Author: gjones

New Campus Life Coordinator Has Connection to ECC

February 5, 2021 | Campus News

Carson Mowrey is no stranger to East Central College, and on Feb. 1, she began a new relationship at the institution.

Mowrey was recently was hired as the ECC Campus Life and Leadership Coordinator on the Union campus.

She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), Cape Girardeau, in December 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in small press publishing.

Prior to that, Mowrey earned an associate of arts with an emphasis in humanities from ECC in May 2019. Mowrey, who originally is from Salem, Mo., attended classes at the ECC Rolla site and she was the president of the Beta Omicron Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society.

“ECC did so much for me, and when I attended SEMO, I loved talking to other students about two-year colleges,” Mowrey said. “ECC is so special to me because it has prepared me for my future in many different ways.”

She said two primary goals as the campus life and leadership coordinator are to strengthen communication between the Union campus and Rolla sites and build student engagement.

“A community college is just as valid of a college experiences as a four-year school,” Mowery said. “I want students to see how valuable the experience can be.

“I want to give ECC students the experience to feel that they belong to a community and be proud to say that they graduated from ECC,” she added.

According to Mowery, a great college experience also will increase student retention.

“When they know we are concerned with their wellbeing, they are more interested in coming back,” she commented.

Family Connection

Mowery’s father, Ray Mowery, is an economics adjunct instructor at ECC Rolla and her stepmother, Tracy Mowery, is a full-time instructor who teaches biology, anatomy, and other courses at ECC Rolla.

As a child, Mowery would come to the ECC campus for events in which her father or stepmother participated.

“ECC has always been a family thing for us,” she said.

Mowery further added that she has had a lot of great experiences at ECC, including a trip to London with ECC faculty members and students, and while she was employed as a Student Success Center specialist tutoring students in English, writing and speech.

“ECC has always been something in my life,” she said, “whether as a child of an employee, an employee or as a student myself.”

As Campus Life and Leadership Coordinator, Mowery also serves as the Student Government Association advisor.

Students who would like more information about activities at ECC, or student government can contact Mowery at 636-584-6583 or carson.mowery@eastcentral.edu, or stop by her office near Café Central in the Donald Shook Student Center

ECC Theatre to Present Filmed Play, “The Yellow Boat”

The East Central College Theatre Department will virtually present “The Yellow Boat” by David Saar.

The touching tale is about a young man and his family who are dealing with a life-changing illness. It is directed by ECC Theatre alum Jacob Schmidt, and stars Tara Steffens, CJ Satterfield, Donovan Counts, Jasmine Derhammer, Harley Vulcolo, Stephanie Landing, Logan Head and Andrew Carter.

The show is filmed and will be available to view Feb. 18, 19 and 20. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at ecctheatre.com.

The show runs about 90 minutes. It can be viewed any time within the February 18-20 time frame once tickets are purchased.

The Stage Management team includes Shania Wilson, Dora Bell, Sam Doepker and Sebastian Montowine. Custom mask design by Eileen Engel with lighting and set design by Bess Moynihan.

According to Grace Austin, theatre director, the filmed performance is much different than past productions at ECC.

“The ECC Theater Department has faced a lot of challenges this year and we are so grateful for the support of the community and the administration,” she said.

“Producing ‘The Yellow Boat’ has given students and alumni the opportunity to safely come together and continue our tradition of theatrical work.”

She added that the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the theatre department to become creative with how it presents its art, much like the fall outdoor productions in the Theatre in the Glen.

“This is a unique opportunity that we might not have had otherwise, and we’re so excited to see how the community responds,” Austin said.

Nursing Students and Employees Assist with Vaccination Event

February 4, 2021 | Campus News

For many area residents who attended a COVID-19 vaccination event Jan. 30, it was the first time they had been out in public for months.

That includes East Central College Vice President of Academic Affairs Robyn Walter’s mother. Walter inoculated her mother during the vaccination event at the Union Municipal Auditorium.

“For a lot of people, it was the first time they were out of the house in months,” Walter said. “We had husbands and wives asking us to take a picture to send to their grandchildren who they have not seen in person for months.”

There were 20 second-year ECC nursing students who volunteered to assist with the event that was hosted by the Franklin County Health Department (FCHD). Nursing program faculty members, ECC nursing graduates and Walter also were on hand to help.

