The ECC Career and Transfer Fair will be held in February!
Please dress professionally and bring your résumé!
2017 Riverside Short Film Festival
Sponsored by Downtown New Haven, Inc.
For more details on this fun event, check out:
East Central College in Rolla will be offering classes starting this fall in four new academic areas. The courses are in Early Childhood Development, Medical Assistant, Agriculture, and Computer Information Systems which includes networking.
“We’re excited to provide more offerings for the students in the Rolla area,” noted Christina Ayers, director of the ECC Rolla centers. “We currently offer a transfer degree, a nursing program, and partnership programs with Rolla Technical Institute/Center in Auto Technology, Building Construction, EMT/Paramedic, and Radiologic Technology. Adding classes in these four subject areas will provide important job skills for students to assist local business and industry.”
ECC’s Medical Assistant program is designed to train professionals to meet the needs of an ever-expanding allied health field. The CIS/Networking classes will provide technical instruction in areas of computer networks, software applications and information management. Classes in both areas will be offered in the evening to benefit individuals who are currently working during the day but may want to further their education or even pursue a career change.
Introduction to Agriculture is another new course on the fall schedule at ECC in Rolla. This hybrid class is the first in a series of agriculture courses and will be held Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. More courses to support transfer education in agriculture will be added in the spring.
Students completing the coursework in Early Childhood Development will be prepared to enter the workforce as trained early childhood educators. Those classes will be offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings so students who may be currently working in a childcare setting can benefit from taking the courses. Coursework in Early Childhood Development prepares students for a variety of career paths, including study in a baccalaureate program.
Classes in Early Childhood Development, Medical Assistant, and Computer Information Systems have been structured in a manner that will allow a student attending full-time to complete the coursework in two years to achieve an Associate of Applied Science degree.
Registration is currently underway for ECC fall semester classes that begin Monday, August 22. To speak with an advisor call 573-466-4100, email ECCRolla@eastcentral.edu, or visit www.eastcentral.edu/rolla.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the East Central Area Literacy Council a $10,000 grant to support adult literacy. This local grant award is part of over $7.1 million in grants awarded to more than 900 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the 43 states that Dollar General serves.
The East Central Area Literacy Council will use the grant funds to recruit and train volunteers to work with adults in the East Central College Adult Education and Literacy program. The AEL program coordinated by ECC serves students who are learning English, need to complete their high school education, or prepare for college or career changes. The Literacy Council also provides tutors for individuals who do not know how to read. Tutoring sessions are available at local libraries as well as AEL classrooms.
“Consistent with our mission of serving others, we are excited to provide organizations with funding to further literacy and education across the communities we call home,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “It is always so exciting to see the true and meaningful impact the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has on both children and adults looking to improve their lives through literacy. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education.”
Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $120 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 7.3 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.
“Volunteer recruitment and tutor training are key to providing support to students seeking to improve their basic skills,” noted Alice Whalen, executive director of the Literacy Council and director of the AEL program at East Central College. “Students who have already faced many challenges can receive the encouragement they need to complete their education with the support of the volunteers.
Two training sessions will be held in Rolla this summer for individuals interested in becoming volunteer tutors. The first will be held Thursday, July 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. and another session is scheduled for Wednesday, August 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Call 573-719-1323 for session locations and to register as a volunteer.
The East Central Area Literacy Council began in November 2010 as a volunteer board of directors and assists the ECC Adult Education and Literacy program by recruiting and training volunteer tutors, raising awareness of the issues of illiteracy in the counties served, and receiving donations to purchase training materials, instructional materials, or other needs of the program. In addition to Whalen, other members of the Literacy Council include Steven Campbell, Diane Crowder, Gregory Gelles, Jackie Gilliam, Janece Martin, Joan Morris, Kathryn Whyte, and Dan Woodward.
East Central College Adult Education and Literacy has provided free adult education classes for over 28 years at sites throughout the college district. In 2014 ECC took over administration of adult education classes that had been offered by the South Central Missouri Literacy Council. This shift allows for greater opportunities and a larger impact on the students in adult education and literacy programs in the east central area of Missouri. The literacy partnership incorporates the working relationship with ECC’s Adult Education and Literacy program as well as Y-Literacy of St. Louis which operates in Franklin and Gasconade counties.
