More than 700 Ozarks Technical Community College graduates walked in the 2022 Commencement, held Thursday, May 19, at Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University campus. OTC conferred 2,466 degrees and certificates to graduates this year, including students who have completed or are pending completion of their coursework from the summer 2021 semester through the…
Hollister High School today hosted “Decision Day,” an event at which about 120 graduating high school seniors publicly announced their plans to enroll in college, seek career training, or enlist in the military following graduation. Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven were among the leaders who attended the event, along…
In the Jane’s Addiction song “Jane Says,” the song’s protagonist, Jane, utters the words, “I’m gonna kick tomorrow.” She’s saying she’ll “kick” her addiction tomorrow, but when the next day comes, she utters the same mantra — tomorrow is always the next day. For soon-to-be OTC graduate Liz Atchley, tomorrow came on August 17, 2016.…
When Sariah Reed picked up a torch and chose to study welding at Ozarks Technical Community College, some of her family members asked her why she wanted to do “man’s work.” But Sariah didn’t see it that way. “It’s not about being a different gender; it’s about your knowledge and skill in doing the work,”…
Two adjectives accurately describe Ozarks Technical Community College student Audri Moses: bubbly and busy. Her bubbly attributes are apparent as soon as she speaks. Energy, positivity and gratitude infuse her conversation. “I was homeschooled most of my life, but I’m a really social person. So, I started a Kickapoo halfway through my sophomore year,” Audri…
“All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them.” – Former NBA star Earvin “Magic” Johnson For Ozarks Technical Community College student Cecily Wright, the help, hope and belief came from a couple of OTC employees. Wright grew up in Archie, Mo., a small town south…
Jack Stack, the founder, president and CEO of SRC Holdings, will give the commencement address at Ozarks Technical Community College’s commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 19, at 5 p.m. The event will be held at the Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University Campus. Stack has been called the “smartest strategist in America” by…
If you drive through Kennett, Missouri, you won’t find an ice arena, and nobody’s playing hockey even if the local pond is frozen over. Kennett native Drew Porterfield grew up a St. Louis Blues fan despite that lack of local hockey action. And a few days after he graduates from Ozarks Technical Community College, Drew…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Lebanon Center will stage its first-ever Lineman Rodeo on Tuesday, May 10, beginning at 10 a.m. The OTC Lebanon Center is located at 22360 Highway MM in Lebanon. The event is free and the public is invited to watch. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. First-year students from OTC…
Once solely the domain of students at four-year colleges, Ozarks Technical Community College graphic design students recently brought home awards from the American Advertising Federation’s Heartland Addy Awards. In 2021, Elijah Prewitt earned a silver Addy for his brand style guide. This year, Danielle Hartzler brought home a silver Addy for logo design. “Everyone in…
Five Ozarks Technical Community College students were honored today, Thursday, April 28, at the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) Student Leadership and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Awards Luncheon. At the event, hosted by Stephens College in Columbia, one OTC student was recognized for his leadership; four other students were named to the Missouri All-Academic Team.…
To meet the demand for Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Ozarks Technical Community College and CoxHealth are partnering to offer the community EMT apprenticeships. Students receive the instruction and training free of charge, get paid an hourly wage as CoxHealth employees during the apprenticeship, and those who satisfactorily complete the program are guaranteed employment. There…
Ozarks Technical Community College will host a job fair on Wednesday, May 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Student Plaza at the OTC Springfield Campus. The event is free and open to the public. The job fair is designed for both career-minded individuals and those seeking seasonal or part-time employment. Several local employers will be…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Lebanon Center will host a job fair on Wednesday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The job fair will be inside Casey Hall located at 22360 Highway MM in Lebanon. OTC students, alumni and the general public are welcome to attend. The job fair is designed for both career-minded individuals and…
Ozarks Technical Community College Mathematics Instructor Melissa Wittmer earned the “Teaching Excellence Award” from the Missouri Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (MOMATYC). The award was presented at MOMATYC’s annual conference held April 7-9 in Union, Mo. According to the MOMATYC website, the criteria for selection for the MOMATYC Teaching Excellence Award are: Instruction effectiveness and…
Ozarks Technical Community College today (April 15, 2022) announced that it was the victim of a cyber fraud incident that robbed the institution of nearly $900,000 this spring. The college notified law enforcement authorities as soon as the fraud was discovered. Loss of the funds will not affect students, classes or any college operations. The…
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in 2021, more than 3,500 teaching positions in the state went unfilled or were filled by candidates without the proper qualifications. To help alleviate the teacher shortage in the state, Ozarks Technical Community College is updating its teaching degree to remove barriers and increase accessibility…
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, two of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States are for technicians who can install, maintain and repair wind and solar equipment. Ozarks Technical Community College’s Alternative and Renewable Energy course in the Electrical Trades program trains students to work on wind, solar and other forms of renewable…
Crystal Brinell, a student at Ozarks Technical Community College, has been named a 2022 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship. Brinell, a 2001 graduate of Troy Buchanan High in Troy, Mo., is enrolled in OTC’s Pre-Dental Hygiene Program. This scholarship is the first of its kind to support students at associate…
Ozarks Technical Community College will provide Amazon hourly employees access to all of the college’s academic concentrations through Amazon’s Career Choice program. Amazon employees can pursue one of OTC’s more than 40 degree programs. “Investing in your employees is an effective tool to retain quality workers and recruit new ones,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC…
According to the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, one person dies from suicide every eight hours. To prevent loss of life among the communities it serves, Ozarks Technical Community College will implement Burrell Behavioral Health’s ONE Pledge to promote suicide prevention awareness and education. “Education is centered on people,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor.…
Ozarks Technical Community College students Stevi Kay Berry and Samuel Boggs were two of 60 college students nominated to represent OTC during the 37th Annual Missouri Governor’s Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values held February 25-27, 2022, in Jefferson City, Missouri. The forum challenges students’ character development by encouraging them to reflect on their…
Ozarks Technical Community College is accepting enrollment for its free Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at nine locations across the Ozarks. Students will attend an orientation and pretesting session before classes begin. The pretest allows students to be individually advised concerning the best placement and course of…
By January of 2023, Ozarks Technical Community College will increase the number of nursing and respiratory therapy students it can educate each year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory therapists were instrumental in saving lives as the medical practitioners who helped patients breathe. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the United States will need more…
The Ozarks Technical Community College Foundation received a six-figure donation from Rick’s Automotive for the Rick’s Automotive Student Lounge inside the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing. Founded by Rick and Karen Hughlett in 1980, Rick’s Automotive has 40 full-time employees who service more than 1,000 vehicles per month. “OTC has been a great…