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Tag: Math

Math and Science Career Night attendees participate in an experiment with electricity with an ECC faculty member.

Area High Schoolers Invited to ECC Math & Science Career Night

September 8, 2024 | Campus News ECC Rolla

On Wednesday, Sept. 18, area high school students are invited to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees and career pathways offered by East Central College and Missouri S&T. The event will take place in the ECC Theatre in Hansen Hall from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Math & Science Career Night is hosted by ECC with special guests from Missouri S&T. Current high school students and East Central College students are encouraged to attend to discover STEM degrees and career paths, and to meet with faculty and students from both institutions across various fields, from Engineering to Biology and beyond.

This image provides the date, time and location of the ECC Math and Science Night. It lists ECC as the sponsor and Missouri S&T as a guest.

Please fill out this form to RSVP or email Alison Tucker, STEM Recruitment and Success Coordinator, at alison.tucker@eastcentral.edu or by calling 636-584-6677.

Students will hear firsthand accounts of what it’s like to work in STEM fields and gain insights into the careers of tomorrow. For example, ECC Engineering student Ryah Cullom, who attended Math & Science Career Night as a high school senior, shared her experience:

“I found the activities to be helpful and geared toward influencing the students to pursue this career. The teachers were very welcoming, and they strived to create a dedicated environment,” she said. “I enjoyed talking to the Engineering department because it reassured me that this major will help me to be successful in terms of lifestyle and the responsibilities of each job.”

Attendees will also receive advice on which high school classes will best prepare them for STEM degrees in college. Parents are also welcome to attend.

Additionally, several door prizes will be awarded, including a Texas Instruments TI-84 calculator.

ECC and Missouri S&T faculty from various STEM fields — ranging from Engineering to Biology and more — will be available to discuss students’ interests and potential career paths.

“STEM Career Night gives students an opportunity to mingle with faculty and students in a variety of STEM programs,” said Tucker. “ECC and S&T have enjoyed a strong relationship for over 40 years, including hosting this event for the past 25 years. We understand that 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.”

To learn more about ECC’s STEM programs, visit www.eastcentral.edu/science/.

College Receives State Grant to Encourage Math, Science Teaching Careers

November 1, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College has been awarded a state “Grow Your Own” grant to encourage students in its education program to pursue careers in teaching math and science at the middle school level.

The College is receiving $45,000 through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in the form of a Developing an Educator Workforce that Expands Yearly (DEWEY) award to address the critical need of STEM teachers in the region.

ECC was one of five two-year colleges in Missouri awarded a DEWEY grant with the intent to inspire more students to pursue careers in education.

Dr. Robyn Walter, ECC Vice President of Academic Affairs, said math and science were strategically chosen due to their historically low enrollment certification rates in the service area, as well as the pressing need for teachers in these fields within local school districts.

“We anticipate that by offering incentives for students to pursue certification areas with historically low enrollment statewide, those students would be more likely to consider those certification areas over others,” Walter said.

Scholarships

Under this innovative initiative, ECC is set to offer $1,000 scholarships to complete their first year of an Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) focused on Middle School math or science. Upon completing their second year at ECC and providing proof of enrollment at a transfer institution for certification in Middle School math and science, students will receive an additional $2,000 to continue to pursue their bachelor’s degree.

“We selected these areas due to their historical low enrollment in our service region, and the school districts we serve are in critical need of educators in these fields,” said Greg Stotler, Assistant Professor, Education/Teacher Coordinator at ECC. “Students who choose science or math programs oftentimes are drawn into professions with higher salaries.”

The College expects to award the $1,000 scholarships in the Spring of 2024.

“This money goes straight to students in a joint effort of growing our own educators,” Walter added.

Transfer Schools

The DEWEY grant aligns ECC with their four-year transfer partners, including Missouri S&T and Central Methodist University (CMU), who can further support students through the Missouri Teacher Recruitment Scholarship opportunity during their student teaching experience. CMU and Missouri S&T are among the 15 four-year colleges in the state to receive $70,000 each in DEWEY grants.

ECC is also hopeful that DESE will expand scholarship opportunities to encompass additional certification areas in the future.

The primary objective of the “Grow Your Own” initiative is to contribute to the growth of qualified educators within the state and tackle the challenge of teacher shortages. DESE reports that just over 5 percent of its teaching workforce is either not qualified or underqualified for their positions, equivalent to 3,579 full-time employees, as of December 2022. The most in-demand subjects are elementary education, cross-categorical positions, and early childhood special education.