Certified teachers work at each class site, and all instructional materials are provided at no charge to the students. Day AEL classes are being held this summer in Rolla, Sullivan, Union, and Washington. Night classes are currently held in eight communities: Cuba, Hermann, Owensville, Pacific, Rolla, St. Clair, St. James, Union, and Washington. English Language classes are held in Rolla and Washington.
For information on AEL classes, individuals can call 636-584-6533 or 573-719-1323. Staff can also be reached by emailing: ael@eastcentral.edu.
#InspiringExcellence – Friend Named to NJCAA All-America Team
The National Junior College Athletic Association released the 2016 Division II Softball All-Americans selected by the sport committee. East Central College softball standout Shelby Friend was named to the Second Team.
The sophomore from Newburg, MO was the starting pitcher in 28 games for the Falcons and recorded 107 strikeouts while compiling a 15-14 record. At the plate Friend led the Falcons with a .488 batting average. She had a .542 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of .831. Her 13 home runs and 52 RBI also topped the team statistics.
Coach Brad Wallach’s team finished the 2016 season with a 28-22 record.
Members of the NJCAA All-America Teams can be found online.
Anna Marie Tihen of Washington and Zeke Little of Quincy, Illinois, both received Outstanding Student Awards for 2016 at East Central College’s May 14 commencement exercises. The award is the highest honor given to a graduate of ECC, and this year the voting by faculty and staff ended in a tie.
To be considered for the honor an ECC student must have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. In addition to academic achievements, participation in campus and community activities is also considered.
Shelli Allen, vice president of student development, made the presentation.
Anna Marie Tihen
A Washington area resident, Tihen has maintained a 4.0 grade point average while pursuing Associate of Arts and Associate of Fine Arts degrees in music. At ECC she has been very involved with the music department serving as accompanist for various choral groups and individual students. In addition to serving as a student music ambassador and tutor for music history students, she teaches piano lessons and performs at various functions on campus and in the community. This year she received honorable mention at the Missouri Music Teachers Association Collegiate Lower Division State Competition and was recently named ECC’s outstanding music student for 2015-16.
Her connection to East Central began when she was 10 years old as a member of the Children’s Chorale. In 2010 she began taking piano lessons through ECC’s Community Education department. Since becoming a full-time student in 2014, Tihen has been a member of Phi Theta Kappa scholastic honor society and graduates from ECC with highest honors.
Active in 4-H for many years, Tihen has served as president, community service coordinator, project leader and youth leader. She helped coordinate the annual St. Pat’s Coronation, a major fundraiser for Franklin County 4-H youth projects.
Tihen has been extremely involved at River City Church and Living Bread Church as a pianist, vocalist, and children’s church and choir leader. She has also served as a youth group leader and special events volunteer and coordinator.
The daughter of Ken and Lisa Marie Tihen, she has been awarded academic, music, and transfer scholarships to Missouri State University where she will major in piano performance.
Zeke Little
Little is a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Quincy, Illinois. As a health science major at ECC, he has attained a grade point average of 3.67.
A member of the ECC soccer team for two years, he was the starting goalkeeper for the Falcons. Little was named First Team All-Conference by the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference coaches his freshman year while helping to guide East Central to a conference championship and back-to-back National Junior College Athletic Association Region 16 championship games. He was also named Academic All-Conference and All-Region his freshman year and will receive the same honors at the conclusion of this academic year. He is a member of ECC’s Chi Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa scholastic honor society.
This past season he was named to the Scholar All-American Second Team by the National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association and is projected to receive the NJCAA Award for Academic Excellence based on his current GPA.
As a high school student, Little participated in a variety of community service projects. For the past two years, Little and the other members of the ECC soccer team have volunteered at the Missouri Special Olympics Spring Games and this spring helped at the Special Olympic soccer tournament.
