Student puts A+ scholarship to use with business

Brice Clark may not look it, but he’s been in business almost half his life. Thanks to his class work and the A+ scholarship at OTC, he’s been able to become an even better business operator.

Clark started his DJ music business Spark Sound & Entertainment when he was in the eighth grade and decided to put on a dance party that summer at a neighborhood pool.

Summer roll along and Clark didn’t get a job until the last week of summer when someone took him up on his offer, paid him $100 (as Clark can best remember) and his business was off and running.

After graduating from high school, Clark enrolled at OTC last year and earned an A+ scholarship. He is studying business.

“The material I learn throughout my courses can be applied to my business and career directly,” he said. “My public speaking class teaches me about meeting with clients. In computer class I was learning how to do spreadsheets for the company.”

The A+ scholarship has helped Clark in two ways: 1) He can save money on tuition and fees since the scholarship covers those expenses. 2) He can take the money he saves from earning the scholarship and plow it back into his business.

“I have benefited from the A + program in many ways, however the most important has been the ability to stay a full-time student while being able to maintain my full-time entertainment business,” he said.

“Instead of putting money into education, I am allowed, by the A + program, to get the same course material and learning as I would elsewhere but instead I can invest the money saved into my own company.”

Today, he operates a full-time business from his downtown Springfield storefront and had dozens of bookings a month that puts about 10 people to work each week.

“We are a full-blown entertainment company with disc jockey service, photo booth and videography services,” he said.

Eventually, Clark would like to open business offices in other cities including Kansas City and St. Louis. But that will come after he graduates from OTC news spring.

“OTC has enabled many opportunities for me, and I am honored to be apart of the A+ program,” Clark said.