“I am extremely proud of our faculty for teaching the students, and of the students’ zeal and passion,” Walter added.

According to Nancy Mitchell, director of nursing and dean of health science, there were more than 1,000 vaccinations given that day, and each of the nursing students was given a chance to administer the vaccinations.

“The Franklin County community witnessed the ECC nursing program at its finest,” Mitchell said. “Current student nurses, past graduates, faculty and administrators assisted in efforts to vaccinate 1,000 county residents.

“We felt privileged to participate and care for our community,” she added.

Mitchell said ECC students and employees will again assist with the second round of vaccinations Feb. 27.

During the Feb. 1 ECC Board of Trustees meeting, trustees who were at the event praised the ECC employees and students and noted how seamless the vaccination event was.

‘We are a community college in every sense of the word,” added ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “I am glad that our faculty could be there with our students.”

Graduates

According to Mitchell, there were many ECC nursing program graduates who assisted as part of their current roles with health care partners in the area.

That includes registered nurses Megan Horstkamp and April Zimmermann who work as public health nurses for the FCHD and helped coordinate the event.

“The ECC Nursing program is extremely proud of these graduates who are working on the front lines as public health nurses in Franklin County. We saw them at their finest hour,” Mitchell said.

ECC Trustees Approve Tuition Bump

February 3, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Board of Trustees on Feb. 1 approved a bump in tuition costs beginning in the fall 2021 semester.

There will be a $5 credit hour tuition increase across the board for students who live within the district, outside the district and for international students. The amount paid in student fees will not change, but the fee schedule was reorganized to increase the amount earmarked for support services and technology.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said the increase was determined by a subcommittee on tuition, which presented its findings to administration.

He added that the tuition increase places ECC in the “middle of the pack” among other community colleges in Missouri, but those schools may not have made a decision yet on 2021 tuition.

“We are early in this process,” Dr. Bauer said. “I think it better for our students to do this before they begin registering for classes.”

Registration for fall 2021 classes begins March 22 for current students and March 29 for new students.

The subcommittee on tuition has recommended smaller, incremental tuition increases in lieu of larger, sporadic increases.

Tuition Tiers

There are two tiers of tuition at ECC. Tier 1 includes most programs, as well as general education classes. Tier 2 consists of classes in culinary arts, industrial maintenance technology, nursing and precision machining programs.

The new in-district tuition rates will be $110 per credit hour for Tier 1 classes. In-district rates for Tier 2 classes will be $134 per credit hour.

The cost for dual credit in the 2020-21 academic year will be $55 per credit hour, also an increase of $2 per hour.

Out-of-district rates will be $156 and $190 per credit hour for Tier 1 and Tier 2, respectively.

The rates per credit hour for out-of-state students will be $230 for Tier 1 and $281 for Tier 2. Tuition for international students will be $236 per credit hour for Tier 1, and $301 per credit hour for Tier 2.

Student Fees

The student fees will remain $27 per credit hour; however, there are slight changes in the areas where the fees will be spent. Listed below is the fee breakdown and how it was changed:

• Student Activities $8.50 per credit hour (previously $6.50).
• Support Services $1.00 per credit hour (previously $3.50).
• Technology $3.00 per credit hour (previously $5.00).
• Facilities $7.00 per credit hour (unchanged).
• Security $7.50 per credit hour (previously $5.00).

Board Approves Naming of Library to Honor Charter Trustee

February 3, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Library will be named to recognize the legacy — and memorialize — a charter trustee and his family.

During a Feb. 1 meeting, the ECC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name the facility the Donald R. and Barbara D. Means Library.

Donald Means was a charter trustee, and his service goes back even further, according to ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

He noted that Means was one of several people who worked diligently to bring the college into existence in the 1960s.

Means served 24 years as an ECC Trustee from 1968 to 1992. He was board secretary from 1968 until 1984, and then served four years as president of the board. Means died in August 2020.

“Over many years on the board, he provided wise counsel and steadfast leadership to the college,” Dr. Bauer said. “Naming of facilities is not something we have done often, but it is something we certainly want to do for individuals who contribute so significantly to the college — Mr. Means is certainly one of those individuals.”

Dr. Bauer and ECC Foundation Executive Director Bridgette Kelch worked closely with Means’ children to discuss a way for their father’s service to ECC and the community to be recognized.

