Category: Campus News

ECC Baseball Field Will Have Turf Infield

June 23, 2021 | Campus News

A turf infield at the East Central College baseball field is scheduled to be installed before exhibition and scrimmage games begin in October.

That will make ECC the first National Junior College Athletic Association school in Missouri with a turf infield.

The ECC Board of Trustees earlier this month approved the bid by Country Baseball, LLC, Johnson City, Texas, for the purchase of the turf and installation at the cost of $213,700.

The project will be funded by the ECC Foundation’s baseball campaign funds and matched by the Foundation to cover any amount over budget.

Athletic Director Dr. Jay Mehrhoff said his department planned to use grass seed, sod and install in an irrigation system. However, with recent increases in material costs, bids coming in higher than expected for materials, and future plans to install turf within the next few years, it was decided to move forward with turf now.

He added that there are several benefits to a turf infield, including fewer postponed games.

“We would be able to play in an hour after it stops raining, where before we would have to postpone a game or relocate it.” Mehrhoff said. “This will make it so much easier.”

The turf will be installed mid-September, at the latest, which means it will be available for exhibition and scrimmage games in the fall. The regular baseball season will be in the Spring 2022.

The turf will have an ECC Falcon logo behind home plate, Mehrhoff noted. The outfield will be grass.

Advantages of Turf

The field can also be utilized by other sports when it is not baseball season.

Mehrhoff explained that the athletic department will use a removable mound, making the field usable by the softball team or for soccer practice.

He said temporary fences could by placed to meet softball field size requirements.

Other advantages, Mehrhoff said, is there will be no need to purchase an $8,000 tarp to cover the infield when it is raining, and in the summer the field can be rented by baseball tournaments for high-school-aged teams.

“That could give us some recruiting exposure over the summer,” he said.

Most four-year schools and many high schools already play on turf, Mehrhoff added.

“This is the norm for a lot of high school players,” he said. “They are used to playing on turf.”

Area High School Teachers Recognized by ECC-NEA

June 21, 2021 | Campus News

High school educators have a profound effect on students in many capacities.

That’s why the East Central College chapter of the National Education Association (NEA) is celebrating the positive influence and dedication of those educators with the Inspirers of Excellence Award.

“We can’t accomplish what we aim to do for our students at ECC without the dedication of our high school colleagues,” said Susan Henderson, ECC-NEA vice-president. “We want to recognize that educational partnership in which we build upon the foundation they put in place.”

Each year, ECC students are asked to nominate a former teacher who has had an impact on their education.

This year, the ECC-NEA is recognizing two groups of recipients, those nominated in 2020 and those nominated in 2021. The educators received a certificate in the mail to recognize their contributions to the education of students.

Appreciation

Henderson said educators who received certificates were appreciative and honored to be recognized by former students.

“Thank you for recognizing educators’ positive impact on their students. After a tough year like this one, I cannot express how much I appreciate hearing from former students — It makes the difficult times easier to bear when you feel like what you’ve done matters.”

— Dustin Klenke, Eureka High School.

“Finding this certificate in my mailbox with the student’s note was very uplifting this week. Thank you for supporting our students.”

— Amanda Engelke, Rolla High School

“Thank you so much for giving students the opportunity to recognize teachers, what a happy surprise to receive this.”

— Ellen Domijan, St. Francis Borgia Regional High School

Listed below are the 2020 Inspirers of Excellence Award recipients, followed by the high school where they teach and the student who nominated them:

2020 Recipients

Joe Obermark, Crawford County R-1, Rachael Hollmann

Chris Scheel, Bourbon High School, Krista Licklider

Lucille Behrendt, Cuba High School, Taylor Rives

Desiree Gentle, Dixon R-1 High School, Delaney Plemmons

Dustin Klenke, Eureka High School, Joseph Eilers

Nikki Locklear, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Venita Kuntz

David Bond, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Megan Copeland

Terrill Story, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Megan Copeland

Zack Rogers, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Kyle Hill,

Michelle Auxier, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Megan Copeland

