Category: ECC Rolla

Rolla Nursing Student Finds Time for Education

May 4, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Many people have asked when Carli Nesheim, Cuba, finds the time to eat, let alone attend classes at East Central College.

“I eat in my car on my way to class or on my way back to work from class. I have just enough time to drive to ECC, go to class and drive back to work on my lunch break, so I make it work!” explained Nesheim.

Nesheim attends class while also working full-time at Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla as a licensed practical nurse. Her educational background includes attending ECC directly after graduating high school, going through the LPN program at the Waynesville Career Center, taking classes for a semester at Drury University, and then making her way back to ECC.

“I came to ECC right after high school but ultimately wasn’t ready for college. We had a family tragedy, and I wasn’t in the right mindset yet,” Nesheim stated.

Nesheim’s passion for nursing was sparked by a family tragedy.

“When my Mom was in the ICU, I saw the care the nurses were providing her. That really made me want to go into the field.”

“I want to be one of the nurses that patients or their families remember having a good experience with during their stay in the hospital. I want to have that positive impact on people,” said Nesheim.

Nesheim received her LPN license from the Waynesville career center but her passion for nursing encouraged her to pursue further nursing licensure. She decided to become an RN and wanted to return to ECC to do so.

“After taking a couple of classes at Drury, I decided to come back to ECC. After I finish my prerequisite classes, I hope to do the RN Bridge program. When I graduate from ECC, I want to go for my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing),” Nesheim explained.

Ultimately, Nesheim would like to be a nurse on the surgery/orthopedic floor or an operating room circulating nurse. She is currently working at the general surgery clinic and would like to stay on at Phelps Health after she graduates.

She recognizes she has a lot of hard work ahead of her but knows that coming back to East Central College was a great step in making her dream happen.

“The advisors here at ECC have been really great. They’ve been super helpful in letting me know what I need and what I am missing now that I am back. They have made it a smooth transition for me,” Nesheim declared.

“Seeing my growth as a student this time at ECC and even as a nurse has been eye-opening. I don’t want to say it’s been easy but knowing how to study and plan accordingly has made it a lot simpler this time.”

ECC to Offer Summer Learning Academy at No Cost

April 27, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College will once again hold its Summer Learning Academy (SLA) and this year there is no cost to participate.

The academy, facilitated by the ECC Community Education division, will provide a unique, fun experience for area youth on the Union campus or the ECC Rolla site this summer. This is the first year there will be classes offered in Rolla.

There are a variety of classes geared toward children ages five to 16 including, archery, science rocks, robotics and computer programming, soil science, nursing, junior welding, theatre, cheerleading and more.

To sign up or see a class schedule, visit Summer Learning Academy.

SLA classes are designed with curiosity and creativity in mind — letting students develop talents and encourage exploration and personal growth.

“We have the opportunity to offer these classes at no cost to families to enrich children within the communities we serve,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “Any chance we have to provide a service like this to our community fits well with our mission.”

Students or parents will be asked to prioritize their interests while registering. After registering for three courses, they will be placed on a waiting list if they choose to sign up for a fourth course. Participants can register for a maximum of four classes.

For more information, people may email Pam.Kaiser@eastcentral.edu or call 636-649-5803.

Four Students Inducted in Rolla PTK Chapter

March 17, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

There were four members inducted into the Beta Omicron Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society Saturday, March 6.

PTK is an international honor society for two-year colleges. Members pursue activities that fall under the direction of the society’s hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship.

To be eligible for induction, students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.4 for one semester and maintain a 3.2 GPA after their induction. Students can be pursuing any major, degree or certificate.

The inductees are Lauren Callison, Vienna; Mason Parks, St. James; Courtney Kelley, Rolla; and Hannah Kitson, Waynesville.

PTK Rolla advisor, Dr. Beth Winters-Rozema said Callison and Mason joined the PTK late last semester and took part in the March 6 induction ceremony.

The keynote speaker for the induction was Nikohl Watson-Lowe, PTK regional vice president for Missouri and vice president of communications for the Alpha Psi Tau chapter at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC).

Watson-Lowe is a full-time student at OTC, who has just completed an Associates in Bioclinical Science degree. Watson-Lowe is currently working on an Associates in Automotive Technology.

PTK Chapters Recognized for Membership Rates

March 9, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) international honor society chapters at East Central College in Union and Rolla have been recognized for membership rates.

That’s according to Sarah Murphy, president of the PTK Chi Delta Chapter, Union, who said the chapters have been named to the REACH Rewards program for 2021.

“We have gotten a high percentage of member acceptance — even during a pandemic,” Murphy said.

REACH Rewards recognizes Phi Theta Kappa chapters that achieve or exceed a 15 percent membership acceptance rate. The Chi Delta Chapter has 20.8 percent acceptance rate.

