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Alumni Spotlight – Nurse Honored with International Recognition for Patient Care at Mercy Hospital

October 9, 2018 | Alumni Spotlight Campus News

Like many students that come to East Central College, Miranda Pickens wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do with her life. “I got my associate of arts degree in general studies,” she explained, “and then I transferred to Mizzou.”

She started in marketing. She moved on to fashion and design. Then, she went over to business. Nothing seemed to stick. “My advisor suggested nursing,” she said. “I wasn’t so sure. I couldn’t even handle the pain and panic of getting a splinter in my finger!”

Regardless, she gave it a shot. Even with the overwhelming smell of formaldehyde in her first anatomy class, she was intrigued about the possibility of learning something about the human body. She decided to officially pursue nursing, and she knew exactly where she wanted to do it.

Coming Back Home

“I went back to East Central College,” she explained. “I knew it was a great school with small class sizes.” She was accepted into the nursing program and hit the ground running.

In order to achieve success in the nursing program, a student is expected to spend an additional average of 20-30 hours per week outside of class studying, practicing and preparing. That didn’t stop Miranda.

“She was very engaged as a student,” said Instructor Judy Bieker. “She challenged herself on a daily basis.”

“My instructors were so phenomenal and were always willing to help,” Miranda said. “Judy stayed with me one day after class because I just did not understand the heart and its rhythms. She sat with me for nearly two hours until I understood the material.”

In The Field

Miranda graduated from East Central College and began working at Mercy Hospital in Washington.

“I love the patient interactions,” she said. “I get to spend a lot of time at a patient’s bedside and really get to know them and their families. Because I am able to create a strong, trusting bond with them, the patient feels more comfortable in an often uncomfortable situation.”

She immediately felt right at home in her new career.

“Every day, she embodies the characteristics of a highly skilled, compassionate nurse,” said Nancy Mitchell, Dean of Health Sciences. “Miranda is an amazing practitioner, and we are blessed she is serving patients in our community.”

Mitchell isn’t the only one with that opinion.

Award Winner

In August 2018, Miranda was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. She was nominated for the award by the family of a patient who had been in her care.

“It was a very surprising and rewarding experience,” Pickens explained. “I take care of all of my patients the same, and I always strive to take the absolute best care of them.”

The DAISY Foundation was founded 16 years ago by the family of Patrick Barnes to recognize nurses and the extraordinary care that they experienced as a family. The goal of the award is to ensure all nurses know how deserving they are of society’s respect for the education, training, brainpower and skill they put into their work every day.

She was recognized in a ceremony at the hospital in front of patients and colleagues and received a certificate to proudly hang for all to see.

Congrats to Miranda! We are proud of you!

Occupational Therapy Receives Full Accreditation, Other Programs Receive Official Visits

October 5, 2018 | Campus News

East Central College is proud to announce its Occupational Therapy Assistant Program has earned its full accreditation! The program received full approval from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) this semester and will remain accredited for the next seven years. The program consists of a combination of general education, professional level coursework, classroom and laboratory practice and clinical fieldwork experiences.

Meanwhile, other programs in the Nursing and Allied Health Department are also going through the accreditation process. In September, the Paramedic Technology Program received an on-campus visit from the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

“The formal report will take a few weeks to process,” said Robyn Walter, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, “but the site visitors shared comments during their exit review.  They were highly impressed with the quality of the program, student outcomes and community reputation.”

Students in the program receive instruction in the recognition, treatment, and transport of patients with medical emergencies and trauma.

The team from CoAEMSP will soon make accreditation recommendations to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). The process is a five-year cycle.The program was last accredited in 2015, which is good through February 2020.

The Nursing Program also recently received an approval visit. In early October, members of the Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN) came to campus.

Vice President Walter believes the continued success of the program should lead to full accreditation.

“They were very impressed with our well-developed curriculum, excellent use of evidence to inform the systematic evaluation of the program and students and strong student-centered approach,” she explained. “We expect the MSBN to make a recommendation for a full five-year approval.”

Walter also added the program NCLEX RN exam pass rates are higher than the national average.