Melissa Brumagin, Liberty Christian Academy, Brooklyn Hunt

Angie Combs, Maries R-1 Vienna High School, Cheyenne Murdie

John Kinkead, Maries R-1 Vienna High School, Jaclyn Helton

Ken Wilardson, Maries R-1 Vienna High School, Cheyenne Murdie

Jessica Smith, Mehlville High School, Hannah Baker

Chef Amber Moore, Nicholas Career Center, Andrew Maslen

Kayla Pyle, Owensville High School, Addison White

Shirley Wright, Owensville High School, Tabitha Davis

Adriana Grimm, Pacific High School, Tyler Mueller

Garret Andreasen, Pacific High School, Jarred Snider

Heidi Boyer, Pacific High School, Shelby Flynn

Dr. Keith Peterson, Rolla High School, Courtney Kelley

Dr. Gwendolyn Fleming, Rolla High School; Asst Prin Rolla Middle School, Macie Parsons

Christy Dalton, Rolla Junior High School, Nick Reising

Josh Adams, Saint James High School, Cody Jones

Benjamin Martin, St Clair High School, Adrianna Collins

Benjamin Martin, St Clair High School, Benjamin Schwanitz

Donald Dement, St Clair High School, Sebastian Montowine

Ellen Domijan, St. Francis Borgia High School, Cayden Schall

George McKee, St. Francis Borgia High School, Jacob Brinker

Kayla Eckelkamp, St. Francis Borgia High School, Jackson Broom-Morse

Angela Chamber, Sullivan High School, Patricia Gassner

Sarah Rochleau , Sullivan High School, Madison Rudisill

Sarah Rochleau , Sullivan High School, Sydney Harmon

Brandi Gremaud, Union High School, Brianna Shirley

Danika Novak, Union High School, Hanah Wilbers

Dennis Smith, Union High School, Rachel Dains

Melissa Bestgen, Union High School, Alexander Hanneken

Nathan Hoskins, Union High School, Nathan Hoskins

Tina Kluesner, Union High School, Maddison Hammon

Danika Novak, Union High School, Kaylee Wentz

Jennifer Schwentker, Union High School, Stephanie Sachs

Melissa Bestgen, Union High School, Brianna Cornman

Nathan Hoskins, Union High School, Hunter Triplett

Kerry Holtmeier, Washington High School, Molly Eckelkamp

Michelle Turner, Washington High School, Colton Souders

Rachel Stahl, Washington High School, Jenna Crider

Whitney Crabtree, Windsor High School, Meagan Ross

2021 Recipients

Emily Joseph, Cuba High School, Charley Leonard

Julie Munro, Cuba High School, Kaylah Highley

Cragon McBride, Farmington (Formerly Sullivan), Brandon Royal

Melanie Behrens, Hermann High School, Geena Lee

Patrick Dell, Hermann High School, Geena Lee

Patrick Dell, Hermann Middle and High School, Hannah Gale

Amanda Sikes, Homeschool, Samantha Sikes

Jean Schaible, Homeschool, Anna Schaible

Heather Carlson, Hunter High School, Granite School District, Utah, Vaimoana Moungaafi

Ashley Prawitz, John F. Hodge High School, St. James, Abby Parsons

Lea Hickerson, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla High School, Nick Reising

