Tag: ECC

Students Recognized for Leadership, Academic Excellence and More

East Central College faculty, staff and administrators recognized many students for their outstanding accomplishments in the past academic year, both inside and outside the classroom.

The ECC Campus Life and Leadership’s annual Student Achievement Night on May 4 was an opportunity to recognize students for leadership, academic excellence, club engagement, success in the classroom and as student employees.

Academic Excellence Award

The Vice President’s Academic Excellence Award was presented to Caroline Miller. This prestigious award recognizes one student each year who demonstrates exemplary academic excellence during their time at ECC.

The recipient must maintain a minimum of a 3.4 GPA, and they must be nominated by a department chair. All nominations were submitted to the College vice presidents for consideration.

Outstanding Student Leader

Maggie Sikes was chosen as the 2023 Outstanding Student Leader. She was nominated by Lisa Hanneken, Business/Accounting faculty member and the club advisor for the Christian Club.

The award recognizes one student for exceptional leadership skills and abilities. Sikes also was chosen as the recipient of the Collaborative Excellence Award, nominated again by Hanneken. This award highlights a student leader who may not always want to be at the forefront as a leader, but whose collaborative spirit proves essential to the success of the club and the maintenance of an encouraging environment.

Club Officer Awards

The awards for club officers are given to student leaders for their contributions as stewards of student engagement on campus. Students are nominated by club advisors.

The following students were recognized for their service as club officers:

Brooklyn Hyatt, Student Government Association President
Theo Krummel, Student Government Association Vice President
Megan Pritchard, Student Government Association Public Relations Officer
Taylor Sikes, Student Government Association Recording Secretary
Augast Haddad, Outstanding Student Government Association Member
Parker Williamson, Art Club President
Abby Stanfield, Art Club Vice President
Lacy Buchanan, Art Club Secretary
David Braun, Art Club Treasurer
Carolyn Horst, Art Club Social Media Representative
Maggie Sikes, Christian Club President
Carly Hamlyn, Phi Theta Kappa President, Chi Delta Chapter
Victoria Plocinski, Phi Theta Kappa Executive Vice President, Chi Delta Chapter
Kaitlynn Myers, Phi Theta Kappa Vice President for Public Relations, Chi Delta Chapter
Annika Brunner, Phi Theta Kappa Vice President for Recording & Finance, Chi Delta Chapter
Riley Klekamp, Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Chapter Member, Chi Delta Chapter
Annika Brunner, Rotaract Club Vice President
Hunter Sperry, Rotaract Club Secretary & Treasurer

Academic Distinction

Awards of academic distinction are given by faculty members for students exhibiting excellence in academic.

Though these students will likely have a high mark in the gradebook, a student chosen for this award should also demonstrate an understanding of the course material, be an active participant in class, and contribute to the larger culture of succeeding and high-level thinking in the classroom.
The following students were given awards for academic distinction:

Nathaniel Wissman, Nursing
Joelle Phillips, Welding
Jacob Feth, Welding
William Herbst, Business
Katarina North, Accounting
Terry Ahrenhoersterbaeumer, Accounting & Business
Michael Buhr, Business
Sean Merriman, Accounting
Shane Kearbey, Business
Stephen Casey, Music
Joshua Liebhart, Music
Madalyn Montgomery, Music
Owen Borcherding, Business
Ian Meyer, Business
Olivia Vandegriffe, Business
David Kelch, Accounting
Grace Hoerstkamp, Business
Adam Creasy, Media Studies
Riley Klekamp, Humanities
Caroline Miller, Humanities
Emma Thomas, Humanities
Max Johnson, Humanities
Adam Vancil, Humanities
Zack Hill, English Composition
Katarina North, The Doyle Stricklin Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in Accounting
Brianna Gildehaus, Outstanding Performance in Business Award

Spirited Falcon Award

The ECC Spirited Falcon awards are given to students in recognition of perseverance, a consistent willingness to learn and improve, and measured improvement.