DESE’s data from 2023-2024 shows a significant decrease in courses taught by instructors with “inappropriate certification,” down from 45,509 in the previous year to 13,314 courses, signifying the positive impact of these types of initiatives.

This initiative, fueled by the DEWEY grant, is a testament to ECC’s commitment to creating opportunities for aspiring educators and addressing critical teacher shortages across the state.

For more information about ECC’s Education programs, visit www.eastcentral.edu/education/education/.

College Hosts Successful Academic Challenge — Winner Announced

February 20, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla Images

There were 103 students from five high schools who competed in the annual Academic Challenge for Engineering and Science.

The competition was designed to challenge the best and brightest high school students. All five varsity teams will advance to the sectionals at Missouri S&T in Rolla. In addition to the five varsity teams, there were two junior varsity, or at-large teams, that also participated in the Academic Challenge.

Teams from Linn (Osage County R-II), Washington (varsity and junior varsity), Warrenton (varsity and junior varsity), Houston and St. Francis Borgia Regional high schools attended.

The students participated in a battery of tests in seven subject areas: math, biology, chemistry, physics, English, computational science and engineering graphics.

The tests are taken individually, and prizes are awarded for top individual scores in each subject area and for top team scores.

Alison Tucker, STEM recruitment & success coordinator, who coordinated this year’s event, said the tests are written by college-level faculty, and are designed to present a challenge to the brightest students.

The Challenge is divided into large (1,500), intermediate (700) and small (300) school categories, with the top team and individual winners from the competition at ECC advancing to the sectional competition.

Winners

The overall team winners for each school category, are:

300 Category

Linn High School, first place, 500 points.

700 Category

Saint Francis Borgia Regional High School, 484.3 points, first place; and Houston High School, 474.1 points, second place.

1,500 Category

Warrenton High School, 422.6, first place; and Washington High School, 418.4 points, second place.

Individual winners

Student winners from each category and in each subject, are:

300 Category (all from Osage R-II/Linn High School)

Biology — Annaliese Bowser and Vivian Baker, tied for first; Arlyn Martin, second; and Kiana Hostetler, third.

Chemistry — Marrisa Ghelert, first; Arlyn Martin and Lily Strope, tied for second; and Ramsie Tschappler, third.

Computational Science — Levi Crane, first; Gabe Branson, second; and Mia Jaegers, third.

Engineering Graphics — Levi Crane, first; Gabe Branson, second; and Kiana Hostetler, third.

English — Mia Jaegers, first; Annaliese Bowser, second; and Vivian Baker, third.

Mathematics — Trevor Murray, first; Lily Strope, first; and Marrisa Ghelert, Linn, third.

Physics — Elijah Baker, first; Ramsie Tschappler, second; and Trevor Murray, third.

700 Category

Biology — Kristen Ely, Houston, first; Miah Bressie, Houston, and Tyler Dill, Borgia, tied for second; and Ava Fischer, Borgia, third.

Chemistry — Owen Wells, Houston, first; Zach Posinski, Borgia, second; and Lily Johnson, Houston, third.

Computational Science — Brody Adkison, Houston, first; Jackson Comely               , Borgia, and Stone Jackson, Houston, tied for second.

Engineering Graphics — Drew Eckhoff, Borgia, first; Aiden Kelly, Houston, second; and Sam Dunard, Borgia, third.

English — Andy Durham, Houston, first; Jack Dunard, Borgia, second; and Brandon Jones, Borgia, third.

Mathematics — Lexie Meyer, Borgia, and Jack Dunard, Borgia, tied for first; Lily Johnson, Houston, second; and Brandon Jones, Borgia, and Sam Dunard, Borgia, tied for third.

Physics — Andy Durham, Houston, first; Ben Cook, Houston, second; and Addison Cook, Houston, third.

1500 Category

Biology — Leah Wheeler, Washington, first; Emma Wheeler, Washington, second; and Grant Beuchner, Warrenton, third.

Chemistry — Luke Rausch, Warrenton, first; Dominic Johnson, Warrenton, second; and Lilly Schmitt, Washington, third.

Computational Science — Roy Briggs, Warrenton, first; Micheal Hotra, Washington, second; and Isaac Lough, Washington, third.