The son of Kelly and Pete Little, he has been awarded academic and athletic scholarships to attend Quincy University in the fall. He plans to major in nursing at QU and will be a member of the Hawks soccer team.
#InspiringExcellence – Dave Arand Named Outstanding ECC Alum for 2016
Dave Arand of Union was named recipient of the East Central College Outstanding Alumni Award for 2016. The award is presented annually to honor an ECC graduate who has used his or her education and been of service to the community.
Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president, made the presentation at college commencement ceremonies held Saturday, May 14, at the campus in Union.
A 1973 graduate of Union High School, Arand began his post-secondary education that fall at what was then East Central Junior College. He was a member of both the Rebel basketball and baseball teams during his two years at East Central.
After graduating with an Associate of Arts degree from East Central in 1975, Arand transferred to Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from SEMO in 1977, and went on to earn his law degree from Washburn University.
Arand has spent his entire life working and serving the community. As a young man, his leadership and service were recognized when he received the Outstanding Young Man Award from the Jaycees. That award was based on countless hours working with the Union Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Union Board of Alderman, East Central College Foundation, Union High School Booster Club, and Immaculate Conception Parish. He spent many hours coaching youth soccer, baseball, softball, and basketball.
While staying active in the community, Arand has built a reputation as a fair and honest attorney. His private law practice has grown over the years, but he always finds time to use his legal knowledge to help out local organizations with advice and assistance. He also serves the communities of Union and St. Clair as city judge. His fairness, along with compassion and respect for the law, has made him successful in those positions.
Arand continues to give his time to organizations in the area. He is a past president of the Union Kiwanis Club. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and serves on the finance committee at Immaculate Conception Parish. Arand is involved with the Franklin County Community Resource Board, where he has helped distribute millions of tax dollars to agencies serving the youth of Franklin County.
Arand and his wife, Dinah, are the parents of four children and have four grandchildren. His proudest moments as an East Central alum came when two of his sons, Dane and Devin, decided to attend ECC and play soccer. His daughter, Danielle, took summer classes and participated in numerous ECC theatre productions.
The East Central College Alumni Association established the award in 2002 to recognize outstanding alumni who have set an example for ECC graduates by using their college education and serving their community. Past recipients include: Tanya Voss, John Griesheimer, Tom Robertson, Chris Manhart, Deborah Koelling, Tammy Watz, Dr. Frank Miller, Ken Schmidt, Chris Stuckenschneider, Ann Schroeder, Ted Coburn, Linda Mahon, Joe Purschke, Amy Wildhaber. and Tony Kreutz.
The 46th annual spring commencement was held at East Central College Saturday morning, May 14. The class of 2016 included 495 candidates for graduation.
Rob Dixon, president/CEO of the Missouri Community College Association, congratulated the graduates on their achievements. “You have reached a milestone. You are done with your time here at ECC, but you are all a long way from being finished with the greater work of your lives,” Dixon said.
“You have to be ready to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, and that’s exactly what you have just done in your time here at East Central,” stated Dixon. “Your accomplishment today represents the single best thing that you could have done to prepare yourselves for whatever life throws at you next. Your education here is the key that will unlock the next step, and the next, and the next. You’ve done it. But you are not finished.”
“For some of you, you’ll continue your education before heading into the workforce. For others, you’re ready to get to work now. And for many of you, I know, finishing your education means one less thing on your plate as you juggle work, home, family, and everything else you do,” he said. “But we need you all to not be finished. You are a part of something bigger. Every single one of us has a job to do and a role to play. Right outside the doors of this room, there are businesses, people, communities that need you. They need your ideas and they need your talent.”
“You are done today, but you are not finished,” noted Dixon. “Keep sharpening your talents and your skills. Continue your education, whether you do so formally or informally. There are a lot of issues that affect our communities, our state, and our nation. I’d submit to you that almost every single one of them can be solved by people like you, people like us.”
“You have the tools to help us all move forward and address some of the big challenges of our time,” concluded Dixon. “We need you to not be finished.”
Dr. Jon Bauer, president of ECC, conferred associate degrees and certificates upon the graduates.