This award is designed to honor students who, despite any obstacles they may face during their semester, demonstrated a continued commitment to their education and success as a student.
The following students were given Spirited Falcon awards:

MacKenzie Rolf, Nursing
Rose Adams, Reading Composition
Sean Merriman, Accounting
Kevin Corley, Humanities
Crystal Smith, Humanities
Julia Sampson, Business

Student Employees

Student employee recognized as Outstanding Student Worker

The student employees at ECC go above and beyond in their efforts to balance coursework and their student work opportunities.
The following students were recognized as Outstanding Student Workers:

Hugh Steinman, The Learning Center
Kyley Henry, The Learning Center
Chase Schroeder, The Learning Center
Ian Meyer, The Learning Center
Julio Gonzalez, The Learning Center
Miguel Gonzalez, The Learning Center

NAE Honor Society

Adult Education and Literacy students who were recently inducted into the were honored at Student Achievement Night.
The following students were inducted into NAEHS:

Arellana Zepeda
Ashley Watson Carrell
Athena Burke
Christina McKean
Gorette Nyirasebura
Griselda Gonzales
Heather Mertell
Jagdish Prasad
Lauren Hoey
Mikela Lackey
Mirwais Amiri
Mukesh Lnu
Naresh Jatav
Rajpoot Lnu
Rita Mauer
Shelly McMullin

Adult Education and Literacy students inducted into NAE Honor Society

ECC Students Named to Academic Teams

April 27, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Four East Central College students were named to the All-Missouri Academic Team, and one also was recognized nationally.

Kelsea Smith has been named a 2023 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and received a $1,500 scholarship.

Smith and Elise Jeffers, ECC Rolla; and Brooklyn Hyatt and Annika Brunner, Union campus, were named to the 2023 All-Missouri Academic Team. The students were recognized by Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) and the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society at a ceremony sponsored by MCCA on April 13.

Each student received a medallion and certificate to honor their achievement along with a $250 cash scholarship underwritten by MOHELA (MO Higher Education Loan Authority). The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, along with participating corporate partners, sponsors the Academic All-USA competition for students attending two-year colleges.

PTK ranks applicants nationally, then forwards results for students to the MCCA. The top 53 students statewide were named Academic All-State award winners.

ECC annually nominates two to four students per site for the All-USA Team, which automatically qualifies the nominees for the All-Missouri Academic Team. Nominees complete a lengthy scholarship application, including information about their campus and community activities, and details and a letter of recommendation regarding a “significant endeavor” done during their time as a community college student.

Coca-Cola Academic Team

Smith’s Coca-Cola Academic Team honor is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, which recognizes 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

Smith and other Coca-Cola Academic Team members were recognized internationally during PTK’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst. Which was held in Columbus, Ohio, April 20-22.

“We thank the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation for recognizing these student leaders and for investing in their futures,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of PTK. “Scholarships like these are integral to the success of these students in reaching their educational and career goals.”

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates and empowers visionary leaders who are refreshing the world by supporting more than 1,400 exceptional college students each year.

PTK is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders.

A stethoscope, laptop, smartphone, and medical professional

Student Shares Why She Chose HIM Program — Flexible, Great Careers

April 19, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Melissa Helms wants a career in health care but not the bedside patient aspect of the field.

That’s one reason she enrolled in East Central College’s Health Information Management (HIM) program, she said.

HIM student Melissa Helms — **Melissa Helms, HIM**

“I wasn’t sure I was capable of the hands-on patient care side of healthcare with all its goriness potential,” Helms commented. “However, I still wanted to be involved in the side of healthcare that truly makes an impact on patient care, outcomes, and the improvement of healthcare.”

Helms, of Villa Ridge, graduates in May with an Associate of Applied Science degree.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is celebrating students like Helms, and HIM professionals from April 17-23 during the annual Health Information Professionals (HIP) Week.
This year’s theme is “Health Information Powers Innovation.”

ECC offers an all-inclusive online program in HIM, including a one-semester Health Care Security Certificate of Specialization, a one-year Certificate of Achievement and a two-year AAS degree. The program includes a Professional Practice Experience (PPE).

“My favorite part of this program was the hands-on PPE course,” Helms commented. “The HIM PPE course is what clinicals are to nursing — so much fun and experience were gained during that semester.”

For more information about ECC and the HIM program, visit the Health Information Management program page, or contact Kimberly Daman-Scheel, HIM program director, at kim.daman-scheel@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6662.

Online Courses

According to Helms, the flexibility ECC’s HIM program offers also attracted her to the College.

“I have three children so finding time to take care of them, worry about their schooling, the ability to take them to their extra-curricular activities, working around my husband’s work schedule, and being able to still work myself, if needed, is a struggle,” she said.

“The program being online allowed me to still have my life while fulfilling my life goal and dream.”

