Month: January 2019

ECC Scholar Bowl Team Wins Sectional Competition, Heading to Nationals

January 31, 2019 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Every year, the National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT) organization crowns the best community college quiz bowl team in North America at the Community College Championship Tournament (CCCT).

After last weekend, the East Central College Scholar Bowl Team just made it one step closer to proving they are the best in the country.

The team went 9-1 at the NAQT Kentucky Community College Sectional on January 26. They not only placed first but now get a chance to compete in the national competition.

“The team who hosted the sectional, Jefferson Community & Technical College in Louisville, is definitely a quiz bowl powerhouse,” said Chad Kubicek, NAQT Chief Financial Officer. “They have finished in the top six at the CCCT in each of the past seven years. They won the national championship in 2016. Defeating them is quite a feat and an achievement!”

In addition to the team win, Jeremy Robey and Joshua German placed first and second, respectively, in the individual competition.

“The team was obviously excited to win,” said Robey, ECC Scholar Bowl Team Co-Captain. “Winning first place individually was also a great honor.”

The ECC Scholar Bowl Team will now head to Orlando, Florida in March for the CCCT. They will be the only team representing Missouri.

How Does Scholar Bowl Work?

According to the NAQT website, quiz/scholar bowls are fast-paced buzzer competitions in which teams of four players compete to answer questions that cover academic subjects like literature and science as well as the broader world of popular culture and current events.

“It’s basically team Jeopardy,” said German, ECC Scholar Bowl Team Member. “Each team is competing to answer a question before the other team.”

Like any competition, preparation is key. ECC’s Scholar Bowl Team holds two practices every week on campus.

“It involves a lot of reading,” explained Robey. “We often read questions and information from previous tournaments. There are also a few websites that help us prepare.”

“Some of the team competed in high school,” said Gwen Minks, ECC Scholar Bowl Team Member. “Some of us are new to the process. I joined the team out of sheer curiosity. I’m glad I did! I love the strategy involved.”

Team Dedication

“Considering the East Central College Scholar Bowl Team didn’t even exist a year ago, their accomplishments so far are quite incredible,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. He is the team sponsor. “The team is very dedicated.”

In fact, they often pay their own way to tournaments. They chip in for gas money. They pack their own food.

“We left at two in the morning to get to sectionals in Louisville,” said German. “Once we finished the competition, we drove back home. I think we landed around 11 at night.”

Now, they are trying to figure out how to pay their way to nationals in the spring.

“We are looking at a few fundraising ideas,” said German. “We are going one way or another. We aren’t going to miss this opportunity.”

If you’d like to learn more about the ECC Scholar Bowl Team or would like to help them travel to the national competition, please contact Jeremy, Jeremy.robey@student.eastcentral.edu, or Josh, joshua.german@student.eastcentral.edu.

David Beck Named New Soccer Head Coach

January 22, 2019 | Athletics Campus News

David Beck will be stepping into the role as head coach of the East Central College Men’s Soccer program for the 2019 season. Beck previously spent the last nine years as the assistant soccer coach for Rutgers University in New Jersey.

“Beck is known for his recruiting abilities,” said Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, East Central College Athletic Director. “He assisted Rutgers head coach Dan Donigan in constructing a very successful team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Division I tournament in 2015. That same year, the team collected the second most wins in program history.”

In 2011, Beck was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Assistant Coach of the Year for the Northeast Region. Beck also served as head coach of the U. S Soccer Development Academy.

“Coach Beck is dedicated to the sport,” said Dr. Mehrhoff. “He spends his summers working NCAA Division I camps all over the country: including the University of Connecticut, Akron University, University of Wisconsin, Saint Louis University, Rutgers and Missouri State University.”

Prior to his coaching at Rutgers, Beck spent four seasons at Saint Louis University and helped produce consecutive top 20 recruiting classes. He also served as an assistant coach at Lindenwood University during their 2004 NAIA National Championship season.

A native of St. Louis, Beck played high school soccer at Hazelwood East prior to entering college. He played two years at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley under NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Pete Sorber. After his junior college career, he continued playing for Lindenwood University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. He went on to play for the St. Louis Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL).

Beck lives in Fenton with his wife Laura and their three children, Gabriella, Brooklyn and Joey.

