Month: October 2016

Navigating Changes to FAFSA

October 10, 2016 | Campus News

Changes made to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are making the filing process easier for East Central College students.

You can now submit the FAFSA as early as October 1, rather than January 1. This isn’t the deadline, but it’s best to get the form in early because some aid awards are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The permanent change will allow you and your family to budget for the upcoming school year sooner.

Additionally, you will now report income and tax information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017-2018 FAFSA you—or your parent(s)—will report your 2015 income and tax information, rather than your 2016 income information. This change will make the FAFSA easier because you’ll already have done your taxes for 2015 by the time you fill out the FAFSA. This means you won’t have to estimate your income information. You may also be able to automatically import your tax information directly into your FAFSA.

Still need help navigating the FAFSA? East Central College is here to help! Join us at one of our many FAFSA nights this fall. These public sessions will assist students and their families in completing the FAFSA. The sessions will be held in Buescher Hall, Room 182 from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on October 20, November 3 and 17 and December 1.

Those attending the sessions need to bring a Social Security Number, driver’s license or government issued ID, W-2 forms and records of other income and a 2015 Federal Income Tax Return of both the student and the parent.

Other important documentation includes untaxed income records, veteran’s non-education benefit records, child support received and/or paid, worker’s compensation and any investment records. Those who are not U.S. citizens should bring an alien registration or permanent resident card.

East Central College’s 2017-2018 FAFSA priority deadline is December 1st. Missouri’s application deadline is February 1st.

Students can receive financial aid assistance during normal business hours at the Union and Rolla campuses. For more information, call 636-584-6588 or visit www.EastCentral.edu/FinAid.

College Choir Invitational

October 7, 2016 | Uncategorized

Owensville High School and St. Clair High School Choirs will join ECC for the Choral Invitational.

As an added treat, the piece Stella Navis which was written by St. Louis Composer Christian Woehr, Violinist with the St. Louis Symphony, will be premiered during this event.

This is a Free Event

Tuesday, October 25
7:00 pm
John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center

Math and Science Career Night

October 6, 2016 | Uncategorized

According to the Department of Labor Statistics, employment in occupations related to STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—is projected to grow to more than 9 million between 2012 and 2022.

To help high school students prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, East Central College is teaming up with Missouri S&T for Math and Science Career Night. On October 26, area high school students will get the chance to hear first-hand accounts of what it’s like to work in the STEM field. They will also get advice on what they can do to best prepare for college while in high school.

The event is being held from 7 – 9 p.m. in the East Central College Theater. Parents are also welcome to attend.

Please contact Linda Arrington at 636-584-6677 or Linda.Arrington@eastcentral.edu to reserve your spot.

Ribbon Cutting Marks New Era at East Central College

October 5, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College faculty and staff, community leaders and business partners will be on hand October 20 at 4 p.m. for the ribbon cutting of the new Business and Industry Center located at 42 Prairie Dell Plaza in Union. The public is also invited to take tours of the new $5 million facility.

The Business and Industry Center (BIC) will serve as the new home of ECC’s precision machining, industrial engineering technology and HVAC programs. Lab and classroom space to accommodate short-term welding programs are also planned for the building. The college’s Center for Workforce Development also will be located in the facility, which will allow for the expansion of training opportunities.

“This project truly marks the beginning of an exciting chapter at East Central College,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “It will not only create more career opportunities for our students but will serve as the workforce training provider for our region’s business and industry.”

Growth in jobs over the next several years, regionally, statewide and nationally, will take place primarily in technical careers that require an associate degree and certifications. The 28,808 square foot building will prepare students for this growing workforce and help companies become more competitive through training of existing employees.

The funding for the building is comprised of a $1.2 million Economic Development Administration grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, a $1 Million USDA Rural Economic Development loan, the ECC Foundation’s capital campaign and institutional funding.

To learn more about the business and industry programs at East Central College, visit eastcentral.edu/business.

East Central College Hosts Inaugural Journalism Summit

October 5, 2016 | Campus News

On Sat., Sept. 24, East Central College and Washington High School (WHS) journalism departments partnered with the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) and SchoolJournalism.org to host their inaugural ECC Journalism Summit.

ECC English and Journalism instructor Leigh Kolb and WHS Blue Jay Journal TV adviser Michelle Turner invited Franklin County students to learn about journalism, mass media and ECC’s partnership with the Missouri School of Journalism.

“We love showing students how valuable and diverse the field of journalism is and how many opportunities are available for students to develop their skills at East Central College,” Kolb said, “especially with our transfer agreement with the University of Missouri’s Missouri School of Journalism.”

Various professionals spoke at the event to bring real-world journalism to the classroom. Students learned about photography, compelling storytelling, tech trends, media literacy and more. Guest-speakers included E-Missourian Photojournalist Jeanne Miller Wood, St. Clair English Instructor Kara Bell and 93.7 The Bull Radio Host Hemmy.

Turner is eager to see how students who attended will apply journalism skills in the classroom. “We want the students who attended to take what they learned back to their respective schools and improve their journalism programs,” Turner said. “Journalism has great power to enrich lives and inform our communities. In my 21 years of teaching the subject, I have seen students grow on many levels by being a part of scholastic journalism.”