HIM is a broad field that connects the administrative, operational, and clinical components of health care. HIM specialists affect the quality of patient care and information at every stage of health care.

“HIM is more than just billing and coding, which a lot of people aren’t aware of — there is a lot of knowledge and requirements to understand billing and coding due to HIM jobs all having some aspect of these, but it is way more than that and can be more depending on which direction you see yourself going in the HIM field,” Helms added.

HIM Careers

There are many facilities and industries where HIM graduates can works, including hospitals, physician offices and clinics, nursing homes, mental health clinics, insurance companies, government agencies and more.

“I love HIM because of the endless opportunities and options I have for myself and my future,” Helms said, adding that she plans to work in the field while continuing her education.

“My plan after college is to build experience for a year or two, while furthering my education by attending classes to achieve my bachelor’s degree in HIM,” she said.

Helms, along with others who earn their AAS degree, is eligible to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam to be professionally certified in the HIM field.

The ECC RHIT exam pass rate in 2020-21 was 91 percent, surpassing the national average of 78 percent.

The College’s HIM program is accredited by Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM).

The sponsor of HIM Week, AHIMA, is a global nonprofit association of health information (HI) professionals. AHIMA represents professionals who work with health data for more than one billion patient visits each year.

Chef Palazzola Featured in Article on Making Chili

March 21, 2023 | Campus News

East Central College Culinary Arts Program Coordinator Chef Michael Palazzola is a featured member of the “Panel of Experts” in an article about how to make championship-winning chili on the LawnStarter website.

View the the site here ⇨ www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-texas-chili/#expert=chef-mike-palazzola.

What kind of beef is best for making chili?

Ground beef is the most familiar — 80/20. If grinding my own, I would choose sirloin for its beefy flavor profile.

If not using ground, it becomes more of a stew, for which I would choose chuck. Delicious, but again, not as familiar to your diners.

What is one pepper you’d recommend adding to chili to spice it up or deepen the flavor?

Peppers play a huge role in how we experience chili. Capsaicin provides much of the heat and is primarily found in the seeds and inner membrane of the pepper. Seeds can be removed if desired heat is milder.

I have found that a habanero pepper has the most intense flavor profile to work with, it is just too hot sometimes — in that case, remove the seeds.

What are the best beef alternatives for vegans and vegetarians who love chili?

Texans will hate this, but beans are a great protein source and provide some texture to your chili.

I have used lentils in many stews and curries in lieu of beans. Chili is by all rights a stew.

How can Texans make their chili recipe stand out at their next gathering or local competition?

Be very selective with your ingredients. Don’t just use a prepared spice mix, any old hot pepper, and any old ground beef. Pay attention to what attributes each ingredient brings to the dish.

Why are some Texans so against adding beans to chili?

Tradition! I grew up with beans in the chili, now I can’t imagine it without. I am sure it is a similar reason.

Besides cornbread, what is the best side dish to serve with chili?

I need some crunch with my chili, and haven’t found a more economical choice than some chili cheese Fritos!

I have also done corn fritters or fried green tomatoes, which are more labor-intensive but a great way to add crunch and another flavor profile.

High School Students Invited to Learn About STEM Careers

October 28, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College and Missouri S&T faculty members are gearing up for the Math & Science Career Night.

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, high school students from the area are invited to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ECC and S&T degrees and pathways to careers. The event is in the ECC Theatre in Hansen Hall from 6-8:30 p.m.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Alison Tucker, STEM recruitment and success coordinator at alison.tucker@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6677.

Students will hear first-hand accounts of what it’s like to work in the STEM field and hear about the careers of tomorrow. They also will get advice on what classes to take in high school to best prepare them for STEM degrees in college. Parents also are invited to attend.

Students will receive a free Math & Science Career Night T-shirt and there will be several door prizes, including a Texas Instruments TI-84 calculator.

ECC and Missouri S&T faculty in STEM fields — ranging from engineering to biology, and much more — will be on hand to talk with students about their interests and potential career fields.

“STEM Career Night gives students an opportunity to mingle with faculty and students in a variety of STEM programs,” said Alison Tucker, STEM recruitment and success coordinator. “ECC and S&T have had a strong relationship for over 40 years including hosting this event for over 23 years.

“We understand students and parents appreciate the chance to ask questions and learn how to be best prepared for a STEM career path no matter where they transfer.”