East Central College offers two programs leading to an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing.  The main campus in Union, as well as the Rolla site, offers a complete pre-licensure program for those interested in becoming a registered nurse. A LPN to RN Bridge program is also available at the Rolla location for LPNs interested in becoming registered nurses.

#InspiringExcellence – ECC Softball Team Named All-America Academic Team

October 4, 2018 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

The East Central College Softball has been honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association by being named to the 2018 Easton/ NFCA Top Ten Academic Team Rankings!

“Our team from last spring had a 3.57 GPA,” said Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, East Central College Athletic Director, “which was the sixth highest in the nation for the junior college classification!”

Additionally, several players were individually recognized for being 2017-2018 Scholar Athletes by the organization. Congrats to Alayna Abney, Marissa Boyd, Jensen Crenshaw, Kori Fiedler, Ashley Miller, Taylor Ruth, Amber Struemph, Jordyn Vrba and Samantha White!

Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. The NFCA boasts more than 5,500 members from all 50 states and nine international countries- Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden.

Local manufacturers receive state dollars for employee training through ECC

October 3, 2018 | Campus News

A Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) program designed to offset training costs for the state’s manufacturing industry is benefiting local business.

The customized training program will provide more than $200,000 in funding to ten area manufacturers that will be used to train employees at companies in Washington, Sullivan, St. James, Pacific, Marthasville and Rolla. Each manufacturer will receive a range of $10,000 to $45,000 this year.

“The assistance relieves some of our financial burden for training our workforce,” says Tom LaMantia, CEO and president of Clementina Clemco Holdings. ”More importantly, enhancing the skills of our employees is vital for our company to remain competitive and grow.”

Each company works with the Center for Workforce Development at East Central College to secure the funding and the opportunity to provide the training. The programs range from leadership development, safety training, introductory welding programs, project management to LEAN and Six Sigma training.

“The funding assists Tacony’s plan to provide a comprehensive training program as we continue to invest in our most important resources, our employees,” says Nancy Montgomery, Human Resource Manager, Tacony Corporation.

Each company matches 100 percent of the state funding.

Learn more about the innovative program by contacting the Center for Workforce Development.

Employees Recognized for Years of Service at Annual Banquet

October 2, 2018 | Campus News

Each year, East Central College recognizes the hard work and dedication of our employees. We value their commitment to our students’ needs and their educational goals.

This year, the Annual Service Awards Recognition banquet honored the people who have been with ECC for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. Thank you for all you do!

  • 25 Years – William Cunningham
  • 20 Years – Lisa Epple, Bonnie Gardner, John Hardecke
  • 15 Years – Sean Barton, Betty Manhart, Robyn Walter
  • 10 Years – Doug Agee, Aaron Bounds, Andrew Chitwood, Leigh Kolb, Anne Mentz, Tracy Mowery, Brad Wallach
  • 5 Years – Julie Beck, Mary Buckey, Coreen Derifield, Tim Derifield, Michelle Deuser, Linda Follis, Shanee Haynes, Doug Houston, Richard Hudanick, Debra Mann-Kurka, Mike Palazzola, Dana Riegel, Max Schaefer, Angie Siebert, Chris Swanson, Terri Warmack

A special thank you to the ECC Culinary Department for providing a delicious meal at the event!

Check out the photos on Facebook!

Study Abroad Opportunities for Students

September 28, 2018 | Campus News

Did you know you can study abroad while at East Central College? It’s true! There are many different trips available to community college students in Missouri, and students who participate in any study abroad program offered by another member college will qualify for in-district tuition!

See the world. Broaden your horizons. Have fun!

Breaking Down Language Barriers to Become a Better Business Manager

September 24, 2018 | Campus News

Ten years ago, Neha Patel moved from India to the United States to help her husband manage a hotel in St. Clair. She had taken English classes in college, but knew she would have to improve her skills in order to interact with customers.

English can be a complicated language for non-native speakers to learn, but Patel didn’t want to give up. She was determined to improve and better serve customers at their hotel.

Her husband knew she was struggling with the language barrier, so he started searching for resources in the area. That’s when he found the East Central College Adult Education and Literacy Program (AEL). He suggested his wife give it a try.

“Our English Language Acquisition classes are designed for people just like Neha,” said AEL Director Alice Whalen. “We provide students with a working knowledge of English in preparation for the workplace and daily living.”

