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Tag: Dr. Michelle Smith

ECC students Claire and Eric smiling together in the Learning Center

Study Sessions to Soulmates — A Love Story Born at ECC

February 14, 2025 | Campus News

When Claire (Smith) and Eric Feldmann first met at East Central College’s Learning Center, romance wasn’t yet in the air. She was an English tutor, he was a math tutor, and their shared shifts were filled with assisting students, sneaking in homework, and plenty of good-natured banter.

But dating? Not on the agenda.

Fast forward nearly a decade, and ECC’s campus is more than just the place where they earned degrees—it’s where their love story began.

Beginning at ECC

Claire, an Owensville High School graduate, started at ECC in Fall 2013 and earned her Associate of Arts in Teaching before transferring to Mizzou in 2015. Eric, who attended Washington High School, began his ECC journey a year later, studying Pre-Engineering before transferring to Missouri S&T in 2017.

Male and female couple kissing outside in the snow following a wedding.
On Nov. 30, 2024, Claire (Smith) and Eric Feldmann married. Photo by Cinthya Navarro Photography.

Their paths crossed in a British Literature course with Dr. Bob Mahon, but it wasn’t until they both took tutoring jobs at the Learning Center in Spring 2015 that they truly got to know each other.

“We were really good friends, and we got along really well,” Claire said. “But we didn’t date.”

However, they did get to know each other during their shifts comprised of helping students navigate everything from math equations to essay revisions. Both credit their time at ECC for providing a strong academic foundation, and they agree that the Learning Center was a highlight.

“We loved working there—the staff was great, and the environment was supportive. Plus, getting paid to help others and do homework on the side wasn’t bad either,” Claire laughed.

Paths Cross Again

After ECC, Claire and Eric pursued their respective careers—Claire as a high school English teacher and Eric as a software engineer. Life took them in different directions, and for eight years, they didn’t speak.

That changed in May 2023 when Eric sent Claire an unexpected message on Snapchat. One conversation led to another, and soon they were meeting at the Washington Riverfront for ice cream and a walk with Claire’s dog, Sarge—who would later become their dog.

From that first reconnection, everything clicked.

Years in the Making

On Nov. 30, 2024, Claire and Eric officially tied the knot. ECC may not have been part of the wedding planning, but it was part of their journey.

“The Learning Center is where we really got to know each other,” Claire said. “It’s where we learned how similar our senses of humor are and how aligned our values and goals were. Even though life took us separate ways for a little while, ECC was the foundation for our relationship.”

Claire and Eric smiling and holding hands in the Learning Center

Looking back, they wouldn’t change a thing about their time at ECC.

“It was financially smart, academically beneficial, and gave us opportunities we wouldn’t have had at a larger school,” Claire said. “And, of course, the Learning Center just might help you find the love of your life.”

ECC has played another role in their story: Claire’s mother, Dr. Michelle Smith, is the College’s Director of Institutional Effectiveness. A role she assumed in 2018 after Claire and Eric had graduated. 

For current ECC students debating whether to take advantage of tutoring services, Eric and Claire have some advice: “Go to the Learning Center! You never know who you’ll meet.”

From study sessions to career success, and eventually finding each other again, Claire and Eric’s journey proves that sometimes, the best love stories aren’t the ones that happen instantly—they’re the ones that take time. And for these two, it all started at ECC.

The photographer at the Feldmann wedding was Cinthya Navarro Photography.

College Preparing for Accrediting Body Visit

February 7, 2022 | Campus News

East Central College staff and faculty have been preparing for an important visit this spring from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the college’s accrediting body.

A five-person peer review team with HLC will visit ECC April 11-12 as part of the college’s accreditation, which is a “stamp of approval” that demonstrates the college is deeply committed to educational quality and improvement.

The team will meet with faculty, staff and students, and review the college’s assurance argument, a narrative that makes the case ECC meets the criteria for accreditation.

