SCC July 2020 Newsletter

Dr. Kavalier’s Report to the Community

SCC Named “Best Return on Investment” in Missouri At St. Charles Community College, our students know their degree is WORTH IT. According to a 2019 Georgetown University study, a degree from SCC is worth more over time than any other community college in Missouri.

“After just 10 years, an SCC degree is worth nearly $174,000,” said Dr. Barbara Kavalier, SCC president. “Out of more than 4,500 schools included in the study, including four-year universities, SCC ranked in the top 10 percent nationwide for ROI.” With financial aid packages, A+ scholarship funds and affordable tuition, the average St. Charles Community College student leaves with a median debt of only $4,300. Students who attend

Dr. Kavalier’s Report to the Community

public four-year universities and private technical colleges graduate with considerably more of a financial burden.

“SCC offers many essential degree and certificate options that enable students to become career-ready after graduation,” said Kavalier. “These students will be the drivers of our economy as we recover from the downturn caused by COVID-19.”

After a relatively short amount of time, a degree from SCC is worth nearly 40 times what students paid for it. ~ According to Georgetown University Study

“SCC offers many essential degree and certificate options that enable students to become career-ready after graduation. These students will be the drivers of our economy as we recover from the downturn caused by COVID-19.”

Barbara Kavalier, Ph.D. SCC President

SCC Meeting Healthcare Workforce Demands Through Innovative Partnerships For the first time in the college’s history, St. Charles Community College is making plans to soon offer a bachelor’s degree.

Partnering with Missouri State University, the Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant program will help meet the demand for healthcare workers in the area.

Planning Teams Prepare for Safe, Measured Return to Campus St. Charles Community College is proud of the proactive measures it’s taken over the last several months to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the community.

This fall, SCC will continue its efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 by instituting a hybrid approach to classes.

The majority of courses will be offered online; however, there will be a small number of courses offered in-person, including classes that require hands-on learning.

“This is an historic moment for higher education in Missouri as a community college and four-year university work together to solve critical issues of employment and health care within our communities,” said Dr. Barbara Kavalier, SCC president.

While Missouri State will deliver part of the curriculum online, most classes will occur at St. Charles Community College.

Additionally, the OTA program will be accredited through SCC. Diplomas will be from both schools.

Meanwhile, SCC is partnering with SSM Health to train the next generation of Patient Care Technicians (PCT). Patient Care Technicians work alongside nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals to provide direct patient care in a hospital setting.

The free six-week PCT program combines classroom instruction at SCC with clinical training at SSM.

“In this current environment we are facing so many uncertainties,” said Dr. Kavalier, “but we want to make certain our students have the ability to complete their education at St. Charles Community College. We want students to know they are not alone, and we will have all the courses and support services they need to complete a degree moving forward.”

SCC will emphasize social distancing and will require masks for anyone entering a building on campus.

Additionally, temperatures will be checked at designated entryways of each building, and all campus facilities will have regular cleaning and disinfecting schedules.

More information about SCC’s response to COVID-19 can be found at stchas.edu/lp/back-to-class.

New African American History Course Will Feature Change, Research, Service Learning In 2019, Associate Professor of History Grace Moser decided to go on sabbatical with the goal of crafting an immersive African American history class at SCC. This fall, “African American History Since 1877” will become a reality.

“I wanted to create a course that not only emphasized the importance understanding and knowing African American history,” Moser explained, “but also taught students activism

SCC Providing HighDemand Industry Credentials for Local Workforce

Students Researching Life-Saving Antibiotics at SCC Antibiotics are difficult and expensive to discover and produce, and widespread antibiotic resistance has become an issue worldwide. Students at St. Charles Community College are helping scientists come up with a solution.

Under the direction of Biology Professor Dr. Monica HallWoods, students took part in the Tiny Earth project this year. Students from all over the world are taking samples of soil, hoping to discover an organism or molecule with antibiotic properties that could be developed into a lifesaving drug.

“Tiny Earth is student-sourced, not just crowd-sourced,” says Hall-Woods, “so we’re training the next generation of scientists as well as providing a crucial resource to help fight antibiotic resistance. The hands-on work is ‘discoverybased,’ meaning instead of spending their time in the lab repeating experiments in which the outcomes are well-known, students are participating in literally groundbreaking work.”

While the research was put on a temporary hold due to COVID-19, Hall-Woods hopes to resume research this fall.

and ways to research and actively preserve black history.”

Moser believes the class will encourage critical thinking and arm them with the tools and knowledge they need to address change. The class will have a service-learning aspect to it, meaning students will be required to volunteer at least 15 hours at a relevant organization during the semester and write a reflective essay of their experiences.

Now, more than ever, students are eager to make an impact in their community. SCC’s Service Learning Program helps students meet the needs of their communities while increasing their own academic achievement. Learn more about the program at stchas.edu/servicelearning.

This fall, St. Charles Community College will begin a new chapter in providing workforce development options. Working directly with local employers, SCC will help bring essential and custom training to those who need it most.

“We know there is a great need for professional certifications and industryrecognized credentials in our community,” said Lauren Dickens, dean of health sciences. “This new initiative allows our programs to evolve quicker to address employers’ needs in our community.”

The program is not only geared towards businesses and their employees but to people who want to update their skills.

The program will start by offering courses in information technology and computer science. Moving forward, training in manufacturing, welding, healthcare, culinary, and agriculture will be offered.

While the initiative focuses on noncredit programs, students will have to opportunity to take what they’ve learned and use it towards a credit degree or certificate after completion.

“The idea originated with offering something for businesses to help train their workforce in a shorter amount of time,” said Rex McKanry, associate professor of computer science.

“Technology changes so fast that employees need to be able to adapt quickly. We want to offer that training.”

NONPROFIT. ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 495

4601 MID RIVERS MALL DR. COTTLEVILLE, MO 63376-2865

Proposition Community College Will Support Workforce Readiness Proposition Community College, a no-tax increase bond issue, will be on the Aug. 4 ballot for residents of St. Charles County. The $30 million no-tax increase bond issue will support:

■■ M eeting Workforce Needs Expansion of Facilities and Equipment ■■ F ocus on STEM Campus Lab and Equipment Updates ■■ Improve Services to Students Modernization of Facilities ■■ Increase Safety Enhanced Equipment and Operations

Remember to Vote August 4! www.stchas.edu/propcc