Whalen added that classes are conducted in a small classroom style to allow students the chance to receive individual attention from their instructors and tutors. The classes help students in reading and listening, and even learn American culture. Patel started taking classes in November 2017. In a short amount of time, it is already helping her be a better supervisor at her business.

“This class is really helping me talk to customers politely and respond back to them,” Neha explained. “My instructor is excellent. Even when I studied in my country, I didn’t have a teacher like her. She is helping me a lot.”

The AEL English Language Acquisition course is completely free and has locations in Union, Rolla, Washington and Wright City. Both day and evening times are available. For more information on classes and registration, visit English Language Acquisition or call 636-584-6533.

Students vs. Staff Food Drive – September 24-28

September 24, 2018 | Campus News

East Central College will host a campus-wide food drive in Union and Rolla September 24-28. Part of the 50 Acts of Kindness Campaign and the 50th Anniversary Celebration, the food drive will serve as an opportunity to combat food insecurity in the ECC Service Area.

In Union, we are pitting students against students can collect more food than faculty by noon on September 28, they will get to park in staff/faculty parking spots during mid-terms week!

Students and staff will each have a drop-off location in Cafe Central. Suggested items include but not limited to: canned meat, canned soup, canned pasta, canned vegetables, boxed dinners, boxed pasta and pasta sauce.

In Rolla, students and staff will can drop off food at Rolla Main by the Student Services Desk or Rolla North in Room 101. If students can collect more food than staff, they will get a chance to receive a free staff parking pass! Two passes will be given, one at Rolla Main and on at Rolla North.

Thank you for helping us fight hunger!

Questions? Email courtney.henrichsen@eastcentral.edu or jay.scherder@eastcentral.edu.

Fall Writing Contest Open for Students

September 21, 2018 | Campus News

Are you a talented storyteller? Until Tuesday, October 30, current ECC students can submit their stories and/or essays to the Annual ECC English Department’s Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction Writing Contest.

“We received amazing entries every year,” said English instructor Josh Stroup. “I feel it is extremely important our students get a real audience to read their work, not just family or friends. We should celebrate writing, and this contest does just that.”

Each student is allowed a maximum of three entries, and each entry must be no longer than 20 pages.

Additionally, submissions should be in size 12 Times New Roman font and single spaced. Please include a cover sheet with your name, phone number, email, mailing address and entry titles. As for individual stories or essays, only the title in a header is needed. Entries should be submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment to Joshua.Stroup@eastcentral.edu.

Winners will be announced via email on November 16. First prize is $100, second prize is $50 and third prize is $25.

For more information about this contest, contact Josh Stroup at Joshua.Stroup@eastcentral.edu.

#InspiringExcellence – Mike Palazzola Wins Statewide Faculty Innovation Award

September 19, 2018 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Learning by doing. It’s the approach East Central College Culinary Arts Instructor Mike Palazzola uses with students every day.

“We recognized there was something missing from our culinary classrooms,” Palazzola said, “We needed real life experiences in real time.”

The award-winning chef, along with former culinary instructor Ted Hirschi, came up with a solution – The Restaurant at Prairie Dell. Managed by the East Central College Culinary Arts Program, the limited-run restaurant gives students hands-on experience at running an establishment of their own.

“Students are responsible for scheduling, production, staff management and the handling of revenue,” Palazzola explained. “It is a great opportunity for them to learn processes and standards they will encounter in the hospitality industry.”

“The restaurant has been extremely popular not only with our staff but in the community,” said Jay Scherder, Director of Public Relations. “You get excellent service, gourmet food and a small bill. At the same time, we are providing a unique, educational experience to our students.”

Palazzola is now being recognized for the project by the Missouri Community Colleges Association (MCCA). We are proud to announce he was honored with the Mel Aytes Faculty Innovation Award in 2018! It is given to only one community college faculty member each year in Missouri.

“I’m extremely humbled by the award,” said Palazzola. “The Restaurant at Prairie Dell was a collaborative effort, and it’s the students who truly make it so special.”

He will be recognized at the annual MCCA Award & Recognition Ceremony in Branson, Missouri on Friday, November 9.

Congrats to this amazing chef and instructor!