Category: ECC Rolla

Trustees Approve Fall 2023 Tuition and Students Fees

February 10, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

The East Central College Board of Trustees on Feb. 6 approved an increase in tuition costs beginning in the fall 2023 semester, which maintains tuition lower than the federal Pell Grant threshold.

There will be an 8 percent tuition increase across the board for students who live within the taxing district, outside the taxing district, out of state and for international students. The amount paid in student fees also is higher to meet technology and activity cost increases.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said the increase was determined by a tuition sub-committee of the budget advisory committee, which presented its findings to the College’s administration.

Inflation at the state and national levels has caused operation costs to increase significantly over the past year.

“One of the challenges that everyone is facing is the high inflationary environment that we’re in,” Bauer said. “This increase allows us to continue to invest in our students and provide the technology and instruction tools that they deserve.”

He added that the impact on the students with the greatest financial need will be minimal.

“The students with the greatest financial needs receive Federal Pell Grant,” Bauer said. “The Pell Grant will increase next year, and tuition will remain below the maximum Pell Grant threshold.”

In addition, the Missouri A+ maximum pays $196 per credit hour, totaling $5,880 annually. Tiers 1 and 2 in-district tuition and general fees for a full-time student will remain below this A+ maximum threshold.

ECC also awards over $300,000 in academic and need-based scholarships annually, and the ECC Foundation provides more than $180,000 in scholarships to more than 120 students each year.

Bauer explained that the subcommittee on tuition recommended this increase for long-term planning and counter a projection of slow enrollment growth, adding that both state and national data show a decline in high school population in the years to come.

Trustees were presented with the new tuition plan in February so changes can be made public before students can begin registering in March. Registration for fall 2023 classes begins March 20 for current students and March 27 for new students.

Bauer added that community colleges in Missouri have yet to release tuition rates for the 2023-24 school year, but he anticipates that ECC will again be in the “middle of the pack.”

Tuition Tiers

There are three tiers of tuition at ECC. East Central College. Tier 1 includes most programs including general education classes. Tier 2 consists of classes in culinary arts, industrial maintenance technology, nursing and precision machining programs.

Tier 3 courses include health care programs at ECC Rolla, radiological technology, surgical technology and licensed practical nursing (LPN) programs.

The new in-district tuition rates will be $125 per credit hour for Tier 1 classes, $151 per credit hour for Tier 2 classes and $216 per credit hour for Tier 3.

Out-of-district rates will be $174, $211 and $324 per credit hour for Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3, respectively.

The rates per credit hour for out-of-state students will be $254 for Tier 1 and $309 for Tier 2. Tuition for international students will be $261 per credit hour for Tier 1, and $331 per credit hour for Tier 2.

Dual credit course rates in the 2023-24 academic year will be $63 per credit hour.

Student Fees

The student fees will be $37 per credit hour. Listed below is the fee breakdown and how it was changed:

Student Activities $12 per credit hour (increase of $3).
Support Services $2 per credit hour (increase of $1).
Technology $6 per credit hour (increase of $3).
Facilities $8 per credit hour (unchanged).
Security $9 per credit hour (unchanged).

Students Named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s List

There were 187 students named to the East Central College Dean’s List from the Fall 2022 semester.

Each year the college recognizes those students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement each semester, and upon completion of between six and 11 Fall semester credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.5 or greater, students are acknowledged on the Dean’s List.

Congratulations to these Fall 2022 Dean’s List students.

Students Named to the Fall 2022 Vice President’s List

January 13, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla Inspiring Excellence

Each semester, East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Upon completion of at least 12 semester credit hours with a Fall semester grade point average between 3.50 and 3.84, students are acknowledged by placement on the Vice President’s List.

For the Fall 2022 semester, there were 186 students on the VP’s list.

President’s List for Fall 2022 Semester

January 13, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla Inspiring Excellence

East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement each semester.

Upon completion of at least 12 Fall semester credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.85 or greater, students are acknowledged on the President’s List.

There were 157 students named to the list from the Fall 2022 semester.

ECC Receives $4 Million for New Rolla Facility; Campus Classroom Technology Project

January 3, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College is receiving a total of $4 million from the federal omnibus spending bill signed into law by President Joe Biden. The funding comes in the form of two projects recommended by U.S. Senator Roy Blunt and Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer.

Health Sciences Academy

Congress approved $3 million to be used for construction of a facility in Rolla. Funding will be provided by the Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Sciences Academy at the new ECC Rolla facility. The academy will house the health care programs currently located at two facilities in Rolla which are now leased by the college. The $3 million will be combined with the $6.5 million in state ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to design and construct a new Rolla campus to be completed by the end of 2026. The college is pursuing additional funding for the project.

