Hayley Peryer wanted to get a jump on her college career while attending Sparta High School. So, when she learned of OTC’s Dual Credit program, she jumped at the chance and is taking a college math and English composition classes online this semester. “It’s a great way to get your general education classes taken care…
The classroom is packed. Every chair is full and 2 extra seats are pulled in to accommodate the students who want to take this class. We are 6 weeks into the semester and all 32 students who signed up for this U.S. History class are present. I’ve heard good things about Jennifer Bump’s teaching but…
When OTC geology instructor Kathryn Shade saw the advantage of moving her classroom outside and off campus, she took jumped at the chance. Shade recently took a group of her students to the Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Elephant Rock state parks in southeastern Missouri where they spent several days hiked several trails, observed rocks and discussed…
Today may mark the start of Banned Book Week, but OTC instructor Lyndsey Strahan and her class at OTC Richwood Valley have been studying the issue of banned books all semester. Banned Books Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read draws attention to banned and challenged books and highlights persecuted individuals. This is the first semester the…
OTC employees got an up close and personal look at what poverty looks like in the Ozarks. OACAC’s Poverty Simulation, brought to the Springfield campus by the colleges student services department, put OTC employees in the roles of low-income family members living on limited budgets and with other limited means of support. Participants had four…
Like some students when they first come to Ozarks Technical Community College, Jordan Morgan wasn’t sure what career he was most interested in. But now, he’s sure he’s made the right choice. In May, Morgan graduated with a degree in Computer Information Science. And today, he is the proud developer, creator and owner of a…
My grandfather, Isaac, arrived in the United States in December of 1909. He was only 15 years old when his father sent him across the ocean to bring back his older brother, Richard, who came to the United States for a visit but never returned to Lebanon. Rosie, the older sister, came with Isaac to…
Welcome back to a new semester. On our opening day, we had a few lost and wandering students but overall the semester started with minimal problems and a lot of excitement. Our college wide theme for academics is “Celebrate Potential.” In keeping with this theme, I will be sharing ideas through regular Nourishing the Teacher…
Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, is known for giving her top performers a pink Cadillac. She said, “There are two things people want more than sex and money. They are recognition and praise.” There are many ways we can give our students recognition and praise but nothing is more powerful for…
Transitioning from the battlefield to the classroom can be a difficult journey for college-bound veterans. With 1,000 veterans attending OTC, reaching out to those with a military experience can be a challenge. But its just gotten better with counseling services being available for veterans and their family members starting Sept. 10 on the OTC Springfield…
Tiffany Brunner has seen the groundbreaking work Ozarks Technical Community College has been doing for young students during her tenure as assistant principal at Republic High School. This year, she decided to join the OTC team. Brunner is the new director of the OTC Middle College program, which provides a variety of career education opportunities…
The five OTC campuses and centers will be alive today with thousands of students who will be working toward fulfilling their educational goals. One former OTC student has already seen his dream come true is Brandon Davis, now the owner of French Davis Collision in Nixa. A dozen years ago, Davis was taking automotive collision…
With more than 51,000 people using Crosslines every year, the Springfield charity organization never knows when a serious medical issue like a heart attack could arise among their clients. Now, thanks to OTC, their concerns are greatly eased. On Sept. 8, Crosslines, which helps families in the crisis situations, will receive an arterial defibrillator and…
While community colleges are primarily for local residents to use to enhance their education, more and more international students are enrolling. “I knew Missouri State had a lot of international students but OTC was a better economic choice for me,” said Daniel Lee, a South Korean who grew up in Lamar. Lee and about 40…
J.E. Cornwell has taken his talents in both cooking and publishing to offer readers an inside look into the secrets behind some of the popular dishes offered in the Ozarks. Cornwell, who teaches classes at the OTC Community Enrichment Center, is releasing “What’s Cookin’ Local,” a compilation of more than 130 recipes including more than…
Kat Allie, department chair of fine arts and humanities at Ozarks Technical Community College, didn’t take art classes growing up but today, she’s using her skills as an artist to teach others. Her abilities as an encaustic artist are featured this month in the Missouri Arts Councils magazine. “I am honored to be one of…
Don’t look now, but OTC’s Electronic Media Production program is quickly becoming one of the best in the country, if the recent results at the national SkillsUSA Championships are any indication. For the second straight year, the EMP’s broadcast news production and television video production teams earned gold medals as the best in the country…
Recently, national universities, including Ivy League institutions, have received unwanted headlines for their handling of sexual assault cases. Those high-profile cases have shone a light on the issue. Ozarks Technical Community College has been a leader in offering its staff and personnel from other institutions in-depth training in investigating Title IX reports. In June, more…
There are more than 4,500 families in the Ozarks who home school their children and when they look for advanced education, they can look to OTC for those opportunities. Recently, the Southwest Home Education Ministry (SHEM) and representatives from OTC’s Dual Credit Program met at the Library Center in Springfield to review what’s available for…
Learning the ins and outs of class car restoration can be costly and time-consuming for beginners. But Stephen Biermann, dean of technical education at OTC, believes a new the new Classic Car Restoration workshop being offered this summer can offer those who have been thinking about fixing up some classic car a chance to learn…
Brice Clark may not look it, but he’s been in business almost half his life. Thanks to his class work and the A+ scholarship at OTC, he’s been able to become an even better business operator. Clark started his DJ music business Spark Sound & Entertainment when he was in the eighth grade and decided…
The $2,500 first-prize check couldn’t have come at a better time for OTC student Dylan Hall of Nixa. Hall was working two jobs and selling his plasma in order to make ends meet when he learned he had was the grand-prize winner in the Missouri Lottery’s “Tools 4 School: The A+ Giveaway” promotion. The random…
By Stephen Arringdale Its a normal day for OTC student Amber Attaway. She carries the same hopes, desires and ambitions as her classmates to do well in her classes. There is one difference. Amber has been blind from birth and she is accompanied at the OTC Springfield campus with her service animal Macie, a quiet,…
When Wade Southwell had a chance to come from San Francisco to Springfield, he took it. When he had a chance to attend OTC, he took that, too. Now, with a chance to spend a year in South Africa, the OTC student will take advantage of that opportunity as well and head there this summer…
Every graduate who walks in Thursday’s OTC Commencement at JQH Arena will have a story of accomplishment and self-fulfillment when they receive their degree or certificate. But few will eclipse Alex Heisterman’s pure joy when he receives his associate transfer degree. Listen for Alex’s name toward the end of the program. Alex is autistic. He…