In preparation for the upcoming visit, the college has been educating employees and students on the importance of accreditation. The team driving the college’s accreditation process are Dr. Robyn Walter, vice president of academic affairs; Dr. Michelle Smith, executive director of institutional effectiveness; and Jennifer Higerd, assistant professor of art and art gallery curator.

“We are already doing good work in meeting our educational commitment to students, and providing educational and cultural opportunities to our communities,” Higerd said.

“During the last year and a half, we’ve been preparing for the HLC visit by compiling examples of this good work – examples we’ll put into our assurance argument.”

Accreditation is a guarantee to the public that an institution is prepared to do its job. It is required for institutions to receive federal funding, including financial aid which is distributed to students.

In addition to funding, accreditation also is an indicator that colleges and universities provide high-quality educational programs, which greatly impacts transfer degrees. Most institutions only accept transfer credits from colleges and universities that are accredited.

“East Central College is proud to be accredited through the HLC and looks forward to a comprehensive evaluation to ensure they are meeting the HLC Criteria for Accreditation,” Walter said.

She noted that other academic agencies accredit specific programs, such as culinary, medical assisting, education, and more, HLC accredits the institution as a whole.

“HLC and other regional accrediting agencies are responsible for assuring that entire colleges and universities meet certain standards in terms of their missions, operations, and activities in teaching and student learning, discovery and promotion of knowledge, and service,” Walter added.

ECC first earned accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 1976. Since that time, the College has maintained a history of accreditation and engagement with the HLC.

The HLC is the accrediting body for ECC and about 1,000 colleges and universities in 19 states that stretch from West Virginia to Arizona. HLC is a private, nonprofit accrediting agency. It is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.

Criteria

The HLC has a set of five criteria that is reviewed during the accreditation process:

  • The college’s mission
    • Integrity —ethical and responsible conduct
    • Teaching and learning — quality, resources and support
    • Teaching and learning — evaluation and Improvement
    • Resources, planning and institutional effectiveness

To promote accreditation and educate ECC employees, students and the community, the college’s accreditation committee has been meeting on campus with faculty, staff and students. In addition, “mock” site reviewers were on campus, Nov. 15-16, 2021, to meet with stakeholders and give the campus community an idea of what to expect during the HLC visit in April.

“In addition to the mock visit, we’ve been preparing with our colleagues through workshops and roundtable discussions, where members of different employee groups share anecdotes and examples of the ways that we all, in our daily work, support and meet HLC’s criteria for accreditation,” Higerd added.

Sinks, ECC Conduct Second Vaccination Clinic

May 3, 2021 | Campus News

It was another strong showing for the second and final round of COVID-19 vaccinations at East Central College.

And according to Dr. Sandy Mitchell, owner of Medley Pharmacy, Inc. and Sinks Pharmacy, it was also another smooth vaccination clinic for her team.

There were nearly 1,400 people who received their second shot of the Moderna vaccine on April 27 during a clinic held in the college’s Donald Shook Student Center gymnasium. The first round of vaccinations was held March 30 at the same location.

Checking people in and administering the shots for both rounds of vaccines were Sinks employees, with the assistance of ECC Allied Health students and faculty — including paramedic and nursing students and instructors. In addition, there were ECC employees who volunteered for various duties during both clinics.

“We are tickled with how it turned out,” Mitchell said. “The students and staff who helped are part of why it was so successful — we did not need as many (Sinks) staff members. That was huge.”

She added that there were about 1,380 people who received their first vaccination and then 1,340 who received their second shots during the clinics at ECC.

Benefitting the Community

According to Dr. Michelle Smith, the college’s COVID point person, ECC’s goal was to provide vaccines to employees, and members of the community.

“Vaccines protect everyone in our community, and we are glad to be part of that,” she said. “Not only have the clinics improved the health and wellbeing of the community they have provided real-world health care experiences for our nursing and EMT/Paramedic programs.

“The Sinks Pharmacy staff has been professional and courteous,” Smith added.

