OTC Students, you are amazing. Over the last few weeks, I have had a front-row seat to all the hard work you have put in amid a significant disruption to normal life. In my role as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, I oversee all the academic functions of the college. I’m writing today…
While the start of our summer and fall semesters might seem far away, registration is just around the corner beginning April 21! The OTC Academic Advising Team sees a lot of students make the same planning and registration mistakes semester after semester. To help, we’ve created a list of things you can do to ensure…
In the wake of the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, OTC is moving its courses online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. We recognize the challenges that may come with this transition – particularly for those of you who may not have regular access to a computer or Wi-Fi. What we’re doing In…
OTC alumnus Luke Bradshaw had no problem landing a job in his field upon graduation. In fact, all he had to do was ask. The 21-year-old worked in the shipping department of Ample Industries, a custom label printing company. He told the CEO he earned his Electronic Media Production degree from OTC, and the company…
And cut! That’s a wrap for OTC’s fourth-annual film festival. In total, 28 teams competed under a tight deadline to create a 5-minute film. The catch? Each film had to contain a set of creative elements that included specific visual cues, props, lines of dialogue and music. You can view the submitted films in their entirety here. Keep scrolling for the…
Did you know that OTC awards more than $900,000 in scholarships to students each year? That’s a lot of dough. Now’s the time to apply for OTC’s 2020 summer and fall semester scholarships. If you’re ready to apply, click HERE. Need more information? How about some scholarship application tips? Read on. Choose a scholarship There…
Alexis Richards’ future is like a fresh canvas, full of possibility. In May, the 20 year old will graduate from OTC and transfer to one of the oldest, most-renowned art schools in the country, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She recently accepted one of the most notable awards granted by the institution –…
In an effort to encourage innovation at every level within the OTC System, the college hosted its inaugural Innovation Celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The event, attended by the college’s 500+ full time employees, recognized individuals, departments and programs for their exceptional contributions to the college. Three Trailblazer Awards were bestowed to employees who positively…
Before Keith Crisman graduated from Bowling Green (Missouri) High School in 2001, he was told that he wasn’t “college material.” Nearly 20 years later, Keith, an Ozarks Technical Community College graduate, is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Human Centered Design through the Florida Institute of Technology. What is Human Centered Design? According to Keith,…
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month — a yearly celebration of CTE programs and its students across the nation. What is Career and Technical Education? Career and Technical Education, or CTE, is a specialized career pathway that can help students land jobs in lucrative fields like automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, technology and engineering. At…
Willard North Elementary Principal Amanda Hambey strives to have a personal relationship with every student she serves. That’s why she met one-on-one with each student when she took on her leadership role at the school. One of the key messages she shares with her students is about success. She stresses that life and career success…
As students of a community college, it would be hard to receive the full college experience without becoming involved with those around you. The Honors Program functions well beyond who and what we see, the work we put in, and the connections we make. Our time is time spent preparing for our future. The future…
Nate Vandevender has been to college before. But when he first attended Ozarks Technical Community College following his high school graduation in 2014, he hit the double road block of little money and no clear goal. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and I didn’t have the money to continue,” Nate said.…
Congratulations to our Fall 2019 Chancellor’s List, Provost’s List and Dean’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 Dean’s List requires a GPA of 3.5…
Some people are lucky enough to know at a young age who or what they want to be when they grow up. For others, that “aha” moment reveals itself in the most interesting times. For OTC student Erin Henry, her “aha” started with an apartment fire. Originally from Carson City, Nevada, Erin moved to Missouri…
With the first day of classes just a couple of weeks away, we’ve compiled a few of our best OTC hacks to make your life a little easier this semester. Keep reading to learn more. 1. Sync your OTC email to your phone. It’s the easiest way for you to keep up with important campus…
Many students come to college looking for more than a transactional exchange of coursework for credit hours. For students who want more engagement in and out of the classroom, Ozarks Technical Community College offers an Honors Program. The Honors Program promotes critical thinking using analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and problem solving. Rigorous course work is emphasized,…
Alicia Browning and Laura Buehler work behind the scenes to save patients’ lives. The duo graduated with their medical laboratory technician degrees from OTC in 2016. Today, they type and screen blood for transfusions at Mercy’s blood bank. “What we do every day is essentially a big science experiment,” Laura said excitedly. Alicia added, “We…
Have you ever wanted to trek amongst the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, walk the Inca’s Sacred Valley or visit the famed Chan Chan archaeological site? OTC students have their chance May 18-28, 2020, when OTC’s Study Abroad class visits Peru. Students will have the opportunity to earn college credits by seeing actual historical sites…
Ozarks Technical Community College announced Reza Gilman as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Student Veteran Award during the college’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, held Monday, Nov. 11. OTC’s Outstanding Student Veteran Award is presented annually to a student in good academic standing with an honorable service record. The student’s personal conduct, contributions and successes…
Misuse of prescription opioids and stimulants has become a serious public health problem in the United States. This epidemic has become an issue for Ozarks. According to the Greene County Health Department, the rate of opioid overdose deaths quadrupled between 2000 and 2015. Just recently, in Springfield, emergency personnel responded to 13 drug overdoses in…
Jared Parrigon has big plans for his family’s business. Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, the 18-year-old will someday inherit and lead Parrigon Dairy, a small dairy farm in Stotts City, Missouri. Jared got his start on the family farm bottle feeding calves when he was just 8 years old. His responsibilities have…
OTC is located in the most beautiful part of the state, but not everything about southwest Missouri is pretty. Greene County has one of the highest rates of domestic violence per capita than anywhere else in Missouri, and OTC students are not immune. In 2018, a Victim Advocate was hired through the grant, Project HEAL,…
Mike Mize’s love of cars and trucks runs in the family. His father worked as a trucker and his grandfather was a fleet technician. A self-professed “shade-tree mechanic,” Mike spent much of his childhood fixing vehicles with his grandfather on the front lawn. Today, Mike is a student in OTC’s Diesel Technology Program. The aspiring…
Every semester, Courtney Dameron gives her students a broken flower pot at the beginning of their child abuse prevention unit. As Courtney begins to teach the difficult subject, the students write out the different forms of abuse on the shattered terracotta pieces. In her next lesson, Courtney hands out rolls of masking tape. She prompts…