MIPA President Christina Geabhart hopes students the Summit will inspire others to become involved in local journalism outlets in their school or community. “One of MIPA’s goals this year was to increase outreach throughout the state. This fall event helped students and teachers find resources and skills to help them during the school year,” Geabhart said.

New Class Schedules Launching in 2017

October 4, 2016 | Campus News

An exciting change is coming to East Central College next year. During the October Board of Trustees meeting, an overview of new schedule offerings was presented to offer 14 week and weekend courses and increasing the number of 8-week courses during the spring semester of 2017 was approved. Currently, only 16-week courses are offered.

“We are also increasing the number of courses in the evening,” said Vice President of Instruction Dr. Tia Robinson. “We want to develop a schedule that accommodates our working students and students with families.”

Starting times will also change in 2017. Classes will start at the top of every hour to provide more consistency and encourage efficiency in our classrooms.

“Predictable scheduling helps manage enrollment trends,” added Dr. Robinson. “Aligning classes also promotes student retention.”

The new schedule system will deter competing electives from being offered at the same time, encourage students to stay on track to graduate and will make future course planning at ECC easier.

“This is at the heart of what we do every day,” said President Dr. Jon Bauer. “This is about creating the best possible learning environment for our students.”

Moving forward, ECC will modify schedule blocks. Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes will be replaced with Monday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Thursday or Friday schedules.

Additionally, entire programs will be offered exclusively during the evening, online and/or on Saturday.

After the presentation, the Board of Trustees approved tuition rates for the 2017-2018 academic year. The In-district tuition will increase $4 per credit hour to $80, out-of-district tuition will increase by $6 per credit hour to $117 and out-of-state tuition will increase $8 per credit hour to $176.

“East Central College remains one of the most affordable community colleges in Missouri,” said Dr. Bauer. “It is our goal to maintain a quality education for our students.”

To learn more about what East Central College has to offer, visit eastcentral.edu.

ECC Recognizes Employees at Annual Banquet

October 4, 2016 | Campus News

Each year, East Central College recognizes the hard work and dedication of our employees. We value their commitment to our students’ needs and their educational goals.

The Annual Service Awards Recognition banquet honors those that have been with ECC for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 years! Thank you for all you do!

40 Years – Bob Mahon
30 Years – Brenda Garrison, Robbie Weseman
25 Years – Sharon Jost
20 Years – Stephanie Buchholz
15 Years – Miguel De Aguero, Russ Henderson, Sarah Johnson, Karen Klos, Melissa Popp, Debbie Smiliy, Cindy Tinsley
10 Years – Ellen Aramburu, Christina Ayres, Melanie Dixon, Sheila Flynn, Wendy Hartmann, Ann Lause, Cindy Maune, Donna Thomas, Adam Watkins, Alice Whalen, Beth Winters-Rozema
5 Years – Ervin Aitch, Julie Apperson, Nathan Esbeck, Tim Gray, Sarah Havens, Isaiah Kellogg, Donna Kennedy, Mike Lindemann, Jason Manhart, Lisa Mathes-Peters, Debra Michel, Gail Witt

A special thank you to the ECC Culinary Department for providing a delicious meal at the event!

#InspiringExcellence – Two ECC Alumni Named “Outstanding Young Professionals”

October 3, 2016 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

#InspiringExcellence – Two ECC Alumni Named “Outstanding Young Professionals”

The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce recognized its fourth class of “Outstanding Young Professionals” at its annual member luncheon at the end of September, including two East Central College alumni!

Angie Williams, branch manager for US Bank, and Rachelle Elbert, licensed realtor for Coldwell Banker Premier, were part of a group of 12 young professionals who were honored. A selection committee comprised of Chamber and Missourian representatives reviewed the nominations and made the selections.

Both Rachelle and Angie credit their time at ECC with helping them succeed in life.

“I had a great experience at ECC,” Rachelle explained. “I liked being close to home, and I was still able to work full time. The teachers were all nice and helpful.”

She graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration in 2013. Soon after, she started her career path.

“I knew that I wanted to get into real estate, so I enrolled in class to get my license right after graduation. I wanted to do something that was challenging,” she said. “I also wanted something that would allow me to do the things I love most – meeting and helping people.”

Rachelle is a member of the Franklin County Board of Realtors and serves on the organization’s publicity committee and planning committee. She also volunteers at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, Washington Area Chamber of Commerce events, including festivals and the Washington Town and Country Fair.

Angie also spends a good deal of time helping others. She is a member of the Washington Jaycees, serves on the board for Downtown Washington Inc. and serves as a board member for the U.S. Bank Development Network.

For her, going to ECC was about finding a happy balance.

“I married my best friend after high school, and we started our journey together,” she said. “I was so grateful to have a community college as an option. I wanted to focus on my education and career along with being focused on family and my personal life.”

She graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Business Management in 2002.

“I had a great experience attending East Central College. Looking back on my experience now, I realize going to ECC was a great transition period for me” Angie said. “I was fortunate I was able to use the A+ Program, and when I finished with my degree I did not have a large amount of student loans to worry about.”

She now manages two bank locations and 14 employees.

“A large portion of my job is business development and serving in the community. I really enjoy working with people and helping new employees grow and develop their career paths. I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences I received from ECC as they have influenced where I am today,” she said.