College Profile: Ozarks Technical Community College

Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) is "the community's college" in Springfield, Missouri, established by Springfield and thirteen surrounding public school districts on April 3, 1990. Students can earn a one-year Certificate, two-year Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S.), or an Associate of Arts degree (A.A.). In 1996, OTC received accreditation from the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In Spring 2007, OTC received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to deliver all of its degree programs online. In addition to its college credit component, OTC provided area citizens with several other educational options: High school juniors and seniors can participate in half-day job skill programs through OTC's area vocational-technical school;
Specific training could be custom designed for business and industry at the work site;
Non-credit personal and professional enrichment courses were made available;
Adult Education and Literacy was made available to adults working toward the General Equivalence Diploma (GED); and
Students can learn virtually anytime, anywhere in a rapidly-growing number of diverse, high-quality online courses -- including unique online offerings in communication, foreign language, life and physical sciences, mathematics, and teacher education. In September 1991, with 1,198 college credit students, OTC opened its doors at Cox Medical Center North and at 815 North Sherman Avenue in Lincoln Hall and Graff Hall, facilities that formerly housed the Graff Area Vocational Technical Center. These two buildings became the cornerstone of the OTC campus. Enrollment grew at a rate of 10-20% each year with the campus expanding to accommodate the demand for facilities.[citation needed] The Technical Education Center opened in the summer of 1997, the Information Commons in the summer of 1998, the Information Commons East wing in the summer of 1999, and the Industry and Transportation Technology Center opened in 2000. Renovation of Lincoln Hall was completed in 2001, with the Information Commons West wing to be complete in fall 2002. Grants and a contribution from John Q. Hammons also made beautification of the campus possible with the construction of a pedestrian mall between buildings and a waterfall along Chestnut Expressway.The new Richwood Valley campus (south of the main campus in Springfield) will be open for classes starting January 2007. It will be the 6th location where classes are taught. OTC's comprehensive mission and focus on job-skill training, college-transfer preparation, as well as online teaching and learning have made it a vital part of one of the fastest-growing areas in the state of Missouri. In Fall 2006, the college reported 10,000 enrolled students for the first time.[citation needed]

 

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