Month: October 2017

Register for Classes Early and Win Free Textbooks!

October 29, 2017 | Campus News

One lucky student who registers for Winter 2017 or Spring 2018 classes between October 23 – November 10 will win free* textbooks for next semester!

The course schedule is now available for students to view. You can check it out on the Student Services page under Registration and Student Records.

Enrolling for classes early allows East Central College to better plan for next semester – students should schedule an appointment with their advisor today!

*up to $500

Free English Language Classes Now Available In Wright City

October 26, 2017 | Campus News

The Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program at East Central College is offering English language classes for adults. The class is free to students. Learn to read, write, speak and listen in English, and study U.S. government and the U.S. Constitution in preparation for the U.S. Citizenship test.

Orientation and classes will be held at the Wright City Church of the Nazarene, 521 N. Service Road. Orientation will be held on the first Wednesday of November and December from 5 – 9 p.m. Class will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 – 8 p.m.

For more information, contact the AEL program at ael@eastcentral.edu or 844-322-4235.

Picture: AEL Director Alice Whalen with Wright City Church of the Nazarene Pastor Joe Purl.

Phi Theta Kappa Inducts New Members

October 25, 2017 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

The Chi Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa welcomed new members during its annual Fall Induction Ceremony. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society for the two-year college. Members pursue activities that fall under the direction of the society’s hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship.

“Phi Theta Kappa membership is by invitation only,” said PTK Advisor Kevin Dixon. “Students must have a 3.4 GPA as a full time student for a semester. Once they are inducted into PTK, students have to maintain an overall GPA of 3.2.”

“The college is extremely proud of the new Phi Theta Kappa members,” said President Dr. Jon Bauer. “These students and the organization represent a very important part of campus culture.”

Membership is open to all majors throughout the college, including anyone working toward a degree or certificate.

Rachel Reagan-Purschke, an ECC alumna and former chapter president was the keynote speaker at the event. She shared her story of becoming a successful nontraditional student and successful local attorney.

Congrats to the new members!

Jennifer Alvarez, New Haven
Benjamin Bone, Union
Curtis Brinker, Washington
Haley Cluck, Sullivan
Matthew Dobsch, Catawissa
Zachariah Drayton, Warrenton
Molly Femmer, Beaufort
Katherine Haring, Sullivan
April Head, Rhineland
Jessica Horn, Union
Jessica Kelly, Union
Lydia Klenke, Union
Kaitlyn Knickmeyer, Washington
Jonathon Monasmith, Pacific
Amanda Peirick, Villa Ridge
Matthew Reis, Marthasville
Matt Snodgrass, Union
Jonathon Stone, Villa Ridge
Nathan Walter, Washington
Samantha White, Festus
Leah Whitworth, Washington
Madelyn Woods, Jonesburg

Veterans Lounge Becomes a Reality

October 24, 2017 | Campus News

Joshua Carico left the Marine Corps in 2017 and enrolled at East Central College soon after.

“Right now, I’m mostly taking general education courses,” he explained, “but I’m looking into criminal justice courses for next year.”

Carico hopes to transfer to a four-year college and eventually become a conservation agent. He admits the transition from the military to civilian life has come with its share of struggles.

“I was in charge of 15 people,” he said. “Now, I’m just in charge of myself. It’s very different.”

To help students like Carico with the transition, East Central College recently created a dedicated space for veterans to study, relax or just hang out.

“I’ve been wanting to create a veterans lounge for several years,” said Lorrie Baird, financial advisor. “We really just never had space for one.”

Space opened up over the summer in the Donald Shook Student Center, and Baird jumped on the opportunity. The next challenge was furnishing the room.

“We received donations from staff, friends, and family,” said Baird. “The support has been amazing.”

The lounge has a refrigerator, snacks, coffee pot, TV, couch, desks, and a computer.

“We have nearly 120 veteran students at East Central College, and we wanted to give them a truly special place to call their own,” said Baird.

The word is spreading, and more veterans are utilizing the space.

