The East Central College Foundation will continue its steps for a grant to repair and improve the recreational walking trail at the Union campus.

The ECC Board of Trustees Monday approved a resolution allowing President Dr. Jon Bauer to sign documentation needed to seek the Missouri Recreation Trails Program (RTP) grant.

According to Bridgette Kelch, East Central College Foundation executive director, if ECC receives the grant, plans call for an overlay of the existing trail. The nearly one-mile long trail would be widened to its original width of 6 feet.

Over time, she explained, the width had diminished due to encroaching weeds and crumbling asphalt.

Bauer added that the trail sees a lot of community use but improvements are needed. He explained that if the Foundation does not receive a grant this year, it could seek funding during the next grant cycle.

The grant also would fund upgrades to the restroom facility near the trail.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to bring the trail back to a more usable condition,” Kelch said. “Not only is the trail used by students, faculty and staff, but by community members as well.”

She said a recent survey conducted by the Foundation indicated that up to half of those who use the trail are local residents.

The RTP utilizes federal funds that are administered through the Missouri Department of Natural Recourses, Division of State Parks. Projects funded by the grant are required to be available for public use.

The grant application is due Feb. 14 and grants will be awarded in November, Kelch said. If it is approved, work would likely begin in the spring of 2021.

The maximum amount awarded through the grant is $250,000, which would require a 20 percent local match. A portion of the funding would come from the college.

Kelch said the total project is estimated to cost $312,500.

She added that the ECC Civic and Community Engagement Group, comprised of students, faculty and staff, will contribute in-kind donations.

The excitement surrounding the announcement of the addition of new sports teams at East Central College is taking shape as Martin Clayes has been named the new, full-time combined men’s and women’s head soccer coach.

The ECC Board of Trustees Monday approved the hiring of Clayes to lead both teams.

Clayes is moving from his previous position as head men’s soccer coach at St. Louis Community College, where he won the 2019 NJCAA Region 16 Men’s DI Soccer Tournament in his first year in the position.

According to Jay Mehrhoff, ECC athletic director, Clayes will be instrumental in overseeing the start of new women’s program.

“His hopes are to elevate the women’s program to compete for the region title in the same way he feels the men’s program is ready to compete in the near future,” Mehrhoff said.

“Coach Clayes has a very knowledgeable soccer mind along with a passion for the sport.”

The coach began his new role at ECC Tuesday, Feb. 4.

“I am excited to help start the women’s program and improving the men’s team, and hopefully winning regional titles” Clayes said.

“I am beginning to integrate into the college and I am looking forward to helping students, not only in soccer and academic pursuits, but in life.”

A native of Scotland, Clayes came to the United States on a soccer scholarship to Truman State University where he was a member of the Bulldogs soccer squad during their most successful run in school history.

In 2005, he was named an NCAA DII 1^st Team All-American as a midfielder. He ranks No. 2 all-time in career assists and No. 7 in career goals for the Truman State Bulldogs.

Along with his college experience, Clayes has coached at the professional level in the Premier Development League (PDL) with the St. Louis Lions and Chicago Fire. He has also spent time coaching at the youth level.

Prior to coaching at St. Louis Community College, he was the head men’s coach at Bacone College, Muskogee, Okla., in the 2017-18 season.

Clayes also was the assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of North Texas from 2014-16, the head men’s coach at Westminster College from 2010-13 and the assistant women’s soccer coach at Truman State University from 2008-10.

Clayes received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Truman State University and his Master of Science in Sports Science from United States Sports Academy.

His coaching licenses include a United States Soccer Federation A License, NSCAA. USC Director of Coaching Diploma & Goalkeeper Diploma and Scottish Youth D License. He also big proponent of fitness and holds an English Football Association of Fitness for Football certificate.

 

The Academic Challenge at East Central College will be rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12, due to weather concerns.

ECC is anticipating more than 175 high school students from the area for the regional Academic Challenge. The event had been planned for Wednesday Feb. 5 but the date was changed due to the possibility of winter weather.

Students from Union, Washington, St. Francis Borgia Regional High School, St. Clair, Sullivan, Warrenton, Linn, Houston, Hallsville and Chamois will participate.

The Academic Challenge is a competition designed to challenge the best and brightest high school students, and involves a battery of tests in seven subject areas: math, biology, chemistry, physics, English, computer science and engineering graphics.

The tests are taken individually and prizes are awarded for top individual scores in each subject area and for top team scores.

Linda Arrington, Academic Advisor/Instructional for engineering at East Central College, noted that the tests are written by university faculty and are designed to present a challenge to the brightest students.

“The material is drawn from senior high school and freshman level college curriculum so as to present a bridge between secondary and higher education,” she said.

The Academic Challenge is in Missouri with about 40 to 50 high schools participating, but over 6,000 students from 400 high schools in Illinois participate in the annual event. This is the 21^st year ECC has hosted the regional challenge. In addition to the tests the students will take part in a trivia competition in the theater and be treated to dinner prior to the evening awards ceremony.

The Challenge is divided into large and small school categories, with the top team and individual winners from the competition at ECC advancing to the sectional competition held at Missouri S&T in March.

For information about the Academic Challenge at ECC, call 636-584-6677. Read more about Academic Challenge.

The East Central College, Union, Medical Assisting Certificate program accreditation recently was continued after a peer review that recognized it for substantial compliance with national standards.

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors approved the re-accreditation Jan. 16. The program is evaluated through CAAHEP and the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

“As always, we are striving to do our best and continue improving the program for the best interest of our students and to prepare them for an exciting medical assisting career,” said Adisa Velic, program director.

Velic added that there is significant demand locally in the medical assisting field and many ECC students have been employed in the community through externship as well as immediately after completing the program.

“This program has been a great success for us and re-accreditation is just a cherry on the cake,” she said.

According to Nancy J. Mitchell, MSN, RN, interim director of nursing and dean of health science, re-accreditation was accomplished through the hard work of the faculty and staff, along with community partnerships.

“Faculty and staff have worked diligently to provide the best quality programming and comply with nationally-normed standards to educate future certified medical assistants,” she said.

“We are appreciative of our local clinical partners as well,” Mitchell noted. “Without their continued partnership and collaboration, we would not be able to provide high-quality clinical experiences for our students. The re-accreditation status proves ECC’s commitment to continuous quality improvement.”

The next comprehensive evaluation of the program, including an onsite review, is scheduled to occur by the fall of 2023. The MAERB regularly monitors the program’s compliance through the annual report and other documentation.

The accreditation standards are established by CAAHEP, MAERB, American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), American Medical Technologists (AMT), and National Healthcareer Association (NHA).