Tag: students

Trustees Approve Partnership to Provide Virtual Health Care to Students

October 24, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College will partner with a virtual health company to offer students free access to medical care and mental health support.

At its October meeting, the ECC Board of Trustees approved a recommendation to enter into a contract with The Virtual Care Group, Los Angeles, Calif., to provide medical and mental telehealth to all students.

ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer stated that the primary objective of offering telehealth care is to ensure students receive rapid responses for both physical and mental health concerns, with a focus on directing them to appropriate long-term care providers when needed. For instance, a student may use the psychiatric component for a short-term issue, and then the telehealth professional can refer the student to long-term care.

“We are very pleased that we can offer this to our students,” Bauer said. “This will help make it possible for students to stay enrolled, persist toward their goals, and have a resource for care that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

He explained the challenges faced by many community college students when accessing healthcare services, placing particular emphasis on the need for mental health support. He added that telehealth technology will empower students to access care at their convenience and according to their own schedules.

“Throughout the country, students face mounting challenges that impact their mental health, including finances, balancing work and school, caring for children, on top of studying and attending class,” Bauer said. “We have recognized that these added stressors have greatly increased the need for mental and health care among our students.”

The telehealth services are an extension of the role of ECC counselors who are already available to ECC students. Vice President of Student Services Sarah Leassner said the services could begin as early as this semester or, at the latest, in the Spring 2024. The College will closely monitor the initiative to ensure it benefits students.

“This is going to be an excellent resource for our students,” Leassner commented. “I can’t wait to see how this can help our students.”

She added that The Virtual Care Group platform provides additional services, like life coaching and writing wills, that also will be beneficial to students.

The telehealth services are available to all part-time and full-time students. Dual credit students are not eligible.

The package will be funded through student fees already collected by the college. The cost of the service is $2.98 per student, per month, with an estimated annual cost of $84,020. Included in the agreement is a 50-visit block of psychiatric sessions, which will address mental issues.

The College anticipated offering virtual health services to students and increased student fees in February to fund it. Top of Form

Once the infrastructure for the service is in place, the College will provide students with details and instructions on how to use the platform.

PTK Members Inducted into Chapter, Honor Society Wins Awards

March 23, 2023 | Campus News

There have been 38 members inducted this spring into the Chi Delta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at East Central College in Union.

The chapter recently held its annual Spring New Member Induction Ceremony, with guest speaker Donna Hall, ECC alumna and 2021-2022 chapter vice president.

Students must have at least a 3.4 GPA and be a full-time student for one semester to be invited into PTK. Members must then maintain an overall GPA of 3.2 once they are inducted into the honor society.

There are more students who have been invited to join but haven’t yet, according to Kevin Dixon, PTK advisor of the Chi Delta Chapter. Those students can still do so through the end of the year.

Membership is open to all majors throughout the college, including anyone working toward a degree or certificate.

To learn more about PTK and to find contact information for advisors, visit www.eastcentral.edu/student-activities/clubs-and-organizations/.

Region Awards

The Chi Delta Chapter, its members and an advisor won awards at the 2023 Heartland Region Hallmark Awards held in March.

The Chapter was named a Five Star Chapter, and it was recognized with an Honorable Mention for the Honors in Action program.

PTK member Riley William Klekamp won second place in the Distinguished Chapter Member award.

Annika Bruner and Victoria Plocinski received honorable mentions for Distinguished Chapter Officer awards.

In addition, PTK Advisor Dr. Wendy Pecka received second place in the Linda McFate Award for Continued Excellence in Advising category.

New Members

Listed below are the Chi Delta Chapter members followed by their hometown:

Garrett Akers, Bourbon; Isaac Altis, St. James; Alyssa Baird, Rolla; Aimee Bartle, Sullivan; Ashlee Becker, Washington; Dawn Birdsall, St. Clair; Konner Branson, Gerald; Aaron Brinkmann, Washington; Emma Buehrlen, Washington; Sarah Carter, Union; Mary Daily, Sullivan; Desiree Delisi, Labadie; Caleb Dieckhaus, Washington; Kaitlyn Donovan, Union;

Tyler Finke, Jonesburg; David Harper, Washington; Chloe Hawkins, Washington; Susie Heggemann, Marthasville; Anna Hoffman, Labadie; Kate Hoffman, Labadie; Zachary Hoffman, Labadie; Carolyn Horst, Union; Regan Killbreath, Labadie; Van Kitchens, Bourbon; Abigail Kleekamp, Washington; Amber Kossmann, Union; Sarah O’Bannon, Washington;

Trey Orman, Keller, Texas; Joelle Phillips, Rolla; Chloe Rhoden, Linn; Glennon Sander, Washington; William Schloeman, Warrenton; Owen Spreckelmeyer, Washington; Emily Weilert, Union; Addison Williford, Union; Jagger Wood, Washington; and Olivia Zeitzmann, Washington.

