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…
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…