Kelsey McCroskey, New Haven High School (formerly), Julia Unnerstall

Kelsey McCroskey, New Haven High School (formerly), Lydia Otten

Kelsey McCroskey, New Haven High School (formerly), McKenzie Overschmidt

Amanda Peery, Newburg High School, Riley Jackson

David Peery, Newburg High School, Riley Jackson

Donna Hinson, Owensville High School, Gasconade County r2, Emily Copeland

Christopher Noce, Pacific High School, Chris Noce

Scott Hauser, Pattonville High School, Haylee Bartel

Amanda Engelke, Rolla High School, Nevaeh Skyles

Christy Green, Rolla High School, Janessa Metzen

Christy Dalton, Rolla Junior High School, Nick Reising

Rebecca Bolen, Rolla Technical Center, Angelica Gore

Charles Knipp, St. Clair High School, Sue Seyer

Sgt. Gregory Cohen, St. Clair High School, Kaitlyn Salsman

Jason Harbour, Sullivan High School, Madeline Marks

Jennifer Blankenship, Sullivan High School, Abbie Zelch

Dianne Smith, Union High School, Tina Makic

Michael Underberg, Union High School, Kaitlyn Salsman

Nathan Hoskins, Union High school, Hunter Triplett

Nicole Griffin, Union High school, Jasmyne Bradley

Teresa Springer, Union High School, Gavin Pickard

Nicole Griffin, Union High School, Alex Kuelker

Colin Flynn, Washington High school, Katherine Harrison

Dane Gough, Washington High School, Jena Spreckelmeyer

Grant Young, Washington High School, Emma Von Rump

Michelle Turner, Washington High School, Autumn Osia

Michelle Turner, Washington High School, Abby Riegel

Trustees Extend Contract of ECC President Dr. Bauer

June 21, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Board of Trustees at a June meeting voted unanimously to award a contract extension to President Dr. Jon Bauer through the next three years.

Dr. Bauer has served as president of the college for nine years. His contract was extended through June 30, 2024.

“I’m grateful for the board’s support and excited about what lies ahead for East Central,” he said.

“With a strong leadership team, committed faculty and staff, and engaged board, we are poised for a momentous period in our history. I’m honored to lead the college and I am energized for this work.”

Board of Trustees President Ann Hartley commented that Dr. Bauer has provided clear leadership the past 18 months during an unprecedented time.

“Dr. Bauer has a passion for ECC and he always is focused on what is best for the students,” Hartley said. “He continued to keep the students and the community ECC serves as the focal point during the difficult pandemic year.

“ECC is very fortunate to have him,” she added. “Dr. Bauer has continually moved the college in a positive direction with integrity, dignity and accountability to the position.”

Bauer became the college’s sixth president July 1, 2012, succeeding Donald Shook, Charles Novak, Dale Gibson, Karen Herzog and Ed Jackson. On two occasions Fred Davis served as interim president of the college.

Recent Grad Earns Webster Leadership Scholarship

June 18, 2021 | Campus News

Recent East Central College graduate Alexis Kinnison is part of a select group of students who have earned a leadership scholarship and will participate in the WebsterLEADS Program at Webster University this fall.

Kinnison, of Union, is a member of the Class of 2021. She graduated from ECC with an Associate in Fine Arts degree, and she plans to study to be an art therapist.

“At Webster I will continue my fine arts degree with an emphasis in ceramics, and also begin psychology and therapy courses,” she said.

“Being an art therapist is a way for me to help others in my community and connect with them through making art.”

During her time at Webster, Kinnison will be part of the WebsterLEADS (Learn Evolve Apply Develop and Serve) leadership certificate program, which continues for students each year they attend Webster University. The program includes interactive courses, workshops, retreats and practicum work.

To be considered for the competitive program, applicants must have proven leadership involvement.

The leadership scholarship requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Applicants also must document extracurricular activities and leadership involvement.

Leadership at ECC

According to Kinnison, she strengthened her leadership skills while a student at ECC.

“During my time at ECC, I was vice president and then president of art club. I was also a student worker in the art department, where I had the best mentors to teach me,” she said.

“Through these experiences, I learned a lot about the importance of community and what it means to be a leader,” Kinnison added. “Leadership is about bringing people together. Especially through the trying times of COVID, having these groups was very valuable.”

She further added that she developed professional habits and practices that will help in continuing her education and in a career.

“I’ve learned responsibility, communication and persistence. Being able to further practice and learn this through the WebsterLEADS program is very exciting,” Kinnison said.

Kinnison admits that she wasn’t always leader among her peers.

“Growing up, I was probably the shyest kid in school,” she said. “My mom had to place a heart sticker in my palm just to get me through the school day.

“You can only imagine how excited she was to get the phone call that I had won the leadership scholarship that I had worked so hard for.”

While president of the Art Club this past year, the club created a wall mural in Hansen Hall. The mural includes a quote by French artist Edgar Degas, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

“The mural project hopefully is the start to what my career may look like in the future,” she said.

Sally Dill to Exhibit at ECC Art Gallery

June 18, 2021 | Art Campus News

New York City artist and former Franklin County resident Sally Dill will be featured this summer at the East Central College Art Gallery.

