ECC Insiders Podcast
The ECC Insiders podcast is hosted by Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations, and Leigh Kolb, Associate Professor of English and Journalism.
ECC Insiders will take a deeper look at the topics, programs, and departments at East Central College, and how each of them effects the east central Missouri region. Many of the topics will apply to listeners outside the region, to provide a better and deeper understanding about the positive impact and challenges facing community colleges.
If you have a comment or question about ECC Insiders, email us at ECCInsiders@eastcentral.edu.
Latest Episode
Investing in East Central College is an investment in your community.
Proposition ECC is a Tuesday, April 8 ballot initiative, and if approved by voters, will provide funding for a $15 million campus renovation project, to repair and renovate every building on the Union campus and construct two new facilities, a welding training center and a centralized storage facility.
ECC is a vital asset to students and the area's communities. Hear from three ECC alums who credit ECC in helping them with their successes, who are local business and community leaders and serve on the ECC Foundation Board of Directors:
Sandy Lucy: A 1976 graduate and the former mayor of Washington.
John Moroney: A 1983 graduate and the owner of multiple Taco Bell restaurants.
Torrey Woodcock: Attended ECC in the early 2000s and the owner of area Jimmy John's restaurants.
Discover more about Proposition ECC at www.eastcentral.edu/propositionecc
See the yearly economic impact of East Central College on the area: www.eastcentral.edu/impact
Previous Episodes
Leigh and Joel hear the story of 27-year-old Kayla Jaspering of Union, who completed her high school education in the ECC Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program while also caring for five children!
Francisco Contreras, from Sullivan, is 36 years old and is originally from Mexico. He's lived in the area for nearly 20 years and wants to improve his English language skills.
Francisco's daughter is also an ECC student studying to be a nurse!
The AEL program offers high school education classes in eight communities throughout east central Missouri and online. The instructors work closely with students to prepare them for the GED test or the high school equivalency (HiSET) exam.
Find out more at www.eastcentral.edu/AEL
We fire up the conversation with women who have found careers in manufacturing. More and more women are discovering their abilities and interests as welders, machinists, HVAC technicians and manufacturing maintenance technicians.
Hear more about the unique abilities of women in manufacturing and how they are being welcomed in the industry.
Scholarships are available for tuition, fees, books and other expenses through the Metallica Scholars program for both women and men. ECC is also fortunate to receive $50,000 from Carhartt to be used for women in manufacturing through its “Labor of Love” grant.
See more about the Metallica Scholars program and the Carhartt's Women in Manufacturing initiatives.
A week-long spring break trip to London, England in March 2024 for a group of ECC students provided them with an opportunity to explore. They learned more about themselves and the world.
Lauren Hoey, an English major and Elijah Long, a STEM major, shared their experiences that left them with great memories that will last a lifetime.
The best thing about the trip? Waffles outside, a walkable city, art museums and Abbey Road.
Listen to hear about some of their oddest experiences overseas, including how to operate the toilet.
Leigh and Joel have a great conversation with Renee Richardson, the Director of Philanthropy for Metallica’s “All Within My Hands” (AWMH) foundation. AWMH’s philanthropy focuses on three main objectives--to help with disaster relief, feeding people and the Metallica Scholars program.
East Central College is part of the Metallica Scholars program and receives support and funding to promote and provide student scholarships for ECC’s four manufacturing programs, Welding, HVAC, Industrial Maintenance and Precision Machining.
Renee stopped by the Union campus in June 2023 during Metallica's shows in St. Louis.
For more information about ECC’s Metallica Scholars program and Metallica’s “All Within My Hands”, visit www.eastcentral.edu/Metallica or https://www.allwithinmyhands.org/
Renee also hosts a podcast discussing the band Metallica, “The Metallica Report.”
A student finds more success inside the classroom by being active outside of the classroom.
Students involved in student clubs or organizations find themselves more successful in the classroom with a higher GPA and tend to complete their certificate or degree on time. The involvement also helps them to enhance their leadership and team building skills that will serve them well in their job, life and career.
At the time of the recording in early 2024, we discussed this topic with Carson Mowery, Coordinator, Campus Life and Leadership at East Central College.
The academic success of a student includes being involved in the process of learning while in the classroom.
Outside of the classroom, it is important to engage with the instructor and other students about the class. In addition, using the resources available at a college, such as tutoring, can help a struggling student be successful.
We discuss this topic with Erin Anglin, Executive Director, Learning Center and Academic Support and Lindsay Riegel, Retention Coordinator.
Dr. Jon Bauer, president of East Central College, joins Leigh and Joel to discuss "Proposition ECC."
The proposition will be on the April 2, 2024 ballot, asking voters in the College taxing district to approve a NO-COST increase to the ECC tax levy.
Dr. Bauer details how the debt service levy transfer to the operating levy will positively impact the ECC Union campus by modernizing the campus buildings and enhancing safety and security measures.
More information about the levy transfer is available at: Proposition ECC: What is it? - East Central College
Comments can be sent to ECCInsiders@eastcentral.edu
Joel Doepker and Leigh Kolb discuss the early college programs at East Central College that include the Early College Academy (ECA). ECA students start attending ECC courses on the ECC campus in their junior year and after two years have the opportunity to graduate with an Associate of Arts degree while at the same timeframe also completing a high school diploma from their high school.
Approximately 60 students from six area high schools are enrolled yearly in the Early College Academy program.
Details of the programs are provided by Megen Strubberg, ECC Director of Early College and Admissions and two students, Amber Glastetter, Washington High School (Mo.) and Mary Daily, Sullivan High School (Mo.).
For more information about early college programs visit Early College Programs - Early College Programs - East Central College
Contact us at ECCInsiders@eastcentral.edu with any comments or questions.
Joel Doepker and Leigh Kolb discuss the history of East Central College with two people who have a long history with the College.
Ina "Cookie" Hays is the only person to be a graduate, support staff member, professional staff member, administrator, and trustee at East Central College. Current ECC president Dr. Jon Bauer started at ECC in 1995 and became president in 2012.
Find out more about the history of East Central College at https://www.eastcentral.edu/about-ecc/ecc-history/.
Please send comments and suggestions to ECCInsiders@eastcentral.edu
Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations and Leigh Kolb, Associate Professor of English will discuss all things East Central College (Mo.). Higher education trends and topics that effect the east central Missouri region and the nation.