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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Leave it to an academic institution to help out a library. When the Springfield-Greene County Library district was looking for help in staging its massive annual Friends of the Library book sale, one volunteer turned to her former employer, Ozarks Technical Community College, for help. In 2015, the former Remington’s building in south Springfield hosted…
Steady enrollment growth at the OTC Richwood Valley Campus spurred a recent project to add more classroom and office space. The campus, which is currently at capacity in the morning and afternoon hours, will soon have five brand new classrooms and four offices in a surprising location – its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Shelter.…
What’s your OTC story? Our college chancellor wants to hear it. Join us at your campus or center 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…
The 10th annual OTC Foundation Golf Tournament at Hickory Hills Country Club brought a record number of players together for one common goal: supporting the students of Ozarks Technical Community College. The 28 teams of four, along with event sponsors, raised more than $17,000 for student scholarships. “More than 60 percent of our students qualify…
Changes are coming to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). But don’t worry; these changes were put in place to make the FAFSA process easier. Here’s what you need to know. Most importantly, you can now submit your 2017-18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016. The earlier submission date will be a permanent…
Most of OTC’s students come to the college to gain an education and earn a degree, but Linda Lober is taking classes in order to maintain a connection to her late husband. The 66-year-old Lober is trying to honor her husband’s memory by learning the craft of woodworking so she can complete the projects he…
The tears in Lisa Scurlock’s eyes say far more than words when she’s asked about the personal impact of studying in OTC’s new Behavioral Health Support program. “I feel awesome,” she said as she wiped her eyes. “I feel like something. I’m proud of myself. It’s been a long time coming.” Lisa, who is 52,…
Zachary Heick didn’t mind relocating from his home in Kingsville, Mo., in Johnson County to attend OTC, because the reward of getting his degree outweighed the distance. “I didn’t like the community colleges up there. Plus, OTC works with Missouri State, which offers the field that I want to go into,” he said. So this…
“Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!” Uttering those lines on a Branson stage amounted to a part-time high school job for OTC student Elizabeth Jones while growing up in Forsyth. While no one would readily mistake the redheaded Jones for the blonde Jan Brady, the middle sister in the classic television show “The Brady Bunch,” Elizabeth fooled plenty…
As the fall semester gains momentum, know that the OTC Richwood Valley Campus has lots of free resources available to you. Whether you need homework help, personal support or a quick break from studying, we’ve got your back. Check out the following infographic for five free resources you should know. You can also view a complete…
Dear students, we’re looking forward to having you back on campus for the start of the fall semester! As you return to campus the week of Aug. 22, please be aware that Central Street is no longer a through street. The City of Springfield’s Pythian/Central Corridor Improvement Project created a dead end on Central Street near…