Following is the schedule for Math and Science Career Night:

Meet and explore fields
6- 7 p.m.

Welcome
7-7:10 p.m.

ECC admissions
7:10 to 7:20 p.m.

ECC STEM programs and transfer
7:20 to 7:30 p.m.

Missouri S&T admissions
7:30 to 7:45 p.m.

ECC Enrollment Up for Third Consecutive Semester

October 6, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Enrollment at East Central College is up this fall, bucking the national trend of declining enrollment among public colleges and universities.

The number of credit hours taken by ECC students is 3 percent higher this semester compared to the Fall 2021 semester — students this semester are taking 26,640 credit hours, 772 more than the 25,868 credit hours taken last fall.

In addition, there are 35 more students this year, 2,692, compared to last fall when there were 2,657 students enrolled. That is a 1.3 percent increase in total students enrolled (headcount).

Increasing enrollment has been a challenge for colleges throughout the country, according to ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer.

“For the second year in a row — and going against the trend across the country — we have seen enrollment gains in both credit hours and headcount,” he said. “Everyone at East Central has a part in this work, and everyone should be thrilled with these results.”

ECC’s enrollment over the past two years has challenged the shift toward decreasing populations.

“Although the general trend nationwide is continued declines in enrollment,” Bauer added, “around Missouri, the results at community colleges are mixed.

“Some have seen gains this fall, while others are experiencing declines, while some are flat.”

ECC can attribute some of the enrollment increase to strong gains in dual credit enrollment, employee focus on retention and growth at ECC in Rolla.

Bauer noted that the college’s Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) is 1,776, up from 1,725 last fall. FTE is a calculation based on total credit hours that shows how many students would be attending college if they all were full time. This year’s FTE also is higher than in 2020 when it was 1,642.

A majority of ECC students are planning to complete their Associate of Arts degree, while others are looking to directly begin their career upon completion of their program’s certificate and/or degree.

Below is a list of the top 10 programs for the fall 2022 semester:

Associate of Arts — 1186
Nursing — 94
Education — 81
Industrial Engineering Tech — 50
Computer Information System — 49
Transfer Engineering — 48
Fine Arts — 40
Culinary Arts — 36
Radiological Technology — 29.

VIDEO: ECC and St. Clair High School Engineering Partnership Continues

August 30, 2022 | Campus News

A collaboration between East Central College and St. Clair High School continues to grow. This year marks the third year of the Project Lead The Way-Engineering (PLTW-E) program — a partnership between the College and SCHS.

The high school’s PLTW-E program, in conjunction with ECC’s advanced manufacturing center, has organically grown into what is now a collaborative lab-sharing project. SCHS students use the labs and equipment at ECC to further enhance their PLTW-E program.

Since 2019, Maurice Gritzman, PLTW-E instructor at SCHS, has jumped on a bus with his students four days a week to make the trip during the fall and spring semesters to the College’s Business and Industry Center (BIC). Gritzman, a former engineer, leads his students through engineering studies at SCHS and at ECC.

While at ECC his students learn to model projects using Solidworks (computer-aided drawing and engineering application) and then they build their projects using Precision Machining equipment. Students in this program also utilize industrial precision machines and other related software. In addition to utilizing equipment and technology that is unavailable at the high school, the SCHS students also earn ECC dual credit courses for college.

This year there are eight SCHS students involved in the PLTW-e. In 2020, all three SHCS grads in the program came to ECC the following year. Last year, there were 15 students, five of whom were seniors in the program — two came to ECC after graduating high school and three went onto Missouri S&T in Rolla.

Collaboration

The collaboration between SCHS and ECC began four years ago, according to Dr. Richard Hudanick, Dean of Career and Technical Education. Gritzman brought students to the BIC labs for ECC’s Annual Manufacturing Days Event in 2019.

The event showcases ECC’s faculty, labs and programs focused on HVAC, Industrials Engineering Technology, Precision Machinery, and Welding.

It was at Manufacturing Days that Gritzman and SCHS Advisor Holly Click met Nathan Esbeck, Industrial Engineering Technology (IET) program director; Curtis Elliott, Precision Machining program coordinator; and Hudanick.

At the time, Gritzman had his eyes on one of IET’s robotic trainers, according to Hudanick. “Maurice said, ‘I wish I had one of these.”

