the first time in the state’s history that a community college confers bachelor’s degrees. Three OTC students will receive a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. “This is a point of pride for…

OTC Lebanon will host event to assist displaced Tracker employees

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER April 23, 2024

In light of recent layoffs at the Tracker Marine manufacturing plant in Lebanon, the Ozarks Technical Community College Lebanon Center and the Lebanon Job Center will host an event to help those workers explore their training options. The event is on Tuesday, April 30, at 10 a.m. The OTC Lebanon Center is located at…

OTC Lebanon to host third annual Lineworker Rodeo

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER April 18, 2024

The Ozarks Technical Community College Lebanon Center will host its third annual Lineworker Rodeo on Monday, April 29, beginning at 10 a.m. The OTC Lebanon Center is located at 22360 Highway MM in Lebanon. The event is free, and the public is invited to watch. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. First-year students from…

OTC dental student hopes to build confidence with smiles

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER April 16, 2024

Growing up in Versailles, Mo., Jordan Williams always planned to become a physician. But in high school, he began working at a dental office in his hometown, mostly cleaning and stocking shelves. Occasionally, Jordan would help out during a procedure. “I saw a woman receive dentures, and she started crying,” Jordan said. “She was…

JMARK and OTC partner to advance technology education

Blog: Around The College, News ReleasesBy MARK MILLER April 15, 2024

Local information technology firm JMARK and Ozarks Technical Community College partnered to create the JMARK Cybersecurity Lab. JMARK’s strategic investment in the college’s cybersecurity program helps create career avenues for students to work at JMARK or other local companies. Cybersecurity debuted at OTC in the fall of 2022. Immediately, cybersecurity was one of the most…

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