ECC Partners With Manufacturer to Provide Internships for Welding Students

February 14, 2023 | Campus News

East Central College and WEG Transformers USA embarked on a collaboration project that has benefited both the college’s welding students and the Washington-based manufacturer of power transformers.

WEG Transformers provided an internship for four ECC Welding students who learned the ropes while working for the industry. Through the internship, the students gained hands-on, real-word experience at the manufacturer. WEG is a multi-national company that produces power and distribution transformers at its Washington plant for North America and overseas.

The students — Holly Downey, Sadie Meyer, Zach Regot and Cole Vance — completed the internship in the Fall 2022 semester and earned 5 credits hours each.

WEG and ECC developed a four-week internship that assesses students from safety, attendance, welding, blueprint reading and communication, according to ECC Welding Program Coordinator Bobby Bland.

“The interns were partnered with select employees from WEG that would be a great fit to the needs of the students, while working with the employees, students got to see first-hand to what working in a manufacturing facility was really like,” Bland said. “As instructors we can talk about the experience all we want in class but for student to be in that production environment it is higher learning education at its finest.”

Once they completed the internship, students were given a writing assignment to reflect on their experience at WEG.

“The papers were above and beyond my expectations of what they learned while they participated in the internship,” said Dr. Richard Hudanick, dean of career and technical education. “Students wrote about their struggles, triumphs and excitement, coming back with more value that they can share with their fellow students in class, which really engaged the rest of the class.”

“These students are developing talent in an ever-expanding field of transformer manufacturing where welding is core,” he added. “This is a success story.”

WEG USA Human Resource Director Chris Vansickle said the ECC students worked closely alongside WEG employees and learned from the company’s culture.

“We value each individual contribution to our success, and we motivate people by means of integrity, ethics and constant support to personal development,” he said. “Working as a team, we gather the best knowledge, intelligence and skill to constantly improve our work and benefit our customers.

“Every day we work to make things better. All products, processes and developments are driven by the desire to increase efficiency,” Vansickle added.

Hudanick said Bland met with the four students, and WEG supervisors and employees after the conclusion of the internship to gather information to make the next collaboration even more successful.

“Internships and apprenticeships are the future of filling manufacturing employment opportunities within our community,” Hudanick said.

ECC and WEG Partnerships

The College’s Adult Education and Literacy program and WEG already had been working together before the welding internships.

More than 30 WEG employees are being taught English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses through the ECC AEL program.

The students joined WEG in 2021 through the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) — an immigrant and job placement service/information hub which connects refugees and immigrants to a variety of opportunities in the St. Louis region. The jobs range from entry-level to professional positions, within a variety of industries.

AEL Director Alice Whalen and Vansickle worked together to implement the ELA courses at WEG.

ECC Hosting 2023-24 Financial Aid Workshops

September 20, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College’s financial aid department will hold a series of workshops to help students fill out the 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) over the course of several evenings.

Attendees must RSVP for the workshops. To RSVP for one of the workshops, or for more information, call 636-584-6574 or email FinAid@EastCentral.edu.

FAFSA Nights will be held in Buescher Hall, Union, room 103 and 214 from 5-6:30 p.m. on the following dates:

Tuesday, Oct. 4

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Tuesday, Nov. 1

Tuesday, Nov. 15

Tuesday, Nov. 29

To get the most out of the workshop, students are encouraged to bring their Social Security number, driver’s license, W-2 forms, 2021 federal income tax return, bank account balances, value of investments, value of business and/or investment farm.

English Department’s Poetry and Research Contest Winners

May 13, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla Media

The East Central College English Department has announced the winners of the annual Poetry and Research Writing Contest.

In the poetry category, Christian Emory received first-place honors for, “Well-done.”

In the research essay category, Jillian Stigge’s, “Dangerous New Censorships in Education,” was the first-place winner.

First-place recipients received $100 in prize money. Second-place winners were given $50, and third-place winners received $25.

Josh Stroup, instructor and English department chair, thanked Katie Holtmeyer for assisting in judging the contest, as well as everyone who submitted to this contest, and those who helped spread the word about the contest.

“If you know any of these students, please reach out and give them a rowdy congrats! They deserve it,” Stroup said. “The Literary and Art Review will be out soon, so you too can read these award-winning works.”

In addition, the English department will host a Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction contest in the fall.

Listed below are the winners in both categories, followed by the title of the work.

Poetry Winners

First place — Christian Emory, “Well-done.”

Second place — Jacy DeLoach, “infinitesimal.”

Third place — Emrhys Bradley’s, “What is a woman? (An American Sonnet).”