Classroom Technology Project

Congress also approved $1 million for significant upgrades to the college’s classroom technology. The appropriation will fund phase 2 of the project for the Union campus, and will be used to install cameras, audio equipment and other technology to enhance classrooms, labs and other facilities used.

“Students are the beneficiaries of these strategic investments by Congress,” says Dr. Jon Bauer, president of East Central College. “Both projects will greatly increase the educational opportunities for our students and workforce. I greatly appreciate the support from Senator Blunt and Congressman Luetkemeyer for the funding, which is going to be transformative for our new Rolla facility and the continued enhancement of our classroom technology.”

The $4 million received by East Central College is among the largest allocated to a community college in the spending bill.

The bill also includes other provisions that will benefit community colleges, including a $500 increase to the maximum Pell Grant for students. The Pell Grant is the cornerstone piece of financial aid for students with economic need.

Serena Macey, ECC Outstanding Medical Assisting Student award recipient

ECC Outstanding Medical Assisting Student Award Presented

December 27, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College student Serena Macey, St. James, is the “ECC Outstanding Medical Assisting Student” award recipient.

Macey was selected for the award for the quality of her clinical work at Mercy Clinic at St. James, and her performance in the classroom.

ECC presents the award to a student who the College has made difference in their life. For Macey, ECC provided her with an education to obtain a job in a profession in which she has endless opportunities, and the ability to support herself and advance her career.

Macey already has been hired by Mercy Clinic at St. James, where she recently completed a clinical externship. She was hired due to how quickly she learned in the clinical setting and all that she already has accomplished.

Medical Assisting students must complete a clinical externship, a hands-on experience caring for patients in a healthcare setting. Early on in her clinical, before she was hired to work at the clinic, Macey’s clinical supervisor said Macey was eager to learn, and she has taken on numerous tasks expected of experienced Medical Assistants.

“We all love her. She jumps right in to learn anything and everything. I would say by the time she is done with her time here in St James she will be a wonderful addition to any office,” the clinical supervisor commented. “We currently have her up to date with rooming, vitals, drawing labs, strep, COVID, urine, working the front, taking money, and so much more. I would hire here in a heartbeat. She will make someone a very, very good co-worker soon.”

Macey will take her Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam within the coming weeks.

To learn more about the Medical Assistant program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/allied-health/medical-assistant/, or contact Nancy Mitchell dean of health sciences & director of nursing, at nancy.mitchell@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6616.

College’s LPN Program in Rolla Helping Answer the Call

December 20, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

When East Central College officially took the reins of its Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program in Rolla this fall, the LPN program already had been serving the community and healthcare system for 55 years, while graduating over 1,250 new nurses.

Today, the need for trained healthcare professionals is as great as it has ever been.

That’s according to Michelle Chick, ECC Rolla’s LPN program director, who said that turnover and vacancy rates are at an all-time high among healthcare professions across the state.

“The majority of our graduates seek employment in this area; therefore, program sustainment is imperative to help with this nursing shortage,” she said. “We need a pipeline of LPN graduates to help meet the growing demands in our area.”

ECC took sponsorship of the LPN program for the Rolla School District in October 2021 so the school district could focus its resources on K-12 education. The Fall 2022 semester was the first under ECC.

Students Benefit

The program is three semesters over 11 months, and it includes a clinical experience. Once students complete the program, they earn a certificate of graduation and are qualified to take the national licensure examination (NCLEX-PN).

After passing the exam, graduates can begin earning higher wages and taking on new challenges and responsibilities.

LPN program student Claude Wyatt, 51, had been a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for several years.

“I absolutely love health care. I worked 16 years as a CNA performing caregiving duties,” he said. “Working under wonderful nurses made me want to step up my care to the next level.”

Today, Wyatt does custodial work, but he never lost his love for the medical field.

“This program finally allowed me to pursue my dream of being a nurse and returning to health care,” he said, encouraging other adult learners to pursue LPN certification.

“I am living proof of how life can get in the way, but don’t give up,” Wyatt added. “Your brain is never too old to learn.”

For Monique Matos, becoming an LPN is a way to better her life and that of her children.

“As a single parent, my kids are my biggest motivation and I want to prove that no matter where life takes you, your goals are always possible with hard work and dedication,” Matos said. “I have always worked in health care and have had a passion for helping others. Ultimately, I want to make a difference in the way someone receives care, and I know I can as an LPN.”