Engineering Graphics — Tyler Eckelkamp, Washington, first; Nikolas Hellebusch, Washington, second; and Owen Thompson, Warrenton, third.

English — Alice Briggs, Warrenton, first; Roy Briggs, Warrenton, second; and Abby Palmer, Warrenton, third.

Mathematics — Tyler Eckelkamp, Washington, first; Isaac Lough, Washington, second; and Kellen Scheimeier, Washington, and Claire Hellebusch, Washington, tied for third.

Physics — Owen Thompson, Warrenton, first; Katie Shramek, Warrenton, Kellen Scheimeier, Washington, and Nick Holdmeyer, Washington, tied for second; and Nate Kutsch, Warrenton and Grant Beuchner, Warrenton, tied for third.

 

Academic Challenge graphic

ECC Hosts Academic Challenge; Winners Announced

March 2, 2022 | Campus News

There were Eight teams from six schools in the region that came to East Central College to compete in the annual Academic Challenge.

There were about 100 total competitors who came to the College to compete in the competition, which was designed to challenge the best and brightest high school students.

Teams from Linn, Washington (varsity and junior varsity), Sullivan, Warrenton (varsity and junior varsity), Houston and St. Francis Borgia Regional high schools attended.

The students participated in a battery of tests in seven subject areas: math, biology, chemistry, physics, English, computer science and engineering graphics.

The tests are taken individually, and prizes are awarded for top individual scores in each subject area and for top team scores.

Linda Arrington, academic advisor/instructional for engineering at ECC, noted that the tests are written by college-level faculty, and they are designed to present a challenge to the brightest students, calling it a “bridge between secondary and higher education.”

The Academic Challenge is in Missouri with about 40 to 50 high schools participating, but over 6,000 students from 400 high schools in Illinois participate in the annual event. This is the 22nd year ECC has hosted the regional challenge.

The Challenge is divided into large (1,500), intermediate (700) and small (300) school categories, with the top team and individual winners from the competition at ECC advancing to the sectional competition.

Winners

The overall team winners for each school category, are:

300 Category

Houston High School, first place, 500 points; and Linn High School, second place, 421 points.

700 Category

Saint Francis Borgia Regional High School, 499.2 points, first place; and Sullivan High School, 493.6 points, second place.

1,500 Category

Warrenton High School, 490.5 points, first place; and Washington High School, 482.2 points, second place.

Individual winners from each category and in each subject, are:

 

300 Category
Biology — Alex Swallow, Houston, first; Maggie Ribaudo, Linn, second; and Miah Bressie Houston, third.

Chemistry — Devon Sawyer, Houston, first place; Nick Washko, Houston, second; and Gibson Tschappler, Linn, third.

Computer Science — Levi Crane, Linn, first; Brody Adkison. Houston, second; and Austin Blankenship, Houston, third.

Engineering Graphics — Sierra Pollard, Linn, first; Nick Washko, Houston, second; and Marrisa Ghelert, Linn, third.

English — Andy Durham, Houston, first; Maggie Ribaudo, Linn, second; and Austin Blankenship, Houston, third.

Mathematics — Devon Sawyer, Houston, first; Marissa Gehlert, Linn, second; and Gibson Tschappler, Linn, third.

Physics — Andy Durham, Houston, first; Alex Swallow, Houston, second; and Emma Fennell, Linn, third.

700 Category

Biology — Jackson Hamblin, Sullivan, first; Drew Eckhoff, St. Francis Borgia, second; and Emily Lowe, Sullivan, third.

Chemistry — Adam Snider, St. Francis Borgia, first; Loren Halmick, Sullivan, second; and Elle Webers, Sullivan, third.

Computer Science — Joshua Gollaher, Sullivan, first; Jackson Comely, St. Francis Borgia, second; and

Connor Skornia, St. Francis Borgia, third.

Engineering Graphics — Hannah Menges, St. Francis Borgia, first; Mary Daily, Sullivan, second; and Sam Dunard, St. Francis Borgia, third.

English — Brandon Jones, St. Francis Borgia, first; Loren Halmick, Sullivan, second; and Adia Halmick, Sullivan, third.

Mathematics — Adam Snider, St. Francis Borgia, first; Walker Hardy, Sullivan, second; and Jackson Hamblin, Sullivan, third.

Physics — Lexie Meyer, St. Francis Borgia, first; Ben Lause, St. Francis Borgia, second; and Walker Hardy, Sullivan, third.

