Community invited to help shape Ozarks Tech’s future through regional open houses and a survey
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — As Dr. Hal Higdon marks 20 years as chancellor of Ozarks Tech, he and the college are reflecting on two decades of growth and regional impact while launching a new strategic planning process, Building Our Future Together, that will engage the community to help shape the future of both Ozarks Tech and southwest Missouri.
Higdon, the longest-serving community college president in Missouri history, views the milestone as an opportunity to invite residents across the region to help guide what comes next for the college through open house events and a survey.
“Our success has always been rooted in our community,” he said. “The next chapter will be written together.”
Over the past two decades, Ozarks Tech has grown from a single-campus college into a six-location system serving more than 15,000 students annually, significantly expanding access to higher education for thousands of Missourians hoping to create a better future for themselves and their families.
Under Higdon’s leadership, the college navigated rapid growth while weathering the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, Ozarks Tech expanded to more than 90 programs designed to meet two critical needs: preparing students for today’s workforce and providing seamless pathways to four-year degrees.
Throughout that growth, the college has remained focused on serving students, employers and communities while maintaining a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Strategic Investments in Manufacturing, Technology and Health Care
Through collaboration with businesses, civic leaders and community partners, Ozarks Tech has become a driver of economic development across southwest Missouri. Strategic investments in advanced manufacturing, technology and health care have positioned the college to address workforce needs while supporting regional growth and innovation.
Today, Ozarks Tech is a leading producer of technical education program graduates, with offerings ranging from automotive technology and construction to electrical distribution systems.
Supporting that mission, the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing, which opened in 2022, provides an industrial training environment where students gain hands-on experience in machining, mechatronics and 3D printing. The facility also serves employers by providing space to train workers, test emerging technologies and support startup ventures.
Ozarks Tech also has established itself as a leader in health care education, graduating more health science professionals than any other community college in Missouri. Students consistently achieve strong outcomes across disciplines, including high pass rates on licensure and certification exams such as the NCLEX.
Under Higdon’s guidance, the college expanded access to health care education while helping reduce training costs and shorten time to completion. As a founding partner of the Alliance for Healthcare Education — a first-of-its-kind collaboration among Ozarks Tech, CoxHealth, Missouri State University and Springfield Public Schools — the college helped create one of the Midwest’s most significant pipelines for health sciences professionals.
Ozarks Tech has further strengthened those pathways through partnerships with the University of Missouri and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, creating streamlined routes to advanced medical and pharmacy careers while allowing students to complete much of their education close to home.
Additional milestones include adding radiography and sonography programs, launching Missouri’s first community college bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy, and operating two medical simulation labs that provide a variety of medical training for students, law enforcement and first responders.
Building Our Future Together
Many of these achievements were made possible through strategic planning and extensive community input from across the college’s service area.
Community feedback has helped shape major initiatives such as the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Republic Education Center, the Roy Blunt Aviation Training Center at Springfield-Branson National Airport, training facilities at the Richwood Valley and Table Rock campuses, and the expansion of agriculture and lineworker training programs.
Now, as Ozarks Tech develops its next strategic plan, Building Our Future Together, the college is once again turning to its communities for guidance. The planning process centers on a simple but important question: What should Ozarks Tech do next to best support and strengthen the region?
Students, alumni, employers and community members are invited to share their perspectives and help shape the college’s future by attending an open house or completing an online survey.
Join the Conversation
Ozark Empire Fair
From July 30 through Aug. 8, Ozarks Tech faculty, staff and leadership will host a booth at the E*Plex during the Ozark Empire Fair.
Open House
Ozarks Tech is hosting open houses at five locations to gather community feedback. Join us for tours, meet staff, faculty and leadership, and learn more about the college’s mission. All open houses will be open from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Lebanon Education Center: Tuesday, Aug. 4
- Table Rock Campus: Wednesday, Aug. 5
- Republic Education Center: Tuesday, Aug. 11
- Springfield Campus: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- Richwood Valley Campus: Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Online Survey
Submit your feedback at any time by completing a brief online survey.