In fact, she already is aware of how the program helped her in her current position as a Medication Aide at The Gingerbread House, in Rolla.

“I am becoming more organized, professional, and confident as a student nurse,” she noted. “Also, I can already see a change in my resident care at work.”

Matos is a first-generation college student and the second in her family to graduate high school.

“I am so grateful for this experience,” she commented. “Before I was living day-to-day but now, I can honestly say that I am excited to see what the future has in store for me.”

Heath Care Partners

Jessica Fischer, LPN instructor and clinical coordinator, and Chick both value their clinical partnerships at area hospitals, long-term care facilities and outpatient clinics. They are aware that these facilities need resilient nurses who are ready to accept the challenging environment of health care.

“The unprecedented stressors placed on all health care professionals, not just nurses, during the pandemic has caused an impact on morale and has caused a major toll on nurses,” Fischer said.

That’s why the LPN program also focuses on stress management, she added.

“As nursing educators, we are working on teaching students how to manage and deal with the stressors of the health care environment they will face, Fischer commented. “Teaching students how to mitigate stress, adapt positively, and develop the ability to recover and overcome difficult situations.”

For more information on the LPN program, visit https://www.eastcentral.edu/allied-health/licensed-practical-nursing/ or contact Nancy Mitchell, dean of health science, at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6619.

ECC Nursing Grads Recognized for Classroom Work and Clinicals

December 16, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Four East Central College Rolla nursing graduates were recognized for outstanding work in clinicals and in the classroom.

Lauren Pilkington, Tiffany Rademacher, Leslie Crabtree and Carli Nesheim each were recognized Dec. 13 during a pinning ceremony for LPN to RN Bridge graduates.

There were 16 nursing graduates taking part in the pinning ceremony, which is held to recognize Licensed Practical Nurses who continue their education to become Registered Nurses.

ECC Outstanding Student Nurse

Lauren Pilkington received the ECC Outstanding Student Nurse award. Pilkington is an excellent student in the classroom and clinical arena.

To be considered for the Outstanding Nursing Student award, ECC has had to make a difference in the life of the student.

For the Outstanding Student Nurse award recipients, had ECC not been in their community, they most likely would not have realized the dream of becoming a registered nurse.

Joannie Blakely, Julie Chirban, and Lauren Pilkington posing with plaque. — Pictured, from left, are Joannie Blakely, Nursing Coordinator–ECC Rolla; Julie Chirban, Nursing Instructor–Rolla; Lauren Pilkington and Elisha Chaney, guest speaker and Nursing Adjunct at ECC.

Spirit of Clinical Excellence

The awards for Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing are presented to graduating nurses who demonstrate characteristics of caring and compassion, the spirit of inquiry, exceptional critical thinking and decision making and have superior organizational skills and the ability to effectively prioritize.

There were three awards presented to students who work with ECC’s clinical partners.

Tiffany Rademacher — Missouri Baptist Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing

Joannie Blakely, Julie Chirban, Rademacher and Elisha Chaney posing with plaque. — Pictured, from left, are Joannie Blakely, Nursing Coordinator-ECC Rolla; Julie Chirban, Nursing Instructor–Rolla; Rademacher and Elisha Chaney, guest speaker and Nursing Adjunct at ECC.

Leslie Crabtree — Mercy Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing

Joannie Blakely, Julie Chirban,
Crabtree and April Lueckenhoff posing with plaque. — Pictured, from left, are Joannie Blakely, Nursing Coordinator–ECC Rolla; Julie Chirban, Nursing Instructor–Rolla; Crabtree and April Lueckenhoff, Mercy Hospital Washington.

Carli Nesheim — Phelps Health Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing

Joannie Blakely, Julie Chirban, Nesheim, and Kate Roy, posing with plaque. — Pictured, from left, are Joannie Blakely, Nursing Coordinator-ECC Rolla; Julie Chirban, Nursing Instructor–Rolla; Nesheim, Kate Roy, Phelps Health.

All Four Award Recipients

Nursing instructors posing with plaques. — Front row, from left, are Tiffany Rademacher, Missouri Baptist Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing; Leslie Crabtree, Mercy Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing; Lauren Pilkington, Outstanding Nursing Student; and Carli Nesheim, Phelps Health Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing.
Back row, from left, are Joannie Blakely, Nursing Coordinator-ECC Rolla; Julie Chirban, Nursing Instructor–Rolla; and Elisha Chaney, guest speaker and Nursing Adjunct at ECC.

Learn more about the ECC Nursing and Allied Health program, or contact Nancy Mitchell at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu.

