Ozarks Tech’s own Darby has fetched a major honor: Missouri Farm Bureau’s Farm Dog of the Year. A toy Australian shepherd–blue heeler mix, Darby works side by side with her owner, Agriculture Department Chair Rob Flatness, and has become a beloved fixture on the Richwood Valley campus. From working with students to the cattle and…
Springfield, Mo. — The Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) has recognized Ozarks Tech Foundation Board of Directors member Judy Breeding with its prestigious Award of Distinction, honoring her decades of dedication to advancing education and opportunity in southwest Missouri. Breeding, the longest-serving member of the Ozarks Tech Foundation Board, has played a pivotal role in…
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Ozarks Tech dedicated the new Paul Mueller Company Welding Lab to honor a major investment from Paul Mueller Company in support of technical education and workforce development. The Paul Mueller Company Welding Lab, located inside the Industry Transportation and Technology Center on the Springfield campus, will serve as a central space for…
LEBANON, Mo. — Ozarks Tech is partnering with the City of Lebanon and the Lebanon R-3 School District to open a state-of-the-art medical simulation lab to train current and future health care workers and help ease the region’s workforce shortage. After local leaders identified a significant shortage of health care providers in Lebanon and Laclede…
$1 Million Prize Honors Colleges Achieving Strong Student Results, Both in College and After Graduation The Aspen Institute named Ozarks Technical Community College as one of the top 200 community colleges in the nation eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and…
Ozarks Tech is advancing two creative, student-focused programs that meet immediate needs while building community: Fresh Harvest and Eagle Breakfast. These food programs are more than meals. They are strategies for student success, tied directly to the college’s core mission of supporting students by using data to design programs that foster equity and accessibility. Supporting…
$5 Million Technical Training Center Provides Hands-On Education in Agriculture and Electrical Distribution Systems SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A new facility dedicated to workforce development in high-demand fields that power and feed Missouri communities opened on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Ozarks Technical Community College’s Richwood Valley Campus in Ozark. College leadership, industry partners, faculty and students…
SPRINGFIELD, MO (July 23, 2025) — For the 16th year in a row, the Respiratory Therapy program at Ozarks Technical Community College received national recognition for its exceptional student outcomes. The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) honored Ozarks Tech with the Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award, which acknowledges programs with high success rates…
$25,000 Matching Gift Doubles Early Donations in “Pave the Future: One Brick at a Time” Initiative SPRINGFIELD, MO (July 22, 2025) — Ozarks Technical Community College today announced the public launch of its “Pave the Future: One Brick at a Time” campaign — a community-driven initiative to support construction of the new Michael L. Parson…
Starting in fall 2025, Ozarks Technical Community College (Ozarks Tech) will offer a new Associate of Applied Science degree in Radiography, expanding access to this high-demand healthcare field at a significantly lower cost. Previously only available through private colleges, radiography education is now more accessible and affordable in southwest Missouri thanks to the formation of…
Starting in fall 2025, Ozarks Technical Community College (Ozarks Tech) will offer a new Associate of Applied Science degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS), significantly expanding access to this high-demand healthcare career at an affordable cost. Previously offered through Cox College as a bachelor’s degree, the sonography program will now be available at Ozarks Tech…
Jefferson City, MO (July 7, 2025) – rootEd Missouri, which trains and places dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools, announced a significant increase in funding as part of the Missouri’s fiscal 2026 budget, signed by Governor Kehoe. rootEd Missouri is a statewide partnership between national nonprofit rootEd Alliance, Missouri’s Department of Elementary…
Ozarks Technical Community College is proud to announce a major seven-figure donation from David and Stacey O’Reilly to support the college’s “Dream Big. Dream Together” campaign for the future Michael L. Parson Student Union. In recognition of their generosity, the outdoor plaza adjacent to the new student union will be named the “David and Stacey…
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., June 12, 2025 – Drury University and Ozarks Technical Community College recently updated a long-standing agreement to better assist students transferring from Ozarks Tech to Drury to further their Elementary, Middle School, or Secondary Education studies, in a joint effort to help curb both Missouri’s ongoing teacher shortage and to assist with state-wide retention issues. …
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The future of aviation maintenance education in Missouri officially took flight today, Wednesday, June 11, as Ozarks Technical Community College celebrated the grand opening of the Roy Blunt Aviation Training Center. Located near Springfield-Branson National Airport, the cutting-edge facility will begin training students this fall. Named in honor of former U.S. Sen.…
New short-term course helps local facilities reduce downtime and contractor costs In response to increasing demand for skilled maintenance professionals in southwest Missouri, Ozarks Technical Community College is launching an innovative, short-term plumbing course designed to help local businesses strengthen their existing workforce. The Plumbing for Maintenance Technicians course, offered June 23–27 at Ozark Tech’s…
SPRINGFIELD, MO – More than 2,700 degrees and certificates were awarded to students on May 15 as Ozarks Technical Community College celebrated Commencement at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. Graduates and their families filled the arena for both the 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. ceremonies, celebrating this year’s accomplishments. Graduates from summer 2024, fall…
Springfield, MO — May 14, 2025 — Ozarks Technical Community College (Ozarks Tech) proudly celebrates the Missouri General Assembly’s passage of a transformative bill that promises to simplify and strengthen the pathway from community college to a four-year degree. The newly approved Higher Education Core Curriculum Transfer Act represents a major victory for Missouri students…
Local Leaders and Families Gather to Recognize Graduating Seniors, as Part of Statewide Efforts by rootEd Missouri to Support Rural Students’ Planning for Their Futures Clever, Missouri (May 9, 2025) – Clever High School today hosted its annual Decision Day, an event for the Class of 2025 to announce their post-graduation plans – which range…
Springfield, MO — The Alliance for Healthcare Education marked a major milestone Wednesday with its first-ever pinning ceremony, honoring students who have completed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) through the Ozarks Tech Alliance Middle College program. The event celebrated the accomplishments of 10 CNA students, the inaugural cohort of the Alliance – a transformative partnership formed…
Springfield, MO. – Dr. Tracy McGrady, Ozarks Tech’s provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, will give the keynote commencement address at the Ozarks Technical Community College Commencement ceremonies on Thursday, May 15. The ceremonies will take place at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University…
SPRINGFIELD, MO – Ozarks Technical Community College is proud to announce plans for its 2025 Commencement ceremonies, scheduled for Thursday, May 15, at Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University campus. This year’s celebration will include two ceremonies, allowing the college to better accommodate the growing number of graduates and their guests. First…
Ozarks Technical Community College has officially launched its new Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) program, a state-of-the-art aviation mechanics training program designed to address the rapidly growing demand for skilled aircraft technicians. The newly approved program will allow students to earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Aviation Airframe and Powerplant Technology and will…
Ozarks Technical Community College has announced that Dr. Aaron Light has been selected as the institution’s next Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Light, who has served as the college’s Dean of Health Sciences since 2021, was chosen for the role following a national search. His appointment will be effective July…
Ozarks Tech officially named its new state-of-the-art plumbing education facility today in honor of a new industry partner. The Gold Mechanical Plumbing Lab was named in recognition of Gold Mechanical, a longtime Springfield-based mechanical contractor that provided a generous gift to support Ozarks Tech’s new plumbing education program, which launched last fall. The Gold Mechanical…