Dill’s show will be from July 1 through Aug. 27. It is called “Pieces” and the exhibit is dubbed, “Playful Collage Works.”

Dill was born in St. Louis and moved to the Krakow area in 1949 when she was 5 years old. Her family remained in Krakow and Dill graduated from St. Francis Borgia Regional High School before she left the area to attend the University of Saint Mary, Kansas.

She noted that her brother, Tom Dill, is a former teacher and baseball coach at ECC. He also served on the College’s board of trustees. He encouraged her to seek a show at ECC.

Dill worked as an art teacher, on and off, from 1967 to 2001. She first taught art in Blue Springs, Mo., and later Kansas Cit. She moved to New York City in 1995 and took a position as an art teacher at the Claremont Riding Academy.

First Body of Work

Dill began creating paper cuts of human figures in 1988, introducing her into the art world. She utilized the “blind contour line method” to cut directly into paper.

“A focusing of the eyes almost exclusively on the subject as I cut, whereby capturing a gesture — the essence,” she explained. “Later, the cut shapes, positive and negative, move me in unplanned ways to a composition”

Krakow Revisited

Part of Dill’s show at ECC will be her “Krakow Revisited” collection, which are pieces she created while in Krakow, Mo.

“It will be nice to show at ECC because my roots are in Krakow,” Dill said.

“Krakow Revisited” was inspired by the St. Gertrude Church’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1995, and her family’s history in the area. Her great grandfather, Gerhard Voss, settled in Krakow from Germany in the late 1830s.

Dill worked with the sesquicentennial committee to exhibit her Krakow cut photo collages, which included wax and natural elements, such as tree bark from Krakow.

“I used dogwood, pinewood needles and dirt from the church ground,” she added.

Her work was displayed in the St. Gertrude Catholic School lobby in the spring of 1995 and she worked with schoolchildren as a visiting artist during the display.

New York City

While walking around the streets of New York City, Dill noticed gloves of varying styles and sizes in gutters, and on sidewalks and streets.

“I am so interested in lost gloves,” she said. “They are such a metaphor for all of humanity. I found so many kinds of gloves — Children’s, gloves, men’s and women’s, gloves, work gloves. . .”

Dill would collect gloves she found abandoned or misplaced on roads and sidewalks, wash them, and incorporate them into her artwork.

Other Works

Dill also creates mixed media collages of found objects displayed in antique frames that she has collected, and other small-format works of cut photo pieces and other paper.

She has exhibited in 40 states and Montreal, Canada, since 1988 and is a signature member of the National Collage society since 2000.

College to Utilize COVID-Relief Funds for Health and Safety Upgrades

June 18, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College Board of Trustees approved the use of federal COVID-relief funds for technology and furniture purchases, heating and ventilation upgrades, and new remote access door systems.

During its June 14 meeting, trustees agreed to utilize federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund dollars, allocated as part of the CARES Act, to purchase equipment to mitigate the transmission of viruses, as well as technology upgrades to expand broadband for distance learning.

Much of the CARES Act funded furniture, technology and air-quality upgrades will be in place before the fall semester, according to ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“There is going to be a lot of work going on in the next few months,” he said.

Furniture Purchases

Trustees approved two bids for the purchase of furniture at the Union campus and Rolla sites from Krueger International (KI). The college will purchase furniture for classrooms and student gathering areas in Union at the cost of $313,300.50; and furniture for classrooms at Rolla Main and Rolla North for $81,144.

“This will provide more flexibility to configure classrooms for social distancing, and the finish of the furniture is much easier to clean and sanitize,” Dr. Bauer noted.

Technology

CARES Act funds also will be used to purchase new fiber and network switches for the Health and Science and Donald Shook Student Center buildings.

Trustees approved the bid from Link Data Services, Inc. for installation of fiber at a cost of $41,482.35; and the purchase of 15 Dell switches at the cost of $84,105.

‘This will improve the bandwidth for distance learning and Wi-Fi,” Dr. Bauer said.

HVAC System

The $1,437,620 bid from Johnson Controls for a HVAC project also was approved by trustees.

The scope of work includes a heat pump replacement, new ultraviolet lamps, new duct work and ventilation upgrades, and Variable Air Volume (VAV) box replacement in three buildings on campus.

