More than 800 students were presented diplomas May 16, but three of them carried special meaning.
Ozarks Technical Community College made history when it presented bachelor’s of science degrees in respiratory therapy to three students. The graduations marked the first time in Missouri that a community college had presented such diplomas, according to a press release.
Daniel Bowles, Samantha Gonzalez and Jade Humphreys earned the history-making degrees. They and about 800 others received their diplomas Thursday night during graduation ceremonies at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
“This is a point of pride for OTC,” Chancellor Hal Higdon said in a release. “When the state gave community colleges the ability to offer bachelor's degrees in high-demand disciplines, OTC worked hard to be the first because meeting the workforce's needs is key to our mission.”
The degree prepares students for careers as registered respiratory therapists, according to information from the college. Their duties usually include assessing lung damage, operating life support systems, setting up artificial airways and more, and they work with patients of all ages. Sixteen students are projected to graduate from the new program at OTC in 2025.
The Coordinating Board for Higher Education approved OTC’s offering of the degree program in 2021.
Non-profit director and attorney Ben McBride was recognized as 2024’s OTC Distinguished Alumnus. A 2001 graduate of OTC, McBride is a municipal judge for the city of Republic and executive director of I Pour Life, a non-profit that teaches critical life skills to at-risk and foster children.
Graduate Robert-Thomas Gumersell was featured as the class’ student speaker. The homeschooled student became a student ambassador, officer with the Politically Active student group and was in Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society.
Tom Douglas, CEO of JMARK, delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. Douglas, a Bolivar native and veteran of the U.S. Navy, bought the company in 2001. JMARK, a managed IT services enterprise, has more than 125 employees and clients in 43 states.
OTC awarded a total of 2,562 degrees and certifications to students for their work during the previous two semesters.
