Keith Crisman has expanded the boundaries of OTC’s “Start Here, Go Anywhere” motto. The 2011 OTC graduate doesn’t want to go anywhere on Earth because he has his eyes on the stars. “To become an astronaut,” the Ozark resident replied when asked about his ultimate goal. Crisman began working towards that goal while studying at…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Richwood Valley Campus in Christian County will be closed during the week of July 13-17 due to damage to electrical equipment. Richwood Valley instructors are working with students to conduct classes on Blackboard, an online learning management system, and OTC employees who work at Richwood Valley will report to the…
Current and prospective Ozarks Technical Community College students are invited to prepare for the upcoming fall semester at RegFest ― a one-stop registration event designed to help students plan and enroll in classes. OTC RegFest will be held at the following OTC campuses and centers this month.
Volunteer positions are available for Ozarks Technical Community College’s Adult Education and Literacy classes, which will be held this fall in the following counties: Greene, Stone, Taney, Christian, Webster, Polk, Dallas, Laclede and Wright. Schedules vary by location. Most volunteers average 2-3 hours of work per week. Adult Education and Literacy volunteers assist instructors in…
Wade Southwell rode into Springfield on a bus 2½ years ago; last week, he left the Ozarks on another bus. What happened to the OTC student between the two bus rides is a tribute to Southwell’s personal determination and academic perseverance that few might dare to attempt. The 25-year-old battled homelessness and addiction issues while…
Ten students from Ozarks Technical Community College received medals at the SkillsUSA Championships, held June 22–26 in Louisville, Ky. More than 6,000 career and technical education students participated in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields. The SkillsUSA Championships took place as part of the SkillsUSA 51st annual National Leadership and Skills Conference. Twenty-nine OTC…
The OTC Richwood Valley Campus was filled with energetic and inquisitive middle school students enjoying the presentations and demonstrations that made up the college’s first STEAM event on Friday, June 19. STEAM – which stands for Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/ Mathematics – allowed more than 60 middle school students to get a sampling of academic subjects with a…
Michelle Hudgens, lead English instructor at the OTC Richwood Valley Campus, was selected as one of 25 participants nationwide to attend the 2015 Summer Seminar for the Holocaust and Jewish Resistance Teacher’s Program (HAJRTP). The seminar’s itinerary includes a two-week trip to Germany and Poland July 1-14. Participants will meet Holocaust survivors, network with other…
Ozarks Technical Community College may not have any athletic programs, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any athletes walking the halls. Take Adam Arnold ― American ninja warrior. Arnold, who holds degrees in manufacturing, construction and industrial management technology from OTC, is scheduled to appear in the Orlando, Fla., regional qualifier of “American Ninja Warrior.”…
The mission of OTC’s diesel technology program is to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful in careers within the diesel repair industry. And the program recently added a big piece of technology – a very big piece – to help students with their training. Deep inside the Industrial Transportation and…
Tyler Sederwall and Juliana Drayer have future plans that don’t stop with the upcoming national SkillsUSA competition in Louisville later this month. The two OTC electronic media students are planning to take their talents to Los Angeles soon after the competition to begin their careers in filmmaking. The two students, who took first place at…
David Lian flashed a wide smile after he received his Associate of Arts degree at OTC’s commencement. Lian was a happy graduate because he knew how far he literally had come to earn his honors. A refugee of Burma, Lian left his homeland came after being persecuted as a Christian. Fortunately, his sister and brother…
Nathan Thomas traded his blue police uniform for a set of black physical therapy assistant scrubs and he hasn’t regretted the decision for a minute. Thomas, with nearly 15 years of experience on the Springfield Police force and a U.S. Navy veteran, graduated from OTC last week with a physical therapy assistant’s degree. He recently…
Joan Barrett, the associate vice chancellor for student affairs at OTC, will become the vice chancellor for student affairs beginning July 1, 2015. Her promotion was approved by the OTC Board of Trustees at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, June 8.
Ozarks Technical Community College’s Department of Life Science, in cooperation with several business sponsors, invites students entering grades 6–12 to attend STEAM Days: a one-day, activities-based event that allows students to test, observe and explore the fields of science, technology, engineering, art or mathematics (STEAM). STEAM Days will be held on Friday, June 19 for…
Jared Lightle, former human resources information systems manager at NPC International, has been named the Coordinator of Scholarships and Alumni for the OTC Foundation, the fundraising arm of Ozarks Technical Community College. In his new role, Lightle will manage the foundation’s scholarship award process, build the alumni association, and assist with the foundation’s recently announced…
Community colleges are often touted for their capability to educate students of all ability levels, but often the students who seek community college education are not ready for college-level coursework. In response to this issue, community colleges offer developmental education courses, which are required, noncredit courses for students who score below a certain level on…
Ozarks Technical Community College’s Adult Education and Literacy program received the High Quality Program award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The award recognized five out of 38 AEL programs in the state for achieving positive student outcomes while maintaining a high degree of fiscal integrity in program operations. Missouri’s Office of…
The OTC Middle College has named CoxHealth its Employer of the Year. The health system was selected for its constant assistance and support in providing Middle College students internships in the fields of health services and early childhood education. “CoxHealth gives our students the opportunity to study several different careers and options available to them…
Nathan Thomas traded his blue police uniform for a set of black physical therapy assistant scrubs and he hasn’t regretted the decision for a minute. Thomas, with nearly 15 years of experience on the Springfield Police force and a U.S. Navy veteran, graduated from OTC last week with a physical therapy assistant’s degree. He recently…
Nearly 700 Ozarks Technical Community College graduates walked in Thursday evening’s commencement ceremony at JQH Arena on the Missouri State University campus. OTC conferred 3,153 degrees and certificates to graduates this year, which includes students who have completed their course work from the summer 2014 semester through the summer 2015 semester. Neal Spencer, retired CEO of…
Brandi Keltner came to OTC a few years ago thinking she would just be one of the thousands of students who would quietly go about getting her degree. That didn’t happen. Keltner went from wallflower to an active member of the student body, thanks to her involvement in the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. She…
Neal Spencer, retired CEO of BKD, will give the commencement address at Ozarks Technical Community College’s graduation on Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at the JQH Arena on the Missouri State University campus. In addition to all graduates and their families, the public is invited to attend the ceremony.
Sophia Arvizu-Rice will graduate from OTC’s Middle College next week with much more than a certificate for her two years of hard work. Middle College showed Sophia her path to the future. “Without Middle College, I would have been unmotivated to go to college,” she said. “I am a lot more motivated now. I feel…
OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter was honored by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society during NerdNation 2015, the society’s annual convention held April 16–18 in San Antonio, Texas.