According to Dr. Bauer, the ultraviolet lamps, bulbs, and components can disinfect airstreams and continuously clean surfaces of cooling units and drain pans for maintaining indoor air quality and comfort performance.

“The developed clean air solutions from Johnson Controls help to decrease the risk of infection and create a safer, healthier environment,” he said.

Access Door Control

Another project funded by COVID-relief funds that was approved by trustees is for access door control and ADA touchless entries. TSI Global Companies, St. Charles, was the low bidder for the project at the cost of $165,805.

The access door control and ADA touchless entry project will be an upgrade over the aging automatic door hardware now in place. The touchless entry will help prevent the spread of viruses, improve security and safety, and be ADA compliance.

In addition, Union campus police officers will have remote access to doors and can quickly lockdown the campus if warranted during emergency situations.

Upgrades to access doors will be installed at the Union and Rolla locations.

ECC Receives Funds for Student Career Guidance and Mental Health Support Center

June 17, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College has received $871,761 in state funding to create a new Center for Career Advancement and Student Wellness on the Union campus.

On Wednesday, June 16, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) approved the college’s request to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Excels funds to renovate the former Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) lab in Hansen Hall for the new center. The HVAC program was moved to the Business and Industry Center in 2016.

The new center will assist students with registration and completion of short-term training programs, with the goal to provide job skills to enter the workforce or continue to enhance their education to obtain a certificate or a two-year degree.

The center will better serve the needs and demands of the local workforce, especially in advanced manufacturing and health care industries, that are in desperate need of qualified and skilled employees.

In additional, short-term training programs for other high-demand industries will also be available including, information technology, HVAC, logistics and early childhood development.

The renovated areas of Hansen Hall will also be used to house the college’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program, including office space and class space. The minor demolition work of the former HVAC lab and construction of the new center is tentatively scheduled to begin in January 2022 to be completed in late spring of 2022.

“I’m excited to have the funding to create this new center for our students,” said Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president.

“Increasing career counseling and mental health resources to our students is vital to their success, especially at a time when mental health is so important to a student’s well-being. The enhanced career counseling resources will better prepare our students both personally and professionally. “

Services

Plans call for the 3,560-square-foot area in Hansen Hall to be converted into two classrooms, a training lab and five offices. Within the classrooms, various groups and classes will meet, including AEL students and Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication Technician students.

Five offices will be created for AEL staff, a CNA/CMT instructor, a Career Navigator and a Social Services Navigator.

The Social Services Navigator will support all ECC students and assist those who lack essential resources for success and who may be anxious about returning to classes in person. The role of the navigator is to advocate for those with mental and physical health needs.

With resources in the college and from local service providers, students will be referred to the appropriate services. A social worker will act as an advocate for the student to connect them with the resources they need.

The Career Navigator will work with students through their education experience to help them identify the best Career Pathway for their specific interests and career goals. The Career Navigator services include resume building and job search services, and services to assist students in developing a personal and professional development plan.

It will be the responsibility of the Career Navigator to help students progress through their selected career pathway. This could include helping them enroll in partner programs before and after the short-term training is completed, working with financial aid, and verifying eligibility for other funding sources.

The hiring process of the two navigator positions will begin in July to have the positions ready to assist students for the 2021 fall semester.

Funding

Through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) additional funding was appropriated for the GEER Excels fund, that will allow institutions to continue to provide assistance for recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19, either in terms of meeting specific workforce needs or removing barriers to student success.

The preliminary request for proposals (RFP) was issued on March 1. The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development received 22 applications from the state’s community colleges and universities requesting $19.66 million.

New Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement Approved by Board

June 17, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Board of Trustees Monday, June 14, approved the negotiated collective bargaining agreement with faculty for the 2021-22 academic year.

Two primary changes address sabbaticals and a 4 percent pay increase, according to ECC-National Education Association (NEA) President Aaron Bounds.

“I am very happy with the process and how well the NEA and administrators worked together,” Bounds said.

The one-year deal was approved unanimously by the 29 current ECC-NEA members.

“This was a very collaborative process,” added ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “This covered a lot of areas, including compensation.”