The Beta Omicron Phi Chapter, located at ECC-Rolla, also has been named to the REACH Rewards program. Both chapters have been part of the program for multiple years.

“We have been a Reach chapter for every year the program has existed,” Murphy said, “and Beta Omicron Phi in Rolla has consistently been a REACH chapter.”

The Beta Omicron Phi Chapter has 24.7 percent acceptance rate.

“We had amazing participation from the moment we went virtual through the end of 2020.,” said Dr. Elizabeth Winters-Rozema, Beta Omicron Phi advisor. “We had more members join during the virtual portion of 2020 than we’d had for years.”

The 2021 REACH Chapters will be rewarded with free graduation stoles for their members.

PTK is the international honor society for two-year colleges. As a member of PTK, students will pursue the society’s hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship.

Students must have at least a 3.4 GPA and be a full-time student for one semester to be invited into PTK. After being inducted, students must maintain a 3.2 GPA.

Membership is open to students pursuing a degree or certificate, no matter the major.

Rolla Nursing Student Receives Scholarship

March 4, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College-Rolla Nursing student, Summer Thorp-Lancaster is the recipient of a $1,000 Missouri League for Nursing (MLN) scholarship.

She will be recognized at the eighth annual MLN Student Nurse Virtual Convention in April.

Laura McDonald, ECC Rolla Nursing Program coordinator, said Thorp-Lancaster, who anticipates graduating in May, is an excellent student.

“She has life experiences that have guided her to where she is today, and she is thoroughly eager and excited to give back and work as a registered nurse,” McDonald said.

She added that Thorp-Lancaster is mature, very intelligent, dedicated to her success and she represents a “symbol of excellence as a student nurse.”

“Her outlook is always to do what is best for the patient with much thought and consideration during patient care,” McDonald commented.

“She will be an awesome patient advocate and I am so excited to see where her future takes her.”

According to McDonald, Thorp-Lancaster is very deserving of the MLN scholarship.

“She encompasses quality patient care, being a valuable team player on the healthcare team, and making sound judgements,” she said. “She has juggled personal setbacks throughout nursing school while still meeting program expectations and doing well overall.

“The scholarship will definitely help offset some of her setbacks, while allowing her to continue to achieve her goal and reach the finish line of graduation in May.”

Students Inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, Rolla Chapter

December 2, 2020 | Campus News ECC Rolla

There were 16 students from East Central College in Rolla who were inducted into the Beta Omicron Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society on Saturday, Nov. 14.

PTK is an international honor society for two-year colleges. To be eligible for induction, students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.4 for one semester and maintain a 3.2 GPA after their induction. Students can be pursuing any major, degree or certificate.

“I’ve seen how this organization impacts students and helps them gain confidence in their schoolwork and in the community” explains PTK Rolla advisor, Dr. Beth Winters-Rozema.

“This organization is a great way to develop their leadership skills” she adds.

This year’s Fall inductees are Jozlyn Belcher, Robert Berkelman, Isabel Bramel, Jennifer Breedlove, Brendan Coyne, Lauren Ely, Jaime Gregory-Snyder, Alex Kitchens, Lauren Moersch, Corene Muecke, Megan Myslinski, Jace Nilges, Kya Nilges, James Parrish, Gaven Schmidt and Claire Smith.

This year’s ceremony was held via Zoom and featured keynote speaker Brandy Howdeshell, volunteer coordinator for The Rolla Mission in downtown Rolla. She urged students to do what they can to make the world a better place.

Howdeshell also told her story about being in trouble and how the community came together to support her. The Rolla Mission provides daily hot meals, free laundry and showering facilities for the disadvantaged.

“We are very proud of our newest PTK members,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“Being a member of PTK opens many doors to success for students and I always look forward to seeing what triumphs they achieve throughout their time here at ECC.”

ECC-Rolla Helps Students Prepare for Success

November 9, 2020 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College in Rolla is committed to providing students with ample resources to succeed. One resource in particular are the Student Success Sessions.

Created and led by Jessica Robart, Student Success Coordinator at ECC Rolla, the 30-minute workshops offer varying topic, ranging from logging into and navigating Canvas, to being successful in online classes, and creating study groups.

In addition to Robart, the sessions are by led qualified tutors Susan Donaldson and Kirby Moreland.

“When students attend success sessions, they are very engaged,” Robart said.

“These workshops give students a chance to network with other students they don’t know or with faculty members. It’s great to build those relationships.”

The tips students learn in these sessions not only help them in their coursework, but also in future careers.

“We do career exploration as well,” Robart said. “Sometimes we will have someone from Missouri Career Centers come and do different types of career assessments with the students.”

She noted that students learn interview skills, resume writing sessions to help them write a resume or look over their resumes.

