East Central College   

Month: September 2023

ECC to Celebrate Manufacturing Week with Industry Leaders and Business Event

September 22, 2023 | Campus News

East Central College will celebrate the importance of the Manufacturing industry in the region through several events during the first week of October.

Manufacturing Summit: Oct. 4

There will be two discussions held in the ECC Business and Industry Center on Wednesday, Oct. 4, as part of a Manufacturing Summit. A Workforce Training and Retention Panel will be held 10:30 a.m. to noon with representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Connections to Success and the Jefferson/Franklin Workforce Investment Board.

The panel will discuss workforce retention solutions, employment services, the value of apprenticeships, state of Missouri workforce training funding and workforce initiatives.

A State of Manufacturing discussion will be hosted by Jeff Pinkerton, the Director of Economic Research from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, from 1-2:30 p.m. The discussion will center on the current industry and will provide an analysis of future Manufacturing trends for the Franklin County region.

A free lunch will be provided from noon to 1 p.m. Those interested in attending the Oct. 4 events must RSVP at www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/.

Business After Hours: Oct. 5

ECC is partnering with five area Chambers of Commerce to host a Business After Hours on Thursday, Oct. 5, 4:30-7 p.m., also at the Business and Industry Center. The Union, Washington, Pacific, St. Clair and Sullivan chambers will assist in the outreach and marketing of the event to their members.

Complimentary food and adult beverages will be provided. Tours of the Advanced Manufacturing programs will be provided as well as the opportunity to experience a virtual training environment using virtual reality headsets. ECC’s Business and Industry Center is located at 42 Prairie Dell Plaza in Union, near the Great 8 Cinema. Contact Todd Tracy at 636-649-5807 or Todd.Tracy@eastcentral.edu for additional information.

Grad Earns First-Ever Gulstad Full-Tuition Scholarship to CMU

September 14, 2023 | Campus News

East Central College alumna and aspiring elementary school teacher, Katie Rushing, has been awarded the first-ever Gulstad Full-Tuition Transfer Scholarship to Central Methodist University (CMU).

Rushing, of Washington, who graduated from ECC in May with an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree, is the recipient of this prestigious scholarship, which covers the full cost of tuition. The Gulstad Full-Tuition Transfer Scholarship is exclusively available to students attending one of CMU’s extended sites, such as the ECC campus in Union.

“Katie is a driven and remarkable student,” stated ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “We are immensely proud of her accomplishments, and we have no doubt that she will continue to excel at CMU.”

The scholarship is named after longtime CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad, who emphasized that the full-tuition scholarship was established with students like Rushing in mind.

“This scholarship was created to recognize excellence among our community college graduates,” noted Rita Gulstad. “Katie is seeking a bachelor’s degree in elementary education because she is passionate about working with children and she desires to make a positive impact on students’ lives.”

Gulstad also highlighted Rushing’s active involvement in her community, including her role as a certified substitute teacher and her volunteer work in her church parish.

“Katie says she chose East Central because it is friendly and affordable, but also to stay close to home so she could continue to support her community,” she commented. “That is why she also chose CMU.”

ECC and CMU have maintained a strong partnership, providing educational opportunities for Franklin County area residents for three decades. Central Methodist University has been operating on ECC’s campus since 1992.

“Central Methodist has been an outstanding partner for 30 years,” Bauer remarked. “Countless individuals have earned their bachelor’s or master’s degrees in the area without having to leave, which is a tremendous benefit.”

To learn more about scholarship opportunities at ECC, including the Central Methodist University Gulstad Transfer Scholarship, visit https://www.eastcentral.edu/finaid/scholarship-opportunities/.