Student finds career path at OTC

When Jerry Kendall recently sold his plumbing business of nine years, he wanted to do something different.

He found what he was looking for at Ozarks Technical Community College.

The 44-year-old grandfather of two graduated last spring with a transfer degree. While a student at OTC, he was involved in the Student Government Association, the Honors Program and the Spanish Club.

He remains an active OTC alum by offering his services as a tutor in math, English, computers and Spanish, as well as working with the Disability Services department as a scribe for those students enrolled in Community Enrichment Center courses who cannot see or hear.

“When I took a sophomore seminar class with Julie Edwards, director of Disability Services, it piqued my interest in helping others,” he said.  “I couldn’t have been happier in my decision to do what I’m doing now. When I was running a business, all we talked about was the business.”

Kendall would like to work in the health and senior services area. He has an interest in water quality management and the Department of Natural Resources.

After graduation, Kendall transferred to Missouri State University, where he is majoring in political science and public administration. He is currently serving a one-semester internship in Jefferson City in the office of the Speaker of the House.

“My duties vary from acting as a page delivering memos to and from the various floors to helping write capital reports that go out to constituents of the speaker. I’m used in gathering data for legislation,” Kendall said.

“It’s an election year and that tends to ramp up the tensions a bit. People are trying to get things done and get legislation passed.”

On Thursdays and Fridays, Kendall returns to Springfield and helps other students taking classes at CEC and Richwood Valley.

Having been a non-traditional student at OTC and MSU, Kendall sees the contrast in enrollment makeup between the two institutions.

“In a four-year school, you typically see one or two other students my age with my background. You see a real presence at OTC because it is a community college and that’s great,” he said.

Steve Koehler is coordinator of media relations at Ozarks Technical Community College.