Members of the college board of trustees awarded the diplomas at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony.
Governor Jay Nixon visited East Central College Thursday, April 28, to sign House Bill 2003, the Fiscal Year 2017 budget for higher education, which will freeze tuition for Missouri undergraduate students. The budget provides an additional $71.3 million for higher education in Missouri, including scholarships and institutional operating funds.
“Today, I am very proud to mark another milestone for higher education in Missouri and our shared commitment to putting a quality, affordable college degree within reach for more Missouri families,” said Nixon. “Making higher education better and more affordable was one of the five principal goals I laid out when I first took office in 2009 and today we continue to deliver on that commitment with significant investments in our higher education campuses and another tuition freeze for Missouri undergraduates.”
Last September, Gov. Nixon was joined by leaders of the state’s public higher education institutions to announce an agreement to freeze tuition for Missouri undergraduates for the 2016-2017 school year. In addition to a tuition freeze for Missouri undergraduates, the FY2017 budget also answers the Governor’s call to increase funding for Missouri’s scholarship programs, including an additional $4 million for Access Missouri, an additional $2.5 million for the A+ scholarship program, and $500,000 for Bright Flight.
Nixon has made higher education quality and affordability a priority of his administration. In 2010, Gov. Nixon convened a Higher Education Summit and called on higher education leaders to adopt an agenda focused on four key areas: affordability and attainment; quality and effectiveness; collaboration; and performance funding. Over the last five years, significant progress has been achieved in all four areas.
This is the fourth tuition freeze Gov. Nixon has secured since taking office in 2009. According to the most recent data available from the College Board, tuition and required fees at Missouri’s public universities increased by just 9 percent between 2008-09 and 2015-2016, the smallest increase in the nation. By comparison, the average increase nationally over the same period was 33.5 percent.
Last year, Gov. Nixon worked with the General Assembly to pass a $200 million Building Affordability initiative that will help higher institutions hold down college costs. In addition, programs like Caring for Missourians, Training for Tomorrow, and MoSTEMWINS have prepared thousands for careers in high-demand fields.
Answering the Governor’s call to make higher education more efficient and effective, higher education institutions voluntarily eliminated 118 non-productive degrees and redesigned several large undergraduate courses to make them more efficient and effective.
Gov. Nixon has also made funding available for 50/50 projects to provide new-and-improved facilities, laboratories, and infrastructure at colleges and universities throughout the state. His Innovation Campus initiative has been nationally recognized for creating partnerships to offer accelerated, high-impact degrees at a reduced cost. The goal of the Innovation Campus program is to train students for career opportunities in high-demand fields while cutting the time it takes to earn a college degree and reducing student debt.
Nixon successfully implemented performance funding for higher education. Funding for colleges and universities is now awarded based on specific performance measures including student retention, graduation rates, student achievement, and efficiency.
This summer East Central College will offer current high school sophomores and juniors in the college service region a unique opportunity to earn college credit at a reduced tuition rate.
Current sophomores (class of 2018) and juniors (class of 2017) can enroll as Summer Scholars and take ECC summer session classes at a reduced tuition rate of just $60 per credit hour. To be eligible for this institutional scholarship, students must be attending a public or private high school in the ECC service region. Interested high school students need to apply for admission to ECC. They may also need to provide ACT scores and transcripts of any previous college credit or be required to complete a placement exam before registering for classes.
Students will attend classes in ECC classrooms and labs at locations in Union and Rolla or online. Summer classes begin Monday, June 6.
“We instituted the Summer Scholars program in 2014 and we’re excited to provide this opportunity to high school students who’ve shown an interest in college coursework,” said Nathaniel Mitchell, ECC’s director of admissions. “The program also highlights our dual credit program and how beneficial it is for students to begin their college career while they are still in high school.”
The class offerings include anthropology, art, biology, business, chemistry, communications, computer information systems, education, English, environmental science, history, math, music, philosophy, psychology, and sociology.
Those interested in the program can apply online or contact the Student Service Center at 636-584-6588 or admissions@eastcentral.edu.