Alum, AEL Director Presented with Missouri Community College Awards

December 2, 2022 | Alumni Spotlight Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College Trustee and alumni Dr. Eric Park and Adult Education Program Director Alice Whalen were selected among their peers to receive 2022 Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) awards.

Park was presented with the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award for his service to ECC, his community and growing his professional career with roots planted at ECC where he graduated with an associate degree in May 1982.

Whalen was selected as the 2022 Administrative Professional Leadership Award recipient for her work in expanding adult education services throughout the ECC service region and for her dedication to adult education at the state level.

In addition, ECC student Carly Hamlyn spoke during the closing event of the convention. Carly is an Early College Academy student attending Washington High School and ECC. She also is president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at ECC.

The MCCA Annual Convention was held in St. Louis Nov. 29 through Dec. 1. In addition to Park and Whalen, three others from ECC were nominated for awards.

Leigh Kolb, associate professor of English and Journalism — Excellence in Teaching Award nominee.
Amy DeMiere, Division of Arts and Sciences program assistant — Classified Staff Achievement Award nominee.
Jill Harrison, nursing adjunct — Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award nominee.

The MCCA is a statewide organization representing the 12 Missouri community colleges and their faculty, staff, students and administrators.

MCCA provides services to its member institutions in four main areas – advocacy, education, information and networking

Dr. Eric Park

For more than 35 years, Dr. Park has been a successful investment adviser. He is a co-founder of LPL Financial investment firm in Washington. He has received several national awards for his dedication to quality investment management.

Dr. Park was elected to the ECC board of trustees in 2016 and reelected in 2022. Dr. Park attended ECC after serving in the U.S. Army. He earned an associate degree in 1982 followed by a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He also has served as an adjunct instructor at ECC and has long been active with the ECC Foundation board.

ECC president Dr. Jon Bauer, said Dr. Park epitomizes the best of community college alumni.

“Eric used his academic foundation at East Central to earn advanced degrees in his field, become a leading professional in the investment world, yet has always made it a priority to give back to his community, his college, and those around him,” Bauer said.

Alice Whalen

Whalen has been the AEL director at ECC since September 2014. Since then, she has expanded the program from offering programming in six communities to 13 communities throughout the ECC service region.

The AEL program offers day and evening HiSET classes and English Language Acquisition courses at an average of 150-200 hundred students per year.

In 2015, under her leadership and direction, Alice worked with the South Central Missouri Literacy Council in Phelps Country to add four counties, Crawford, Gasconade, Franklin, and Montgomery, to create the East Central Literacy Council. The council also has its own county committees, which include an advisory council and fundraises for the ECC AEL program to cover additional AEL student expenses.

Overall, Alice knows the importance of community involvement and understands how multiple barriers effect a student’s ability to start and complete their education. Alice’s positive energy at the college and throughout the ECC service region is contagious as she strives to make sure anyone who wants to enhance their lives through education can do so.

To read more about Dr. Park, Whalen and all of the nominees for MCCA Awards, visit www.mccaconvention.com/mccaawards.html.

EMS Program Director Receives Emerson Excellence Award

November 28, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College EMS Program Director Jenifer Goodson incorporates innovation and technology to fully prepare EMT and paramedic students to serve their communities.

That’s just one reason of why Goodson is being recognized with the 2022 Emerson Excellence in Teaching award.

“She is extremely devoted to her EMT and paramedic students and their academic success,” said one ECC employee who nominated Goodson.

The Excellence in Teaching Awards program, sponsored by Emerson, annually recognizes educators in the St. Louis metropolitan area who are examples of excellence in their field. Recipients are selected by the chief administrators of their school districts or employing educational institutions.

Goodson has been an instructor at ECC for six years. She was named the EMS Program Director earlier this year. Since then, she has introduced computer adaptive testing and clinical documentation/tracking software to her program to better prepare and assess students in the program.

“Jenifer works tirelessly to create engaging learning experiences to build better connections between the theory material and what the student will need to know for both field experience and national licensure testing,” her nominator wrote.

Goodson has expanded the EMT/paramedic program to ECC’s Rolla location where she

utilizes technology to capture her students at both ECC in Union and Rolla synchronously for lecture, but she also travels between the two locations regularly, so she can engage with all students one-on-one.

In addition, Goodson is leading a redesign of the curriculum between the EMT and paramedic courses to allow for ease of progression from one program and course to the next.

“She is her student’s biggest cheerleader and mentor as they study and prepare for their state and national licensure exams,” the nominator said. “Jenifer is a tremendous asset to ECC and community. She deserves to be recognized for her outstanding effort educating and preparing new first responders to serve our communities for future decades.”