“We try to offer a wide variety of options for our students,” she added.

The Student Success Sessions also cover specific topics that faculty members recommend. Robart visits each class at least once at the beginning of the year to let students know about the services that the Success Center provides.

Robart explained that faculty sometimes offer students extra credit for attending the sessions.

“That collaboration between faculty and staff has been so helpful,” she added.

Workshops take place at Rolla Technical Center Room 139 from 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The sessions will continue until the Thanksgiving break.

For more information on Student Success Sessions, or tutoring at the Rolla locations, visit www.eastcentral.edu/rolla/ or contact Robart at Jessica.Robart@EastCentral.edu.

ECC Launching Rolla Area Community Survey

November 2, 2020 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College is reaching out to community members and stakeholders in the Rolla area with a community survey intended to influence the direction of the college for years to come.

The Rolla campus is an important part of ECC’S strategic plan — SOAR to 2024. A primary goal of the plan is to identify and define the experience ECC provides to its students. The survey is a key component of the strategic planning process.

According to ECC Rolla Director Christina Ayres, community input is an invaluable resource in creating the strategic plan.

“Expanding ECC’s presence and offerings in Rolla was identified as one of the five strategic priorities to enhance the college’s impact throughout our service region,” she said.

Ayres noted that ECC is reaching out to those in the region to assist the college in identifying opportunities for growth and expansion, and the feedback will be used to help guide ECC’s expansion initiatives in the Rolla area.

“To fulfill our mission of empowering students and enriching communities through education, we are developing a comprehensive plan for our Rolla operations and understanding the needs of our service region is essential to this process,” she added.

“This survey gives a voice to the communities we serve to provide invaluable perspective as we plan for ECC Rolla’s future.”

ECC has two locations in Rolla that offer a wide range of transfer, career-ready, and health care programs designed to meet the needs of Rolla and the surrounding communities.

College administrators, faculty and staff have made a concerted effort to expand and implement the offerings of the college in Rolla.

That includes two new Industrial Engineering Technology introductory courses slated to launch in the Spring 2021.

“We also realize that our community members may not be aware of the programming and services we are currently providing through our Rolla sites, and this survey will provide insights to enhance our course offerings and programs, services, and outreach,” Ayres said.

Learn more about ECC Rolla.

Industrial Engineering Tech Classes to be Offered in Rolla

November 2, 2020 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College in Rolla is expanding its offerings to provide Introductory Manufacturing courses through the Industrial Engineering Technology (IET) program.

The two eight-week courses will be held in the Spring 2021 semester, that begins Tuesday, January 19.

According to Dr. Richard Hudanick, ECC’s dean of career and technical education, the manufacturing community in the Rolla area has expressed interest in IET training and the college is meeting their demand.

“It is exciting to push forward and help the manufacturers in the Rolla area. They companies have been asking for training and by offering these two courses — Intro to Manufacturing Processes and Maintenance Practices — sets the stage to support this community.”

The IET program teaches students to function as industrial machinery mechanics, maintenance technicians and engineering assistants — installing, maintaining and programming advanced manufacturing equipment.

Through the program, students receive training in machinery, maintenance and repair, basic electrical principles, motor controls, process controls, hydraulics, pneumatics, PLCs, robotics, computers, basic machinist skills and metallurgy.

Students also learn the problem solving, troubleshooting, teamwork, and self-management skills sought by business and industry.

Dr. Hudanick adds that “ECC’s Center for Workforce Development surveyed manufacturers in the Rolla area and there is a lot of enthusiasm about the College making a commitment to the area with technical manufacturing degree programming.”

The College also has an apprenticeship program where students will be able to attend the classes while they are working, and the apprenticeship program will cover the tuition costs for the eligible student.

“The IET program is a great pathway to support Apprenticeship opportunities and also provides area high school graduates who want to start a career in manufacturing.”

According to 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of an Industrial Machinery Mechanic is $53,800 and the field is estimated to grow by over 13% in the next eight years.

In the future, ECC could further expand IET class offerings and eventually offer a degree.

“ECC is hopeful to offer an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Engineering Technology degree at the Rolla campus. This degree transfers to several known universities for those pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the industrial engineering field.”

The Intro to Manufacturing Processes class is scheduled from January 20 – March 10. That course is followed up by the Maintenance Practices course to be held March 21 -May 13. Both classes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m.

For more information visit www.eastcentral.edu/

Flu Shots Available to Students at No Cost

October 26, 2020 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College is offering flu shots to every student on our Union and Rolla campuses November 4-5.

The shots will be administered by Mercy Hospital Washington at no cost to students.

In Union, the influenza vaccine will be available on both dates from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. in the DSSC Gym.

In Rolla, the shots will be available in the Rolla Main atrium from 3-6 p.m., Nov. 4; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 5.