Whether Hanna Smith is writing for the Springfield Business Journal or taking prerequisites for OTC’s surgical technician program, she always has one goal in mind: caretaking. “I always write with the mindset, ‘How is this going to benefit someone?’” said Smith. “Now I’m ready to take that mindset into surgical tech.” During the day, Smith…
Former OTC honors student Wade Southwell gives new meaning to the quote, “Life is like a roller coaster. You can either scream every time there is a bump, or you can throw your hands up and enjoy the ride.” Since his time at OTC, Southwell has been riding the roller coaster of life – getting…
Chris Booker is passionate about two things: the sea and steel. He once worked as a welder for a Navy contractor, and recently, he used his skills to design some of the stainless-steel architectural pieces featured in the Ozarks’ newest attraction – the Wonders of Wildlife museum. After Polar Tank Trailer, Inc.’s permanent closure in…
Ozarks Technical Community College announced Doug Carrell as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Student Veteran Award during their annual Veterans Day service this past Friday, Nov. 10. Carrell, motivated by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2001. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2003 in the 805th Military Police Company…
What’s your OTC story? Our college chancellor wants to hear it. Join us at one of our campuses for a meet and greet event with OTC’s leader, Dr. Hal Higdon. He’ll share his experiences in higher education with you and listen as your share your OTC stories with him. Find the dates and times for…
Students enrolled in the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Department’s (CAHM) dining room management class create edible masterpieces at OTC’s Scallions restaurant each semester. This year is only slightly different – the class, instead, takes place at Aviary Café, located at Farmers Park on Republic Road. OTC saw a unique opportunity arise when a fluke…
An outdoor classroom for the Lewis Family Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) is under construction and projected to be completed within the next few semesters. ECEC has partnered with the Career & Technical Education department to help build a variety of items for the outdoor classroom. The project was funded, in part, during the 2016…
Undoubtedly, OTC is located in the most beautiful part of the state, but not everything about southwest Missouri is pretty. Greene County has more domestic violence per capita than anywhere else in Missouri, and OTC students are not immune. In the 2016-17 academic year, the college received 68 reports of students being affected by domestic…
The last two years have been transformative for Ozarks Technical Community College student Madison Lawson. Back in the fall of 2015, as a junior at Glendale High School, Madison said she was, “A brat. Rude, snobby, conceited. I just wanted out.” Now, her mother, April Landry, uses these words to describe Madison, “Friendly. Bubbly. She…
Ozarks Technical Community College Dental Hygiene Instructor Lisa Miles has always focused on healthy teeth and gums, but, she admits, the rest of her body wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t until she found a half-completed BetterU application in her inbox that she decided to do something about it. “To this day, I still have no idea…
You’ve narrowed your college choices down to a handful of schools (hopefully OTC!) and now you have to figure out how to pay for it. What do you do? Follow the advice of OTC financial aid experts Kim Cary and Linda Johns. You aren’t the first person to have questions about the enrollment process. But…
Traveling abroad is only a dream to many students, but for several Ozarks Technical Community College students, this dream will soon become a reality. Students taking CRM 295 – Study Abroad: Comparative Criminal Justice will embark on an eight-day trip to London, England this May to track the evolution of the British legal system. During…
This Saturday, OTC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Scholars will step out of the classroom and into the community for a hands-on service-learning project that will benefit both the community and the environment. Earlier this summer, the campus organization adopted a portion of Jordan Creek, from Chestnut Expressway to Silver Springs Park through the…
The OTC Fine Arts Department’s annual production of Joe Landry’s stage play “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” will hold auditions on Sept. 13 and 14 for the festive annual holiday production at 7 p.m. in ICE Room 350 on the OTC Springfield Campus. It’s an opportunity that you won’t want to miss.…
Hi everyone! How is the semester going, so far? Good? Great? Even with the semester going so successfully, did you know that it could get even better? Ozarks Technical Community College has complied seven hacks that will simplify your life as a student. By doing these simple things, you can focus on becoming successful –…
A wise Bono once said, “To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater.” OTC has found truth in those words and, following the U2 lead singer’s message, the institution’s MOSAIC Diversity and Inclusion Team will promote positivity during Loving Diversity Week…
Are you a high school student thinking about attending OTC? If so, Discover OTC and the Fall Picnic are the perfect opportunity to see what we are all about. What is the Fall Picnic? The picnic celebrates the fall semester with tasty food and fun activities for the entire community to enjoy, including both current and…
College debt can put anyone in a real funk. Fortunately, for Maddie Funk, a dental hygiene student at Ozarks Technical Community College, she will graduate debt-free thanks to an A+ scholarship, smart choices and a lot of hard work. Funk, a Kansas City native, graduated from Staley High School in the North Kansas City School…
On average, 640 students receive more than $800,000 in OTC scholarships each year. That’s a lot of dough. Would you like to be one of those students? Good news: starting Friday, Sept. 1, you can apply for OTC’s 2017 spring semester scholarships. If you’re ready to apply, click HERE. Need more information, or maybe just a…
From a young age, Anthony Bardon knew he wanted to be a professional soccer player. His determination and will to succeed have allowed him to perform on the field all across the United States and Europe. Those same positive characteristics have helped him pursue an online degree from Ozarks Technical Community College. Bardon’s path to…
Did you know that one of the many perks of OTC is the free resources we provide to help students, like you, thrive? With the fall semester now underway, we’ve got your back. Whether you need homework help, personal support or job-search assistance, you can count on OTC to provide you with the necessary tools…
The beginning of school is less than a week away, and we at OTC are ready to kick it off with our yearly Back to School Bash tradition. Your first week on campus will be engaging, fun-filled, and food-stuffed. How great does that sound? Check out our Back to School Bash events at the Springfield…
The inherent privileges of American citizens, like the choice to obtain an education, can often be overlooked by individuals who never had to face the hardships of an oppressive government. However, for members of the Gradinariu family, this is not the case. With their successful escape from Romania near the end of the Cold War,…
Standing at 6-feet-5-inches tall, retired U.S. Navy veteran Jason Wilson towers above the preschoolers in his Early Childhood practicum class. But the kids don’t find Jason intimidating. In fact, they think he’s much more fun to climb than their outdoor playground equipment. “They always run to me when they see I’m in the classroom,” Jason…
When Josh Green enrolled at OTC several years ago to study welding, his goal was to learn a worthwhile trade so he could move out of, what he called, his dead-end retail job. Before his college career was over, he had more than eclipsed that goal. Josh was one of the first students to enroll…