OTC Profile focuses on economic impact

OTC’s impact on the regional economy is the topic of the new issue of OTC Profile expected to reach mailboxes next week.

The publication contains stories that reflect the College’s economic impact in a variety of ways. Comprehensive lists of the summer and fall schedules of credit courses, Community Enrichment classes and programs offered by the Center for Workforce Development also are carried inside the OTC Profile.

The stories are based on a recent economic impact study found that OTC contributed $211.8 million to its service region’s economy. Students from outside the region who attended OTC spent $11.6 million annually in the region and OTC alumni who start businesses or get a job in the area, spend money and pay taxes, adding $58.4 million a year to the state’s economy.

“The stories tell how OTC contributes to our community and how we can help prepare students for their future,” said Hal L. Higdon, OTC president.

Featured in the publication are:

• Marge Cheesman, director of Dynamic Strides and a graduate of the College’s Occupational Therapy program. Her business in Republic offers physical therapy and hippotherapy. Most of the clients are children with various maladies including Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.

•Rick Hughlett, owner of Rick’s Automotive, who has hired OTC graduates for his business and who watched the College grow to serve the region’s needs. “OTC has exceeded my expectations of what the college could mean for the region,” Hughlett said.

•CoxHealth and St. John’s Health System executives both speak about how OTC’s Allied Health programs’ graduates help fill the ranks of medical personnel needed in their systems. They also point to the quality of the OTC graduate in terms of preparedness for working in the Allied Health field.

• Larry Hillhouse, owner of the Salon Moda in downtown Springfield. Moda sees the impact OTC students have on the downtown economy and is working to capture some of that.

“OTC is a great school to have so close to here. They really add to the business environment,” he said.

To find out more about the profiles and to see the video reports, go to http://www.otc.edu/profiles/profiles.php

Steve Koehler is coordinator of publications at Ozarks Technical Community College. Contact him at koehlers@otc.edu.