Anthony Sandoval has always been passionate about the environment – so much so, that he plans to make it his life’s work. The OTC alumnus dreams of landing a job at the Environmental Protection Agency someday, where he can enforce environmental law, enact conservation programs and educate the public on environmental issues. “We have one…
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 an acknowledgement that almost all OTC courses have an online element, the Ozarks Technical Community College Board of Trustees voted to eliminate online course fees beginning June 1, 2020. Currently, online students are charged a $65 fee for each course they attend. The board made the decision at its monthly meeting on Monday, April…
While the start of our summer and fall semesters might seem far away, registration is just around the corner beginning April 21! The OTC Academic Advising Team sees a lot of students make the same planning and registration mistakes semester after semester. To help, we’ve created a list of things you can do to ensure…
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…
OTC alumnus Luke Bradshaw had no problem landing a job in his field upon graduation. In fact, all he had to do was ask. The 21-year-old worked in the shipping department of Ample Industries, a custom label printing company. He told the CEO he earned his Electronic Media Production degree from OTC, and the company…
With a goal of increasing retention and graduation rates for its allied health programs, Ozarks Technical Community College cut the ribbon on the Allied Health Student Success Center today, March 9. The new facility provides students with advising and academic counseling, along with a study lounge. The center is located in Lincoln Hall on the…
Did you know that OTC awards more than $900,000 in scholarships to students each year? That’s a lot of dough. Now’s the time to apply for OTC’s 2020 summer and fall semester scholarships. If you’re ready to apply, click HERE. Need more information? How about some scholarship application tips? Read on. Choose a scholarship There…
Ozarks Technical Community College’s Center for Workforce Development and general contractor, Branco Enterprises, Inc., have entered into a partnership to administer and provide instruction for Branco’s Carpentry Apprenticeship Program based in the Springfield, Missouri area. The apprenticeship program provides on-the-job experience and classroom instruction to select employees. “The job market is tighter than ever. We…
Alexis Richards’ future is like a fresh canvas, full of possibility. In May, the 20 year old will graduate from OTC and transfer to one of the oldest, most-renowned art schools in the country, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She recently accepted one of the most notable awards granted by the institution –…
In an effort to encourage innovation at every level within the OTC System, the college hosted its inaugural Innovation Celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The event, attended by the college’s 500+ full time employees, recognized individuals, departments and programs for their exceptional contributions to the college. Three Trailblazer Awards were bestowed to employees who positively…
Before Keith Crisman graduated from Bowling Green (Missouri) High School in 2001, he was told that he wasn’t “college material.” Nearly 20 years later, Keith, an Ozarks Technical Community College graduate, is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Human Centered Design through the Florida Institute of Technology. What is Human Centered Design? According to Keith,…
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month — a yearly celebration of CTE programs and its students across the nation. What is Career and Technical Education? Career and Technical Education, or CTE, is a specialized career pathway that can help students land jobs in lucrative fields like automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, technology and engineering. At…
SPRINGFIELD, MO — Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) and rootEd Alliance are working together to help more rural students pursue and complete postsecondary education, including two-year and four-year institutions, technical schools and the military, so they can be better prepared for the workforce. Through this partnership, four new advisors are embedded at high schools in…
Nate Vandevender has been to college before. But when he first attended Ozarks Technical Community College following his high school graduation in 2014, he hit the double road block of little money and no clear goal. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and I didn’t have the money to continue,” Nate said.…
With the first day of classes just a couple of weeks away, we’ve compiled a few of our best OTC hacks to make your life a little easier this semester. Keep reading to learn more. 1. Sync your OTC email to your phone. It’s the easiest way for you to keep up with important campus…
Alicia Browning and Laura Buehler work behind the scenes to save patients’ lives. The duo graduated with their medical laboratory technician degrees from OTC in 2016. Today, they type and screen blood for transfusions at Mercy’s blood bank. “What we do every day is essentially a big science experiment,” Laura said excitedly. Alicia added, “We…
Ozarks Technical Community College’s Fine Arts Department will present the romantic comedy “Almost, Maine” next month at the Springfield Art Museum. Performances will be held Nov. 20-23 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. The show is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Patrons are encouraged to reserve their…
Jared Parrigon has big plans for his family’s business. Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, the 18-year-old will someday inherit and lead Parrigon Dairy, a small dairy farm in Stotts City, Missouri. Jared got his start on the family farm bottle feeding calves when he was just 8 years old. His responsibilities have…
Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield-based remanufacturing company SRC dedicated the college’s new SRC Diesel Remanufacturing Lab today, Tuesday, Oct. 22. SRC donated $100,000 to the college to help create the new laboratory facility. “SRC has been a great partner and advisor in helping the college match its curriculum to the needs of employers,” said…
OTC is located in the most beautiful part of the state, but not everything about southwest Missouri is pretty. Greene County has one of the highest rates of domestic violence per capita than anywhere else in Missouri, and OTC students are not immune. In 2018, a Victim Advocate was hired through the grant, Project HEAL,…
Mike Mize’s love of cars and trucks runs in the family. His father worked as a trucker and his grandfather was a fleet technician. A self-professed “shade-tree mechanic,” Mike spent much of his childhood fixing vehicles with his grandfather on the front lawn. Today, Mike is a student in OTC’s Diesel Technology Program. The aspiring…
Every semester, Courtney Dameron gives her students a broken flower pot at the beginning of their child abuse prevention unit. As Courtney begins to teach the difficult subject, the students write out the different forms of abuse on the shattered terracotta pieces. In her next lesson, Courtney hands out rolls of masking tape. She prompts…
Every Friday in October, Ozarks Technical Community College will host “Fast Track Fridays” to teach prospective students how they can take advantage of Missouri’s Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant to attend college tuition-free. The dates for “Fast Track Fridays” are Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 2-4 p.m. in room 117 in the Information…