“I told him that ‘our labs are your labs’,” Hudanick added. “At this point the ball was in Maurice’s court and from that moment his relationship with ECC, and Esbeck and Elliott, has been nothing but a success.”

This collaborative project satisfies many needs of the community while allowing students to discover engineering and advanced manufacturing career paths.

ECC’s IET and Precision Machinery programs offer such an opportunity for this discovery.

“Neither of these programs are well known outside manufacturing itself and with good paying careers for those who travel their paths,” Hudanick added. “What a novel way to build a collaborative adventure with high school student’s career-future at the center.”

He explained that the high schools work toward developing pathways, like PLTW, for their students, while trying to engage them is career ideas.

“It’s a win-win when high school engineering and industrials arts programs are supported by their community colleges,” Hudanick added. “ECC has the lab resources to include state-of-the-art equipment and industry software, and we are preparing these high school students for their next step after graduation.

Professional Staff Appointments, Rank Changes at ECC

July 28, 2022 | Campus News

Seven East Central College employees in the college’s Professional Staff Association (PSA) recently were approved for new roles or changes in rank.

The changes were approved by the ECC Board of Trustees during its June meeting. In addition, a new professional staff member, Carrie Myers, was hired. Myers is the new Director of Human Resources.

“The officers of the Professional Staff Association would like to recognize the accomplishments of our staff who were selected for their new roles or reclassifications, and we welcome our newest PSA members to East Central College,” said Carson Mowery, Campus Life & Leadership Coordinator, and PSA President.

Listed below are the employees who received new appointments or rank changes:

Kathy Luther — appointed to Financial Aid Specialist from her previous position as Student Services Specialist. Kathy was a member of the Classified Staff Association but is now a member of the Professional Staff Association.
Steffani McCrary — named Assistant Director of Advising and Counseling from her previous role as an Academic Advisor/Career Services.
Alison Tucker — appointed to be the STEM Recruitment and Success Coordinator. She previously was the Retention Coordinator.
Dee Gibbs — named Technical Support Coordinator. She previously was an IT Technician. Dee was a member of the Classified Staff Association and is now in the Professional Staff Association.
Chad Baldwin — Director of Online Learning & Educational Technology, reclassified as higher rank and compensation.
Annette Moore —Director of Financial Services/Comptroller, remained in her position with reclassification to a higher rank and compensation.
Lindsay Riegel — is the new was Retention Coordinator. Previously she served as the Advisor for Early College & Admissions.

ECC, Missouri State Sign ‘Transfer 2+2 Plan’ Agreement

June 21, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

There is now an even more seamless pathway for East Central College students transferring to Missouri State University in Springfield.

That’s thanks to a new articulation agreement between ECC and MSU creating a “transfer 2+2 plan.” The agreement was signed June 17 by ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer and MSU President Clif Smart.

Under this agreement, the two institutions will work together to develop transfer plans for ECC students who want to complete their bachelor’s degrees at Missouri State – either online or at the Springfield campus. It promotes the completion of bachelor’s degrees within 120 credits.

According to Dr. Robyn Walter, ECC vice president for academic affairs, many of the students at ECC transfer to four-year colleges or universities.

“We strive to ensure students are prepared for upper-level coursework. We want them to receive credit for the courses they have completed with transfer,” she added.

“Missouri State University is a high-quality and student-centered four-year partner, and we are pleased to add this agreement to our already strong relationship.”

Transfer 2+2 Plans

The transfer 2+2 plans offer a clear pathway to a bachelor’s degree and ensure students meet program requirements. Students also will be assured their credit transfers for all programs through this agreement.

Ultimately, students can save time and money through transfer 2+2 plans.

“Missouri State is pleased to enter into an agreement with East Central College,” said Dr. Joye Norris, associate provost for access and outreach at Missouri State.

“This agreement promotes a seamless transfer experience for students completing degrees online and on-campus. The agreement will support students during the transfer of an associate degree to a Missouri State bachelor’s degree program.”

East Central College President Dr. Jon Bauer, left, and Missouri State University President Clif Smart signed a new articulation agreement June 17 that provides a clear “transfer 2+2 plan” for ECC students to obtain a bachelor’s degree at MSU.

Students Named to the Spring 2022 Dean’s List

May 25, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

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

Upon completion of between six and 11 spring semester credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.5 or greater, students are acknowledged on the Dean’s List.

There were 180 students named to the Dean’s List from the Spring 2022 semester.