The library is in Buescher Hall, a building that Means would have overseen the construction of during his tenure as a trustee.

“Mr. Means was a veracious reader, so the library is a natural connection,” Dr. Bauer noted.

Family Members

Means’ daughter, Charlotte Nordyke said her father was dedicated to ECC.

“Dad was so devoted to this school, learning and especially an institution for higher education in Franklin County,” she said. “This is a great tribute to him, and we are indeed honored.”

Doug Means noted that both of his parents committed a great deal of time and energy to ECC.

“I am very, very proud today and I thank the board for this consideration,” he said. “My father spent a lot of blood, sweat and tears, along with my mother, at ECC.”

Nordyke, Doug Means, Eric Means and Rhonda Lasley all attended the remote trustee meeting.

Next Steps

According to Dr. Bauer, ECC and the Foundation will plan for a ceremony at a later date, and signage will be installed.

He added that additional funds were gifted to the Foundation by family and friends of Means.

“There is more to come but this is a moment to pause and say, ‘Thank you,’“ Dr. Bauer commented.

“In a community that prides itself on civic leadership, one need not look further than Don Means for an exemplar. His life and career were marked by integrity and service.”

Nursing Students Receive Phelps Health Scholarships

February 2, 2021 | Campus News

Three second-year East Central College Rolla nursing students recently received scholarships from Phelps Health because of their dedication to their field of study.

Summer Thorp-Lancaster, Mallory Fox and Brittany Smith each received $2,000.

“The scholarship really helped cover the extra fees associated with the program and graduation,” explained Smith.

“This scholarship makes a huge difference. The books add up, and for the nursing program we have uniforms and supplies we have to buy so it’s a huge weight off our shoulders and makes it so we don’t have to work an extra 40 hours to pay for that,” added Thorp-Lancaster.

“There is a physical relief in receiving that help because it means I can step back from that extra shift at work,” Fox said.

Phelps Health distributes these scholarships to Registered Nursing, Licensed Practical Nursing and Allied Health students. Each scholarship candidate must complete an application and complete an interview. The committee who picks the scholarship winners base their decisions on several key factors.

“The decision is based on items such as goal to remain local to the area, overall interaction with the committee, promptness for the interview, does the committee feel the applicant possesses the characteristics needed for health care and several other areas” said Crystal Lorah, manager of auxiliary and volunteer services at Phelps Health.

Local Scholarship

This local scholarship helps students, who in turn help the community. Fox and Smith currently work at Phelps Health and are dedicated to staying there after graduation to continue to help their community.

“I like that it’s coming from my community and I can put it right back into the community” explained Smith.

“It felt like a reward from our employer,” Fox said.

“It is really hard to work full-time and in knowing that they are investing in us so we can get our education and further our time with Phelps Health is a big plus for this scholarship” she added.

While Thorp-Lancaster has not made a final decision yet on where she will be after graduating with her Associate of Arts in nursing, she feels called towards the labor and delivery unit but has recently also become very interested in the emergency room and the medical surgery floor. She will be exploring her options for getting her bachelor’s degree as well.

Perfect Fit

Nursing program coordinator and nursing instructor Laura McDonald thinks these women were a perfect fit for this scholarship.

“All three of them are very dedicated to safe quality patient care and being successful professional registered nurses. They are incredibly driven to succeed,” McDonald said.

McDonald taught these students in their first year of the nursing program and continues to advise them now in their second year. She sees a very bright future for each of these students.

“These are very well deserved and appropriate scholarships for these women. They are always willing to step up and help. They stay focused on their goals and will make a huge impact in our community.”

Student’s Path to Success Travels Through Adult Education

January 28, 2021 | Campus News

Returning to the classroom after several years can be a daunting task.
But when you are as determined as New Haven area woman Vanessa Monroy, the twists and turns along the way become manageable over time.

“It’s been a long journey,” said Monroy, a recent High School Equivalency (HSE) certificate recipient and an East Central College Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) student.

Her journey began years ago when she and her family lived in the Chicago, Ill., area. There, Monroy tried several times to attend class to build her skills.

“The teachers just sat us down with a book and everyone started at the same place. If we had a question, the teacher would say, ‘find the answer in the book,’ ” Monroy remembered.