She noted that 85 percent of ECC employees have been, or will soon be, vaccinated for COVID-19.

“Our team has worked tirelessly to make the vaccination process easy and efficient for everyone involved,” Mitchell said. “We would like to especially thank Michelle Smith, EdD, the instructors and students in the Nursing and EMT/Paramedic programs as well as other faculty and staff that volunteered their time — It couldn’t have gone better.”

The pharmacy has been in the forefront providing vaccines to schools in the region.

Once vaccines became available to schoolteachers, Mitchell explained, Sinks Pharmacy staff began holding vaccinations events in the areas where the 14 locations are. As more vaccinations became available, the state would send them to Sinks to administer shots to school districts in the St. Louis area.

Mitchell noted that her staff has held vaccination clinics for area school districts, including Union, Sullivan, Washington and Owensville, and districts further away, such as Clayton and Parkway.

“The team has worked very hard to fine tune the process,” she said. “We have ways to mitigate an influx of people, so when several come through the door at once, they don’t have to wait long.

“We believe we are here to serve and care for our communities,” Mitchell added.

Medley Pharmacy, Inc. has 14 locations in seven Missouri counties. To learn more visit https://sinkspharmacy.com/.

 

College, Pharmacy to Hold Second Vaccination Event

April 7, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College will again partner with Sinks Pharmacy for a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

The clinic will be Monday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Donald Shook Student Center (DSSC) Gym at ECC.

This clinic is open to the public, adults 18 years old and up, and those who attend can choose between manufacturers Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Appointments are required.

The clinic offers a first-round inoculation using the Moderna vaccine. It is not the second round for the clinic held on March 30.

The second dose for the Sinks’ April 19 clinic will be administered May 17, also in the ECC gym. There is no second dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccination.

According to Dr. Michelle Smith, executive director of institutional effectiveness at ECC, this is the second vaccination clinic that ECC is holding in conjunction with Sinks Pharmacy.

“We encourage you to consider the personal benefits of vaccination, as well as the benefits for all of us in battling this pandemic,” she said.

Dr. Smith, who is a COVID-19 contact at the college, noted that the first vaccination event was run smoothly, and 1,380 people were vaccinated.

 

Vaccinations Given to 1,390 ECC Employees, Residents

March 31, 2021 | Campus News

There were 1,390 COVID-19 vaccinations administered March 30 in a joint operation between Sinks Pharmacy and East Central College.

The vaccination clinic was spearheaded by Dr. Michelle Smith, executive director of institutional effectiveness at ECC, who worked closely with Sinks Pharmacy representatives to organize the event in less than a week.

“Yesterday was a ’shot in the arm’ in so many ways,” Smith said. “There were 1,390 people vaccinated, and so many people were appreciative — we served our community well.”

Sinks employees, as well as ECC Allied Health division employees, delivered the Moderna vaccinations over a six-hour period in the Donald Shook Student Center gymnasium. The second round of vaccinations are slated for April 27.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said the vaccination fits into the college’s mission of serving the community. ECC Nursing

“I could not be more proud to be associated with East Central College,” Dr. Bauer said. “There are now 1,400 colleagues, students, friends, family and neighbors who have been vaccinated.”

In addition, he praised the work of Dr. Smith, ECC employees who volunteered, Sinks Pharmacy and others who made the event a success.

“Thanks to our facilities staff for getting the gym ready, to employees who have volunteered to ensure it goes smoothly, to those in our allied health programs for assisting in the clinic, and all others who have helped ensure its success,” Dr. Bauer said.

Planning for the clinic begin about one week before the event took place, according to Dr. Smith. During the time of initial planning and execution, the scope of the clinic grew.

At first, there were just a few hundred vaccinations available to ECC employees. As Sinks Pharmacy secured additional vaccinations, there was 1,000 vaccinations, and finally 1,400 vaccinations, available, allowing for community members to also be vaccinated.