East Central College Upgrading HVAC Systems on Union Campus

January 16, 2019 | Campus News

East Central College will be investing in new heating and air conditioning units on its Union campus.

“The existing units are at the end of their life cycle,” said Director of Facilities Tot Pratt. “In some cases, the units are several decades past their prime.”

The ECC Board of Trustees approved the $1.86 million project during the January 15 board meeting. The project will be funded through a 15-year loan from the United Bank of Union. Replacing the units will not only boost energy efficiency across campus, but will also result in energy savings of more than $30,000 per year over 15 years.

“We’ll also see savings in maintenance costs,” said Pratt. “Our current units require a lot of attention.”

Three buildings on campus – Hansen Hall, Shook Student Center and the East Central Training Center – will have units replaced. The work will be done in the summer of 2019 and is scheduled to be completed before the start of the fall semester. The schedule should lessen the impact for students, faculty and staff during the project.

“It’s important for East Central College to ensure its buildings remain comfortable and safe while minimizing the amount of energy and maintenance required to provide a quality environment,” said President Dr. Jon Bauer.

The project is part of a 10-year master plan through Johnson Controls, Inc. The first phase was completed in 2017 and included lighting upgrades, water fixture upgrades and other building improvements.

Using an Energy Performance Contract (EPC), East Central College’s facility and infrastructure retrofit costs will be offset by the guaranteed utility and operational savings over a fixed period of time. If the savings aren’t realized, Johnson Control pays the difference.

According to the company, the improvements will reduce ECC’s carbon footprint, reducing the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as if 137 passenger vehicles were taken off the road.

An Entrepreneur in the Making – Student Places in National Competition

January 10, 2019 | Campus News

Seeing the Empire State Building, Times Square, or Statue of Liberty can be an experience of a lifetime. It was no different for East Central College student Sara Hamer.

“It was an amazing experience,” the Labadie native said. “You see these places on TV, but you never think you’ll see them in person. It was a lot to take in, but overall it was amazing.”

Her trip to New York City wasn’t just about sightseeing. She was there to learn. Paying her own way, she attended the DECA Engage Conference in November.

According to its website, DECA “prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.” It’s an organization Hamer was actively involved with in high school, and she wanted to continue her involvement when she came to East Central College.

“I wanted to continue DECA in college because I love it,” she explained. “I know it’s a great way to not only expand my knowledge but also make connections and get more involved.”

At the conference, Hamer was able to network with business professionals from across the country. She heard successes and failures from entrepreneurs and see business operations in action. She also was able to put her skills to the test.

“Sara entered the Entrepreneurship Business Simulation Competition at the conference,” said Steffani McCrary, ECC DECA sponsor. She traveled with Hamer on the trip. “She was paired with two other students, who she didn’t know, and they were given a task relevant to the category.”

Hamer’s team had to navigate through the fashion industry. In their simulation, a large retailer was doing poorly, and they had to figure out how to implement positive change. Her team beat out nearly every team competing – placing third in the national competition. “I was very surprised that we placed,” she admitted, “but in a really good way!”

McCrary knew she was up to the challenge. “Sara is a very dedicated and conscientious student,” she said, “Sara strives to do great in her school work and activities.”

Hamer plans to transfer to a four-year college or university after East Central College to continue her education in Business.

New Year Brings New Hope for AEL Graduate

January 7, 2019 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Putting things off is something we all do – getting your oil changed in your car, cleaning out the refrigerator or even going to the doctor for an annual checkup. For Bobby Hinson, it was getting his high school diploma.

“I’m an eighth-grade dropout,” Hinson admitted.

The father of four works for the Missouri Department of Transportation as a maintenance worker.

“On any given day I’m mowing, fixing pot holes, putting up street signs or plowing snow,” Hinson explained.

While Hinson enjoys his job, he wanted more. “I want to become a superintendent at some point,” he said. “They supervise all the work sites. They decide what priority is and how the process should be done.”

Unfortunately, he knew any promotion was out of reach without more education. That’s when he decided to get his High School Equivalency (HSE) through the East Central College Adult Education and Literacy Program (AEL). It provides free classes to improve a students’ skills in math, reading, writing, social studies and science in order to pass the High School Equivalency Test.