At the time, she had been laid off from her job of nearly 10 years as a front office assistant for a web development company. Then, her husband got a job transfer to a company in St. Charles.

The couple bought a home near New Haven and their children began school. But Monroy wanted to show she could do more.

“I love being a mom and wife but needed more for myself,” she said.

Getting Started

Monroy was unsure if she wanted to start a new high school equivalency program because of her prior experience. However, she called the AEL office at ECC in Union and signed up for the orientation.

“From orientation to the classroom, everyone was engaging and helpful,” she said. “When I walked into the Washington classroom and saw my brother’s name on a graduation cap on the wall, I thought, ‘Okay. Maybe doing the program here was meant to be.’ ”

She didn’t feel as if she was in a race with anyone to finish and could learn at her own pace.

“I wasn’t expecting so much help,” Monroy added. “The one-on-one with Betsy (Williams) was a huge, big deal.”

Williams is the AEL instructor for the Washington daytime class. Monroy said that she appreciates the instructor for pushing her and reminding her of her goal.

“She took the extra time to make me feel positive and comfortable,” she commented. “Betsy is an awesome teacher.”

According to Williams, Monroy was ready to learn from Day 1.

“Vanessa came to my class with the desire and dedication,” Williams said. “She just needed direction and encouragement.

“Like most of my students, she had things outside of the classroom that required a lot of her attention, but she made school a priority. She definitely earned this,” she added.

Receives Certificates

As Monroy worked on HSE skills, she also completed two “Workplace Essentials” courses. She received certificates in customer service and digital literacy, which includes certification in Microsoft Word and Excel.

She remarks that the courses are useful for the workplace as well as in daily life, and Monroy can now enhance her resume with the certifications.

She also advises others who want to take classes and work toward earning their HSE certificate to not overthink it.

“We sometimes set ourselves up with our own obstacles,” Monroy said. “There are only positives that come from earning your High School Equivalency certificate.”

Mary Eagan, as transitions coordinator for the AEL program, is now working with Monroy in planning her next steps.

“Using a career cluster inventory, we were able to focus her attention on areas that align to her interests,” Eagan said. “She in now exploring opportunities that fit her as an individual.”

A career cluster is a group of careers that share common features. Those who like one job in a career cluster, are likely to enjoy jobs that are in the same cluster.

Monroy isn’t sure what she wants to do next, although she’s certain she wants to continue her education — and she knows there are many opportunities that she didn’t have without her HSE.

According to Monroy, she and her family have encountered many challenges since December 2019. She added that she has learned to work through those challenges and is making the most of life.

“I’m really grateful for Betsy and everyone with the Adult Education & Literacy program,” Monroy said. “The program they have is amazing.”

Monroy passed the High School Equivalency exam in December 2020.

“I can’t go backward now. I can only move forward.”

Board President Receives Leadership Award

January 25, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College Board of Trustee’s President Ann Hartley officially received an award last week recognizing her service to the College, and for embracing ECC’s mission.

Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president, presented the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) Trustee Leadership Award to Hartley. She was announced the winner of the award at the MCCA annual convention, held virtually, in November.

Hartley has served on the ECC Board of Trustees since 2012. She is actively engaged with the work of the college, and she serves as board liaison on the Strategic Planning and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Advisory committees.

In addition, Hartley has worked with the college president to develop a formal orientation process for new board members, and she has developed an evaluation instrument and process that enables the board to collectively participate in the annual evaluation of the president.

“Ann embraces the community college mission, understands the important role of the board in the effective governance of the college, and works devotedly as an ambassador of East Central,” said Dr. Bauer.

The other MCCA award winners who are associated with ECC are:

Dot Schowe, former director of public relations, Outstanding Alumni Award.
Stacy Bellville, executive administrative assistant for the office of academic affairs, Certified Staff Award.
Joshua Stroup, English instructor, Excellence in Teaching Award.
Jeff Parsons, adjunct history instructor, Adjunct Award.
Nancy Mitchell, Laura McDonald and Judy Bieker, nursing faculty, Mel Aytes Award.
Laura Deason, associate registrar, Senior Service Award.
Mercy Hospital, Distinguished Business Award.
State Sen. Dave Schatz, who represents the district where ECC is located, Distinguished Legislator Award.

