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…
An opportunity to paint a car, operate a skid steer and use a hydraulic-powered golf putter; those were just some of the activities high school sophomores took part in at the second annual Explore OTC, held today at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. The event is designed to teach students about the subjects they can study…
In today’s world full of digital information, e-books and the internet, is there still a reason to visit your college library? The answer is “YES.” We would argue that saying you don’t need a library because you have the internet is like saying you don’t need a math class because you have a calculator. Both…
Are you a college student – and a parent, too? Congrats. Earning a college degree is one of the best investments you can make for yourself and your family. Research shows that parents with college degrees are more likely to improve their family’s financial security, mobility and overall well-being than those with just a high…
Spring 2020 scholarship applications are open now through Nov. 1. On average, OTC awards more than $900,000 in scholarships to students each year. If you’re interested in applying for a scholarship or two, keep reading for tips on how to navigate the application process. If you’re ready to apply, click here. Choose a scholarship There are…
Conveniently located next to the Hamra Family Library, OTC’s IT Service Center is here to help you with all of your information technology needs. Here are a few reasons why you should stop by this semester: 1. Connect to Wi-Fi Are you having trouble connecting to OTC’s Wi-Fi networks? Is your current connection suddenly not…
Gov. Mike Parson stopped by the OTC Springfield Campus today to discuss a new financial aid program offered by the state. The program, called the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant, will pay college tuition and fees for any Missourian who is 25 years of age or older. Students younger than 25 are also eligible for…
Missouri Senator Roy Blunt stopped by the new OTC Lebanon Aviation Center during his tour of southwest Missouri today, Aug. 22. The Lebanon Aviation Program debuted earlier this fall at the Floyd W. Jones Airport following a successful roll out of the Springfield Aviation Program in 2017. The senator offered comments standing in front of…
The fall 2019 semester is finally here, and we’re kicking things off with our second annual Eagle Days events! Between the free food, giveaways and special appearances by Ozzy the Eagle, we can’t think of a better way to start the school year. Check out the events happening at the Springfield campus, and make plans…
With the first day of classes just a couple 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 news…
Growing up, Andrea Stone never dreamed about going to college. Her mom, who never finished seventh grade, battled a substance-use disorder throughout Andrea’s childhood. Her dad dropped out of high school. Andrea often asked herself if she would be any different. An unexpected pregnancy in her early 20s forced Andrea to embrace a new mindset…
Michael Pulley found a way to impact OTC students long after his retirement. Thanks to earnings from his latest writing project, the former English instructor endowed the Michael Pulley Scholarship Fund through the OTC Foundation. The scholarship will support current OTC students who plan to transfer to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree…
Congratulations to our Spring 2019 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…
Jorgie Teaster was destined to become a farmer. After all, her name means “tiller of the soil.” Farming runs deep in Jorgie’s family, too. She spent much of her childhood helping out on her grandparents’ farm and exploring the greenhouses where her mother worked. “There’s something about being in that environment and mass producing all…
Anthony Sandoval has always been passionate about the environment – so much so, that he plans to make it his life’s work. The soon-to-be OTC graduate dreams of landing a job at the Environmental Protection Agency someday, where he can enforce environmental law, enact conservation programs and educate the public on environmental issues. “We have…
It’s no surprise that women predominate many health care professions. In fact, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 92 percent of nurses are female. However, that’s not exactly the case in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field, where women make up only 21 percent of licensed paramedics. Six students at the OTC Waynesville…
Commencement is right around the corner, which means your to-do list is probably bursting with end-of-the-year activities. But there’s one more thing you’ll need to think about before the big day – what you plan to wear to the graduation ceremony. You might think what you wear to commencement isn’t a big deal – it’s…
We’re kicking off National Lineman Appreciation Day with some not-so-shocking news about OTC’s Electrical Distribution Systems Program – all 22 line worker students have summer internships in the works. These linemen-in-training will spend their summer months making up to $26.50 an hour as they put their skills to the test with area electric partners. OTC…
Kit Gillihan is about to celebrate his biggest victory to date. The former OTC student, who has autism and cerebral palsy, will walk across the stage at OTC’s commencement in May to receive a Certificate of Achievement in Computer Information Science – a feat he worked nearly four years to accomplish. While a student at…