Graduates of Ozarks Technical Community College’s aviation program will have the opportunity to transfer seamlessly into two Drury University degree programs thanks to an articulation agreement signed today, Monday, Aug. 7. OTC aviation program graduates will be able to pursue a Bachelor of Science in General Studies or a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and Development through Drury University’s College of Continuing and Professional Studies.
OTC’s first cohort of aviation students will begin their training this fall. The college’s two-year program will prepare graduates to enter the workforce as commercial pilots. These graduates will be qualified to fly aircraft professionally for purposes including charter flights, firefighting, rescue operations and aerial photography. OTC’s new partnership with Drury will allow these graduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree, which is one of several requirements needed to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot License.
“This agreement with Drury provides more value to our initial class of aviation students before they take their first training flight,” said Dr. Tracy McGrady, OTC provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Following completion of their commercial pilot license and associate degree, our students already have a path to earn the bachelor’s degree they’ll need if they choose to become airline pilots.”
Dr. Beth Harville, Drury provost, added, “Pilots have to be focused, hard-working and motivated — all of the attributes necessary to complete a bachelor’s degree. We’re confident that these transfer students will be successful at Drury following completion of their aviation degrees at OTC.”
Last fall, OTC announced the launch of a new aviation-focused associate degree in partnership with Premier Flight, LLC. Ground school classes will be taught at the OTC Springfield Campus with flight training classes held at the Premier Training Center on west Kearney. The inaugural class of students will begin their training on Aug. 21.