OTC alumnus Brice Clark’s job is to give couples the best day of their lives. No pressure, right? Just plan and execute the party of a lifetime – or in Brice’s case, 250-plus parties each year. The 23-year-old entrepreneur is the founder and Chief Experience Officer at Spark Events. He and his team provide fun,…
Congratulations to our Spring 2018 Chancellor’s List and Dean’s List recipients! Students who complete 12 or more credit hours are eligible for the Chancellor’s List and Dean’s List. Recognition is based on the grade point average attained during a 12-credit-hour increment. The Dean’s List requires a GPA of 3.50 to 3.84, and the Chancellor’s List…
Things are heating up in the kitchens of OTC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program. Daniel Pliska, the former executive chef at the University Club of MU in Columbia, will join the college’s team of experienced culinary instructors this fall. In his early years, Pliska worked at first-class hotels, restaurants and pastry shops in Washington,…
Everyone enjoys the challenge of gaming, whether it’s on the coffee table or a computer screen. But a relatively new game form turns the players into game pieces. Escape Rooms challenge players to solve puzzles and riddles to literally escape a room. According to the Atlantic, the first escape room debuted in Japan in 2007,…
Welding is more than just a skill for OTC student Chase Woodiel – it’s also an art form. The soon-to-be welding graduate works at The Forge, LLC in Pleasant Hope, Missouri. She designs and creates custom “sissy bars” – also known as sister bars or passenger backrests – for motorcycles. “We’ve made bars ranging from…
Ten Ozarks Technical Community College students were honored for their academic success and campus leadership at the Missouri Community College Association’s PTK and Student Leadership Luncheon. The event was held April 25 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City. Three students received Phi Theta Kappa student leadership awards: Jayme Handley, OTC Springfield Campus Kimberly…
Soon-to-be graduates, the moment you’ve waited for is practically here. Our 2018 graduation ceremony will be held Thursday, May 17 at 6 p.m. at JQH Arena on the Missouri State University Campus. Whether you’re celebrating your own graduation this year, or that of a fellow student, friend or family member, share your excitement on social media with the…
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt stopped by OTC today with an important message for college students: Use year-round Pell to complete your degree in less time and with less debt. Funding for year-round federal Pell Grants was restored by Congress in May 2017. Many Missouri colleges including OTC will offer Pell funding for summer courses for…
When you ask most college students why they decided to pursue a degree, they will often tell you it’s because their families encouraged or inspired them to do so. OTC student Bobby O’Keefe says he too was inspired by his family to attend college, but not for the reasons you might think. At just 8…
A group of OTC Surgical Technology students won first place at the 2018 Missouri Association of Surgical Technologists Scrub Bowl competition. The event was held earlier this month at the annual Missouri Association of Surgical Technologists conference. The jeopardy-like competition prepares surgical technology students to take their certification exam upon graduation. OTC’s team, comprised of…
OTC’s Counseling Services department and numerous community agencies are hosting the Clothesline Project in the Jared Family Atrium today, Wednesday, April 25 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Clothesline Project is a national effort to raise awareness about the devastating effects of relationship and domestic violence. The project spreads a message of hope while…
Representatives from Ozarks Technical Community College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students, have returned from the organization’s international convention with several awards in hand. In total, the students and advisors of OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Alpha Psi Tau, were honored with 10 awards at PTK Catalyst 2018,…
It’s Spring Picnic week! Between the hot dogs, dancing, games and giveaways, it’s always our favorite day on campus. Are you planning to attend? Find the details for your campus or center below. Spring Picnic 2018 dates and times: OTC Table Rock Campus: Tuesday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. OTC Richwood Valley…
The SkillsUSA Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) recognized Ozarks Technical Community College’s Career Center as a Silver Level SkillsUSA Chapter of Distinction. College officials and student officers accepted the award at the SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Conference, held Thursday, April 5 at State Technical College in Linn, Missouri. The Chapter Excellence Program honors chapter achievement…
More than a dozen Ozarks Technical Community College students and employees attended a 6-hour training on Friday, April 6 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,…
Daughters often follow in their mother’s footsteps, and OTC Middle College student Xana Hunt is no exception. The recently adopted 17-year-old is studying Early Childhood Development at OTC – just like her mom did not too long ago. OTC graduate Racheal Hunt legally adopted Xana in February of 2018. While Racheal, 25, is just a…
Representatives from Ozarks Technical Community College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students, have returned from the organization’s regional convention with several awards in hand. The students, advisors and alumni of Alpha Psi Tau were honored with 16 awards and four regional officer positions at the convention, held March…
Have you stopped by the new IT Service Center at the OTC Springfield Campus? Conveniently located in the Jared Family Welcome Center, our new IT Service Center is here to help you with all of your information technology needs. Here are the top 5 reasons why you should pay us a visit: 1. Connect…
Danny Hawkins says the bad things that happen in life are tools to prepare us to fulfill our destiny. He would know. As a child, Danny was the victim of severe abuse, neglect and trauma. Today, he is an advocate for those who face similar adversities in life. Danny is the founder and owner of…
OTC automotive student Sara Gates likes fixing cars and breaking stereotypes. The 20-year-old Breaking Traditions award winner and scholarship recipient is in the United States Marine Corps. She plans to earn her associate degree in automotive technology upon her return from a nine-month deployment to Kuwait. She leaves with her unit early next month. “After…
The OTC Job Fair is coming up on Wednesday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the OTC Springfield Campus in Lincoln Hall, room 211. The event is free and open to the public. Get details here. As a job-seeker, you’ll want to make an all-out effort to meet with every employer who has the…
Ozarks Technical Community College’s Alpha Psi Tau Chapter has been named a 2018 REACH Chapter by Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges. The organization’s REACH Rewards program recognizes and rewards Phi Theta Kappa chapters that excel in the area of membership development. As a result of the REACH award, OTC’s Alpha…
March is here, which means midterm exams are just around the corner. Make sure you’re prepared with the following study tips from our friends at the Speckman Tutoring & Learning Center. 10. Start early – Cramming is counter-productive. Give your brain the time it needs to learn the material. To avoid procrastination, schedule specific times…
Did you know that OTC awards more than $900,000 in scholarships to students each year? That’s a lot of dough. Starting Thursday, March 1, you can apply for OTC’s 2018 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…
Few things are more American than apple pie and entrepreneurialism. Former OTC student Eleanor Taylor has combined those two ideals by making custom pies — think artisanal flavors like blushing apple, chocolate amaretto, grapefruit custard and hibiscus lemon meringue — her own entrepreneurial adventure. At just 16 years old, the Springfield native got her start…