“It’s been great to meet other veterans on campus,” said Carico. “It’s good to talk to other people who’ve shared a similar experience to you.”

“I think it is a great idea,” said veteran student Phillip Brown. “It’s heartwarming to see all the donations that have poured in to give us our own space. It gives veterans a place to go and relax and be with like-minded individuals.”

The veterans lounge will hold an open house on Friday, November 10 in honor of Veterans Day.

#InspiringExcellence – Nursing Instructor Wins Missouri Educator of the Year

October 18, 2017 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

East Central College nursing instructor Judy Bieker has been inspiring students for more than 23 years.

“Not only has she educated more than 500 students over that time,” said Nancy Mitchell, nursing program coordinator, “she has also mentored numerous master’s students and new faculty members without hesitation.”

Now, she is being recognized for her hard work and dedication. Bieker was named Educator of the Year by the Missouri Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (MO-OADN)!

“She is such a relatable teacher,” said nursing student Lydia Nagel. “She knows how to laugh at herself and with the class. It makes learning so much more enjoyable.”

Bieker was surprised with the award during class by MO-OADN Treasurer Pat Porterfield, along with faculty, staff and East Central President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“She is extremely deserving of this award,” said Mitchell. “She never turns down a challenge and is a visionary not only in the classroom but for the nursing program as a whole.”

“Judy brings the real world into the classroom,” said nursing student Samantha Smiley. “She has such an amazing collection of stories from her nursing career.”

MO-OADN is a state chapter of the National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Organized in 1986, MO-OADN represents the interests of those who support and provide opportunities for the Associate Degree as a first level academic degree for education of professional nurses.

East Central College, Missouri S&T Sign Historic Agreement

October 13, 2017 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College and Missouri University of Science and Technology are now working together to help reduce college costs and help students earn a degree in less time.

On October 13, Dr. Jon Bauer, East Central College President, Dr. Christopher G. Maples, Missouri S&T interim chancellor, and Dr. Robert Marley, Missouri S&T Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, formalized the concurrent enrollment agreement, allowing students to enroll in both schools at the same time.

Two students are helping pilot the Campus Connections program, including Fletcher Collins (pictured below).

“You really get the best of both worlds,” said Collins. The computer engineer major says the Campus Connections program just makes fiscal sense. “I’m using my A+ Scholarship money to pay for my East Central College classes, and I still get the perks of attending a four-year university.”

Approved by the Missouri Department of Higher Education for inclusion in a state-wide pilot program, the concurrent enrollment program is designed to help students earn a degree in less time while spending less on college.

“This program works because we are putting students in the center,” said Dr. Bauer. “This is not about competition between schools – it’s about collaboration between schools.”

Students also will have the ability to complete an associate’s degree from East Central College while working toward a bachelor’s degree from Missouri S&T.

East Central College and Missouri S&T have a thriving transfer partnership that was established more than 40 years ago. Originally established for the benefit of engineering students, the partnership has expanded to include students majoring in more than 40 different degree programs.

Learn more about how to apply for the program!

Freshmen Fletcher Collins, Rolla, is enrolled in classes at ECC-Rolla and Missouri S&T.

Art Instructor Recreates Mystery Painting in Beaufort

October 9, 2017 | Art Campus News

In 2015, East Central College Art Instructor Annette Green received a call from a friend at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Beaufort. He knew she was a skilled artist and had a project she might be interested in.

“The church had been remodeled years earlier,” said Green. “In the process of removing the old wallboard, they found hidden frescoes underneath.”

The church tried to figure out who had painted them or when, but they came up short.

“They were badly damaged,” said Green. “The church tried to find an artist to restore them, but it was just too costly.”

So, the project was scrapped. Some 22 years later, the church decided to reproduce the paintings. Green was excited to be a part of the recreation.

“As a young artist, I had grandiose ideas of painting the inside of a church, similar to Michelangelo,” she said.

When the East Central College alumna started the project, she noticed the paintings looked oddly familiar.