1500 Category

Biology — Samantha Pyatt, Washington, first; Abi Waters, Washington, second; and Grant Beuchner, Warrenton, third.

Chemistry — Vincent Hoang, Washington, first; Luke Rausch, Warrenton, second; and Lilly Schmitt, Washington, third.

Computer Science — Roy Briggs, Warrenton, first; Ben Oesterly, Washington, second; and Isaac Lough, Washington, third.

Engineering Graphics — Tyler Eckelkamp, Washington, first; Sam Stewart, Washington, second; and Ethan King, Warrenton, third.

English — Elena Roewe, Washington, first; Roy Briggs, Warrenton, second; and Leah Wheeler, Washington, third.

Mathematics — Ben Oesterly, Washington, first; Ian Vacek, Warrenton, second; and Tyler Eckelkamp, Washington, third.

Physics —Andrew Meyer, Washington, first; Micah Gargrave, Washington, second; and Ian Vacek, Warrenton, third.

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

Academic Challenge students posing for group photo

The Learning Center Offering ‘Bridge’ Programs

May 27, 2021 | Campus News

The Learning Center (TLC) at East Central College is offering free online and in-person “Bridge” courses for students who need a boost in their placement test scores.

Bridge courses are non-credit, one- to two-weeklong courses geared toward students whose placement test scores indicate they could benefit from additional assistance. Bridge courses are available to Union and Rolla students.

The goal is to prepare students to retake the placement test in hopes that they will increase their scores, move more quickly into college-level classes and use less financial aid funds in the process.

For more information about Bridge courses, people may visit www.eastcentral.edu/college-readiness/Bridge-courses/.

The Learning Center is located on the first floor of Buescher Hall next to the library. Contact TLC at 636-584-6688 or general_tutoring@eastcentral.edu.

This year, students who complete the Bridge programs will be offered a gift certificate to Dairy Queen.

Writing Bridge

The writing Bridge class is designed to assist in improving placement scores by focusing on test taking skills and targeted remediation in writing skills.

At the end of the weeklong Bridge course, students will retake the writing skills portion of the placement exam.

Reading and Writing Bridge

The two-weeklong reading and writing Bridge course is designed to assist in improving placement scores by focusing on test taking skills and targeted remediation in reading and writing.

At the end of the course, students will retake the reading and writing skills portions of the placement exam.

Mathematics Pre-Algebra Bridge

A weeklong pre-algebra Bridge is designed to assist in improving placement scores by focusing on test taking skills and targeted remediation in mathematics.

Mathematics Introductory Algebra Bridge

The introductory algebra Bridge course is one week and designed to assist in improving placement scores by focusing on test taking skills and targeted remediation in mathematics.

At the end of the Bridge course, students will retake the mathematics portion of the placement exam.

#InspiringExcellence – Adjunct Honored with Statewide Award

November 5, 2018 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

When it comes to teaching math, it’s hard to find someone with more experience than Connie Lutz.

“I spent 44 years as a high school math teacher,” she said. “My first semester as an adjunct professor at East Central College was in 1980.”

She’s still going strong.

“I enjoy mathematics,” Lutz explained, “the problem solving which makes you think logically but often requires a creative approach. I want to develop an appreciation of the power and beauty of mathematics in my students.  I want to find a way to make the course content relevant to my students, to see beyond the manipulations.”

She believes in one simple notion – do math and you can do anything.

“Being able to ‘handle the math’ opens so many doors for students. Consequently, there is an urgency to help students develop good math sense and succeed in math class,” she said.

Her dedication to her students in the classroom is why she has been named the Missouri Community College Association Outstanding Adjunct Faculty for 2018! Only one award winner is chosen each year. It doesn’t come as a surprise to one of her former students.

“I had Connie Lutz as a math instructor when I returned to college,” said Peggy Reeves. “I had not been a student for several years, and she made returning not as intimidating as I thought it would be.  She not only is an excellent teacher, but she also cares deeply about her students.”

It’s a sentiment shared by those who work with her as well.

“Connie has the ability to inspire and engage all of her students,” said Ann Boehmer, East Central College Dean of Instruction. “She passionately works with every student who has entered her classroom.  She is a role model for all of us when she is in the classroom through her ability to teach all students and emphasize the importance of mathematics.”

She will be honored at the Missouri Community College Association Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony in Branson in November.

Congrats Connie!