College to Receive $3.4 Million Through Stimulus Package

January 25, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College will be allocated more than $3.4 million through a federal relief package approved by congress.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said official word was given Jan. 15 that $3,471,107 will be provided to ECC through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act.

He noted that a minimum of $825,661 must be utilized for student aid, and up to $2,646,448 can be allocated institution wide.

“The allocation is a significant amount of revenue for ECC,” Dr. Bauer said. “Moreover, there are reports of the next stimulus that also includes funding for higher education.”

Dr. Bauer added that the CRRSA Act funds will be less restrictive than the CARES Act funds, and funds from the second stimulus package will be available until Sept. 30, 2022.

“Our general understanding is that the use of funds will be similar, but not quite as restrictive as CARES.”

“We have begun discussions about the best use of these funds as we move forward,” Dr. Bauer said. “We will continue to assess how we can improve our delivery of instruction and support services to students. As guidelines become available, this planning will be brought into sharper focus.”

The entire CRRSA package totaled $900 billion, with $81.8 billion allocated for education. Colleges and universities received $22.7 billion. That compares to $12.5 billion under CARES, and the legislation has a formula that is more beneficial to community colleges.

“I appreciate the work on both sides of the aisle to bring this package to fruition,” Dr. Bauer commented.

“I believe this is good public policy,” he said. “With input from those of us on the ground there was a collective decision on providing resources to serve people in an extraordinary time.

“We will use these resources—all of these resources—to benefit our students and stakeholders now and in the future.”

Donor Recognized at Taco Bell Field Naming Ceremony

January 20, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College alumnus John Moroney has an affinity for baseball.

His relationship with the sport has taken him to the mound of Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, to throw out the first pitch in game No. 1 of the 2011 World Series.

A more painful experience, Moroney said, was the time he was in the stands while the Cardinals played the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., when he was struck by a Lance Berkman foul ball, sending him to the emergency room of a D.C. hospital.

But Moroney’s latest brush with America’s pastime is right here at ECC — the naming of the Falcons’ Baseball field “Taco Bell Field,” where the ECC team will begin play in the Spring of 2022.

Moroney is the president and owner of W & M Restaurants, Union, which owns Taco Bell restaurants in St. Clair, Union and Washington, and more than a dozen fast-food restaurants in the region.

Late last year, Moroney committed to donating $25,000 to the ECC Foundation, purchasing the naming rights of the baseball field.

John and his family, including wife, Jeannine, and son, Patrick, were on hand Friday, Jan. 15, for a “groundbreaking” ceremony recognizing his contribution to the college.

“I am so honored to be able to do this. It is exciting, and there is baseball tradition here, obviously,” Moroney said.

While Moroney attended ECC in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the college had a baseball team. ECC had a baseball squad take the field from 1975 to 2001.

During that stretch, Major League Baseball standout Tom “The Terminator” Henke, former pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays; and Omir Santos, former catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians played for the ECC team.

The team set to begin play next year will be coached by Coach Brandon Rains.

“When I was here the baseball team was pretty good,” Moroney remembered. “We had some great players.”

“There is a lot of interest in baseball locally,” he added. “We have Little League teams in all of the towns in the areas — the people around this community are excited for ECC’s baseball team to take the field next year.”

When the Falcon Baseball team takes the field next year, Moroney said he will be there to watch the crew during its inaugural season.

“It will be so neat to be able to come and watch games,” he commented. “I think it is incredible that ECC has done this.”

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer, who also is an avid baseball fan, said there were vital components that were necessary to reintroduce baseball at ECC.

“When we first talked about doing this, it was very critical that we had a few things in place,” he said.

“We knew the only way that this would work is if we had interest from local players, support of local coaches and support of local individuals and businesses,” Dr. Bauer added.

Moroney played a very important role in the plans for the return of baseball at the college, according to Dr. Bauer.

“To have John step up like this as an alum, individually, and as a business leader getting this off the ground was extremely important to the success of this program,” he further added.

Dr. Bauer noted that Coach Rains already has signed local players and he is working on signing more from the area.

“This is really just an exciting development for East Central College, and it could not be done without local support,” he said. “That’s what a community college is about and that’s what this day is about.”

To learn more about baseball at ECC or donate to the campaign, visit the ECC Foundation.