“I didn’t want my younger kids growing up thinking it’s okay to give up,” he explained. “I decided it was time to do something about it.”

He admits he was scared to start the process, but the AEL staff soon put him at ease. Hinson says he tried to get his GED back in the late 90’s through a different program, but he didn’t have much success.

“The program wasn’t focused on the teacher-student relationship,” he explained. “They handed you a book and you were on your own.”

Through the AEL Program, Hinson worked one-on-one with instructors and volunteers, receiving custom instruction and constant guidance. “It was a good surprise,” he said. “It’s not what I was expecting.”

During the process, he also received continuous support from his employer. It helped him stay on track.

“There were a few times [MoDOT] would have something come up at the end of the day,” Hinson said. “I would volunteer to help, but they wouldn’t let me. They didn’t want me to miss class.”

Hinson was a model student. It didn’t take long for him to make it to the finish line.

“The amount of time and effort put into the program and the starting skill levels determine when an individual is ready to take the final test,” said Alice Whalen, Director of AEL. “Despite the number of years he had been out of school, Bobby was determined. He put in the effort and dedicated himself to achieving his goal.”

Hinson passed the final test with flying colors.

“The night after taking the last test, my wife had balloons and a cake waiting for me when I got home. We went out to dinner to celebrate,” he said. “My kids were ecstatic about it!”

He had even more to celebrate when he went back to work – he received a promotion! While he says he’s proud of his accomplishments so far, he knows there is more to come.

“I don’t want to stop with just my HSE,” he said. “I want to keep pushing forward. I want to get a college degree.”

The AEL Program is free to everyone and offers several class locations with morning and evening sessions. To learn more about obtaining your High School Equivalency, email ael@eastcentral.edu or call 636-584-6533.

Students who have earned a high school equivalency diploma (HiSET) through the AEL program at East Central College are eligible to receive a tuition waiver for a three (3) hour college credit class at East Central College. In order for a student to qualify for the incentive, a student must have completed the HiSET program and/or exam with East Central College within twelve (12) months prior to enrollment and it must be his or her first time attending any college.

Vice President’s List Announced for Fall 2018

January 2, 2019 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Each semester, East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Upon completion of at least 12 semester credit hours with a semester grade point between 3.50 and 3.84, students are acknowledged by placement on the Vice President’s List. For the Fall 2018 semester, there were more than 160 students on the list!

President’s List Announced for Fall 2018 Semester

January 2, 2019 | Campus News

Each semester, East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement.

Upon completion of at least 12 fall semester credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.85 or greater, students are acknowledged on the President’s List. More than 120 students made the list for the Fall 2018 semester!

Temporary Cashier Hours Starting January 9

January 2, 2019 | Campus News

The East Central College Cashier’s Office, located in the main lobby of Buescher Hall, will modify its hours starting on Wednesday, January 9. The new hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The temporary hours will be in effect until Thursday, January 17. The cashier’s office will be open from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Friday, January 18.

Normal hours will resume on Tuesday, January 22. We appreciate your understanding and patience!

Community Invited to ECC Future Summit on January 18

January 2, 2019 | Campus News

East Central College is inviting the community to participate in its Future Summit. The event is designed to address the college’s challenges and search for future opportunities. It will take place in the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 18.

“As we continue our pursuit of excellence,” said Dr. Jon Bauer, East Central College President, “we are in the process of designing a new strategic plan. Community input is an invaluable resource in creating that plan.”

East Central College’s Strategic Plan Initiative, SOAR to 2024, will help it identify and define the experience it provides to its students. The Future Summit is an integral part of the strategic planning process.

The conference-style event will happen on the Union campus and will feature a keynote speaker and topics that will form the foundation of the event including:

Creating a Culture of Change and Building Trust
Aligning School Districts, Colleges and Employers for Long-Term Success
Maintaining a Personal Touch in a High-Tech Learning Environment
The Power of Data to Support Learning and Student Success

Following these talks, community members will have the opportunity to join small group discussions. The input from these discussion groups will inform the college’s strategies for the next five years and beyond.

“The Future Summit is designed to bring all constituents together for learning and discussion,” said Dr. Bauer. “It is an opportunity to jump-start future planning for business and industry and community organizations.”

Find out more about the SOAR to 2024 initiative and RSVP for the Future Summit!