The fall semester begins and we’ve compiled our favorite OTC hacks to make your life a little easier in the coming weeks. Keep reading to learn how you can sign up for emergency text alerts, connect with student support services and more. Sync your OTC email to your phone. It’s the easiest way for you…
The Springfield-Greene County Health Department, Ozarks Technical Community College, Missouri State University and other area higher education institutions invite community members to a COVID-19 vaccine mega-event April 8-9 at Missouri State University’s Hammons Student Center. Clinic organizers hope to vaccinate 10,000 people over the two days. The vaccine that will be offered is the one-dose Janssen…
Ozarks Technical Community College will distribute $3.4 million to its students on Friday, March 26. The funds were made available to OTC students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSSA). Students who are eligible to receive Pell Grants will receive…
The spring semester begins Tuesday, Jan. 19, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus. To ensure your health and wellness, and that of our faculty and staff, our spring semester will look a lot like the fall. Here’s how you can help keep the OTC community healthy: Wear a mask Everyone –…
Nurses and physicians figure prominently in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there’s another vital group of health care professionals who don’t always get the same recognition: respiratory therapists. OTC graduate Jeff Atkinson is a prime example, having treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Jeff is one of more than…
Tucked away in quiet workspaces or offices, linked only by technology and their shared mission, OTC’s COVID-19 case managers have been hard at work for months. Responsible for helping students navigate coronavirus-related issues, these employees spend their days communicating by email or phone as they sift through student reports, questions and concerns. “We don’t just…
Luke Livgren is making a world of difference with his degrees from OTC. Since graduation, the registered nurse has traveled the globe on seven different medical missions. His first trips involved two- and three-month stints in war-torn Iraq. Most recently, he worked in New York City’s Beth Israel Hospital during the coronavirus outbreak. “After finding…
For most of us, the changes we’ve experienced in the last several months have been difficult to navigate. If you’re looking for healthy ways to cope with our new reality, consider the following tips from OTC Counseling Services: Maintain routines as much as possible. Whether you are returning to the classroom or participating in online learning, try…
It’s been more than 150 days since we were last together on campus, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for the first day of classes. To ensure your health and wellness, and that of our faculty and staff, the fall semester will look a little different this year. Think of our return-to-campus plan…
In an effort to help students prepare for the upcoming fall semester, all OTC locations will be open Saturday, Aug. 15 and 22 from 9 a.m. to noon. Student services staff will be available at each campus and center to assist students with last-minute admissions, enrollment, advising, financial aid and student accounts services. Student services…
Audrey Sly was determined to become a dental hygienist, no matter the setbacks she faced. The young mother of two applied for OTC’s dental hygiene school not once, but twice before landing a spot in the coveted program. She also overcame numerous obstacles to earn her degree, including a devastating house fire and a global…
It’s been hard to plan for the fall semester, but we’re here with news to make it a little easier. The OTC Foundation is extending its fall 2020 scholarship deadline through August 10. That means there’s still time to submit your one-size-fits-all application at this link. In other words, you don’t need to apply for…
Ozarks Technical Community College canceled its commencement ceremony scheduled for Aug. 19 at JQH Arena on the Missouri State University campus. This was the make-up event for the previously scheduled May 16 graduation, which was postponed due to COVID-19. “We spent the last three months planning, reimagining and doing everything in our power to create…
Heroes of the COVID-19 outbreak are often portrayed wielding stethoscopes and personal protective equipment. But one OTC graduate fought the virus with a hammer, tools and the latest HVAC technology instead. As the pandemic began its spread across southwest Missouri, Chad Porter – a senior project manager at Trane Technologies – worked with 20 other…
In an effort to maximize student safety and preserve high-quality learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ozarks Technical Community College is adjusting its fall semester. The college will begin the semester as originally planned on Aug. 24, and the last day of final exams will be Dec. 18. However, the following changes have been made…
Ozarks Technical Community College is offering two new financial aid options for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic this fall. These awards are benefits that students do not have to pay back: The OTC Online Class Credit provides three credit hours of tuition and common fees for students who take more than 12 hours of…
Enrollment in summer classes at Ozarks Technical Community College increased by 15 percent for 2020 compared to 2019. That’s equivalent to 477 full-time students. All summer classes, with a few exceptions, were moved online this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten-week and five-week summer classes at OTC began today. Eight-week summer courses start Monday,…
Respiratory therapists like Emily Dye play a critical role in helping patients fight COVID-19. When the pandemic hit southwest Missouri, Emily was completing her first year on the job at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Her passion for respiratory therapy – and her heart for patient care – is seeing her through the crisis. “The cycle…
Nurses and physicians figure prominently in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there’s another vital group of health care professionals who don’t always get the same recognition: respiratory therapists. OTC graduate Jeff Atkinson is a prime example, having treated nearly a dozen critical COVID-19 patients so far at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Jeff is…
Dear students: As we near the end of this semester, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you. I am proud of the resolve and strength of our OTC family, especially in the weeks following spring break when we all had to adjust our lives due to COVID-19. For many of you,…
Ozarks Technical Community College is offering $100,000 in scholarships this summer for students impacted by COVID-19. OTC will distribute 200 scholarships worth $500 each on a first-come, first-served basis for its summer session, which begins Monday, June 1. The scholarships are open to current OTC students, or students from another college whose spring semester was…
OTC Students, you are amazing. Over the last few weeks, I have had a front-row seat to all the hard work you have put in amid a significant disruption to normal life. In my role as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, I oversee all the academic functions of the college. I’m writing today…
In the wake of the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, OTC is moving its courses online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. We recognize the challenges that may come with this transition – particularly for those of you who may not have regular access to a computer or Wi-Fi. What we’re doing In…