“After a little research, I found the original works of art were done in the 1890’s by two German artists,” said Green. “One is actually hanging in a Lutheran church in New York City courtesy of the Rockefeller family.”

She documented the entire process along the way and presented it to fellow faculty this fall.

While the church may never know who painted the versions in Beaufort, they will certainly know where the replacements came from.

“When the paintings were dedicated, I was very humbled and appreciative of the opportunity that was given to me,” she explained. “I wish to continue painting in the classical tradition, reviving and using the materials and techniques of the old masters.”

Enrollment in Dual Credit Program Surges

October 3, 2017 | Campus News

This summer, a new strategy was formed to help grow enrollment in the East Central College Dual Credit Program.

“We completely revamped the registration process,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Robinson. “We are breaking down as many barriers as we can to get more students into the program, including offering multiple pathways for students to get college credit.”

Additionally, the new approach puts a larger emphasis on customer service and meeting the unique needs of each district.

“Customized dual credit plans were created for each of our school partners,” said Dr. Robinson. “We want schools to know we understand their challenges and have the resources to overcome them.”

Students will still only have to pay half of East Central College’s in-district tuition rate, and all classes will still be taught by East Central College-certified high school faculty.

So far, it is paying off.

“We are really excited about the growth we’ve seen this year,” said Director of Dual Credit and College Readiness Dr. Russ Henderson. “We’re up nearly 37 percent in headcount from our service area, and we are up nearly 40 percent in how many credit hours those students are taking.”

Meanwhile, East Central College also saw substantial growth in its online classes this fall. Student headcount was up more than 39 percent and total credit hours taken by students increased nearly 45 percent.

While total enrollment was slightly down for the college for the Fall 2017 semester, there is a bright spot.

“We budgeted for a five percent decrease in students. This was partly based on trends we were seeing across the state at other community colleges,” said East Central College President Dr. Jon Bauer. “Currently, we are only down 2.3 percent thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff.”

Bauer credits the efforts of Dr. Robinson and Dr. Henderson in growing the dual credit program, along with increases in online education, for the better-than-expected enrollment numbers.

Employees Recognized for Years of Service at Annual Banquet

October 3, 2017 | 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.

This year, the Annual Service Awards Recognition banquet honored the people who have been with ECC for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. Thank you for all you do!

25 Years – Kevin Dixon
20 Years – Jennifer Chitwood, Cynthia Cubas and Sue Henderson
15 Years – Tom Fitts, Jennifer Judd, Bethany Lohden and Wendy Pecka
10 Years – Matt Cooper, Megan Elbert, Curtis Elliott, Deanne Fiedler, Karen Griffin, Becki Heimann, Cheryl Ladage, Paul Lampe, Dennis Pohlman, Peggy Reeves, Josh Stroup and Charles Warmack
5 Years – Carol Bailie, Dan Burkett, Eric Clapper, Ehren Curnutte, Cole Halfaker, Amelia Heisler, Lisa Kang, Barb Kuelker, Nathaniel Mitchell, Phil Pena, Jerry Poepsel, Kelly Rinne, Nanette Sayles, Dave Steffens, Denise Walker and Kathleen Wright

Check out the photos on Facebook.

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

Free Civics and Citizenship Classes Starting in October

October 2, 2017 | Campus News

The Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program at East Central College will offer free Civics and Citizenship classes starting in October.

“We last offered this class back in 2008,” said AEL Executive Director Alice Whalen. “We are excited to bring it back as a service to the community.”

The ongoing classes will be held at the East Central College Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza Road, in Union on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. and 5 – 7 p.m.

Additionally, classes will be held at the First Baptist Church, 801 North Cedar Street, in Rolla on Mondays and Thursdays from 5 – 8 p.m.

The course is free to students. It is funded through an Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program grant. “Students will learn English, study U.S. government and the Constitution in preparation for the U.S. Citizenship test,” said Whalen.

All classes do require an orientation, which are held on a regular basis. For more information: 844-322-4235 or ael@eastcentral.edu.