Honorable Mention — Paxton Ludwig, “Home Depot Misgivings.”

Research Essay Winners

First place — Jillian Stigge, “Dangerous New Censorships in Education.”

Second place — Emma Thomas, “One Bullet.”

Third place — Sarah Harris, “Caffeine: Why It Should Have More Restrictions.”

Gifford Recipient of Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award

December 10, 2021 | Campus News

A quality of an excellent instructor is the ability to make students understand complex subjects.

That’s just one of the traits that East Central College’s Matthew Gifford, instructor of philosophy and religion, exhibits in his classroom.

Gifford recently received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award for his accomplishments and dedication to his students and the teaching profession.

“As a faculty member, he is a beacon of what our College mission defines in and outside the classroom,” wrote one ECC employee who nominated Gifford for the award. “Since his time as an adjunct instructor for ECC, Matthew has always been student driven.

“If one has the opportunity to observe him in his classroom, they will see a classroom full of activity; a classroom full of critical thinking, dismantling, and questioning prior knowledge — One will see students engaged and actively participating.”

A former student stated that Gifford will take the time to ensure the entire class understands complicated concepts.

“He is phenomenal at breaking down a dense concept and making it easy to understand. He is also very willing to go over a concept in as many ways, and as many times, and he needs to for the whole class to grasp it,” the students said.

“It is easy to see that he wants his students to succeed, not only in his classes, but in life.”

In addition, Gifford asks students to build and evolve their own definitions of concepts and come to their own conclusions on the content.

“His classroom is one that transports students to the hallowed halls of Greek philosophy and ancient religious texts and forces our students to see the relevance of the questions asked,” a colleague said about Gifford. “In doing so he is also equipping our students to question the realities of their present and their own academic pathways.”

Outside the classroom, he has held annual food drives to support local food banks that serve both Rolla and Union students. He has sponsored and participated in student clubs, seeking to better their understanding of overall personal safety.

The Excellence in Teaching Awards program began in St. Louis in 1989 and is sponsored annually by Emerson, the St. Louis-headquartered global technology and engineering company.

“As part of Emerson’s commitment to education and our hometown community of St. Louis, we are proud to champion the critical role of teachers in guiding and shaping the lives of the next generation of innovators,” said Akberet Boykin Farr, vice president of diversity and social responsibility for Emerson.

Hundreds of ECC Students Receive Emergency Financial Aid

July 12, 2021 | Campus News

Spring semester East Central College students received a total of $825,515 in emergency federal financial aid funds to ease the impact COVID-19 had on them.

There were 652 students who each received between $830 to $1685, depending on their financial aid status., through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act.

The CRRSA Act provided the funding for students to help ease any financial burden because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students can use the funding for many reasons, including emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus, as well as food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or childcare.

“It’s important for us to distribute this money to our students, while many of them are taking classes, they are also working part-time or full-time,” said Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president. “COVID-19 has affected each of them in different ways, and the funding will help alleviate some financial stress.”

The college also has $3,115,247 in emergency student financial aid funding provided through the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP). The ARP funding will be distributed to students during the upcoming academic year.

“We are waiting for some guidance to determine what time during the upcoming year that students would be eligible to receive the financial aid funds,” says Dr. Bauer.

Last October $825,587 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars were disbursed to a group of eligible 2020 fall semester students. Overall, East Central College received a total of $4,766,569 in emergency student financial aid awards.

ECC Staff Conducts Wellness Checks on Students

January 13, 2021 | Campus News

Winter break typically is a time when college is not on the top of students’ minds.

But over the break, East Central College students were given a quick reminder of the college via wellbeing check phone calls from student services staff.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Robyn Walter said ECC staff reached out to current students to check in, adding that the calls were multi purposed with the goal of getting assistance to students in need.

Walter explained that the ECC employees contacted students to ask about their overall wellness, if they needed financial assistance or if they had health concerns.

“The focus is to connect with our students and help identify potential health, wellbeing, financial, or other personal or school related concerns so that we can link them now to campus or community resources before classes begin,” she said.

The spring semester is slated to begin Tuesday, Jan. 19.

During the conversation with students, they were informed of the ECC Food Bank form, ECC counseling services, bookstore information and financial assistance contact information.

According to Dr. Parvi Govindaswamy, the plan to contact students over break began during a discussion among members of the Civic and Community Engagement Coalition.

“One of our goals at ECC is to make sure we understand the issues students in our community may face,” said Dr. Govindaswamy.

Resources

Listed below are resources for ECC students:

An ECC Food Bank request form can be found at www.eastcentral.edu/current/. Click the “Food Pantry” tab under Support Services.
For ECC Counseling visit www.eastcentral.edu/counseling/.
To contact the bookstore, call 636-584-6737.
For information on financial aid email finaid@eastcentral.edu.