Under the new agreement, the college and ECC-NEA recognized the importance of maintaining competitive salaries as compared to other community colleges in the region.

The agreement states that ECC commits to increasing faculty salaries to the average of base faculty salaries at the region’s community colleges, including Jefferson College, St. Charles Community College, and St. Louis Community College, within the next four years.

Sabbaticals

Bounds added that under the new CBA, the sabbatical process was refined and fleshed out.

“Sabbaticals were allowed but weren’t consistent over the last few years,” he said. “This cleaned up the process and ensures we could utilize a sabbatical when applicable.

“In fact, since adding this process we have already approved an application for this school year,” Bounds added.

Trustees Approve $19.8 Million Balanced Budget

June 16, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Board of Trustees approved a $19.8 million spending plan, that includes a boost in salaries for employees.

The 2022 fiscal year balanced budget projects $19,813,874 in both revenue and expenditures. The college’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. The budget was approved Monday, June 14.

In the 2021 fiscal year, there was $19,457,624 in actual revenue to date, and $16,054,046 in expenditures.

Included in the budget is a 4 percent increase in employee compensation, an area that the college has strived to increase, according to ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“I think this puts us on the right path, but it doesn’t get us to the finish line,” Dr. Bauer said.

There is an anticipated increase in state and local revenue, as well as tuition and fees.

Dr. Bauer noted that the there is an increase in enrollment, so far, for the Fall 2021 semester.

Anticipated revenue for tuition and fees this fiscal year is $6,334,616, an increase of $765,550 over last year’s budgeted tuition and fees revenue of $5,569,066.

“We are seeing strong enrollment growth for the fall cycle,” Dr. Bauer added. “This is still a little bit of a tricky budget year, and we are only halfway into the enrollment cycle.”

Locally, budgeted revenue is expected to increase $534,234 from the previous budgeted amount of $6,977,522 last year to $7,511,756.

State aid is projected to increase to $5,236,024 from the previously budgeted amount of $4,603,701, a total increase of $632,323.

Technology Purchase

Trustees also approved the purchase of 306 personal computers (PCs) and monitors from the state negotiated Dell purchasing contract at a cost of $206,703 that will be funded using technology fees.

“This will replace a generation of computers on campus by the start of the fall semester,” Dr. Bauer said.

College Recognized in State Report for Degree Reclamation Initiative

June 16, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College’s efforts to assist students in returning to college to complete their degree was recognized by the state in a “White Paper” report published earlier this month.

ECC’s Finish Your Investment (FYI) degree reclamation program is part of a nationwide initiative — named Degrees When Due. The program is sponsored by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and supported by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD).

ECC was the only community college recognized in the DHEWD report for its reclamation program during the 2020-21 academic year. The state agency applauded ECC’s communication and outreach during planning and implementation of the FYI program.

DHEWD also credited ECC for creating a well-balanced campus-wide team to support the degree reclamation program, which can be used as a model for other higher education institutes.

‘Life Changing’

ECC’s FYI program was designed to guide students who’ve completed college credits at the College to help them complete a degree.

There were 742 former students targeted, of those, 39 “auto graduated” due to the number of credit hours they already had obtained. Another 31 students applied for admission; 20 enrolled in courses; and five ultimately earned a degree.

Laura Deason, associate registrar, was recognized June 14 by the ECC Board of Trustees for her work in examining student records and then determining that the 39 “auto graduated” students were eligible for degrees.

“We firmly believe for the students that have returned it is life-changing,” Robyn Walter vice president of academic affairs was quoted in the DHEWD publication.

The White Paper recounted a story published by ECC about Mercedes Mangrum, 26, who was motivated to finish her degree after a four-year pause. She was just 12 credit hours away from an associate degree.

“My decision to complete this semester was solely to give myself options for future endeavors. As an older student, I did feel more focused and ready to complete my degree,” Mangrum said.

FYI Team

According to the DHEWD, a key part of successful reclamation programs was building a campus team tasked with cross-campus collaboration strategies to retain current students and support adult reengagement.

ECC’s team was composed of about 15 employees from varying areas of the College.

Plans call for a continuation of the FYI program at ECC, to help meet the needs of a diverse demographic of students, including first-generation college students, low-income students, single parents, and veterans.