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Find out what's happening in the 2026-2027 Fine and Performing Arts season at 91ԭƬ from a conversation during the morning show on KLPW radio in late June 2026.

The season was discussed by faculty members Jen Higerd, Associate Professor Art/Art Gallery Curator, Aaron Bounds Assistant Professor, Music/Band Director. Leigh wore two hats, as the interview cohost and disussing the Film and Lecture series. The 91ԭƬ theatre season was included in the preview.

See the entire season /fine-and-performing-arts/

Become a Patrons of the Arts! A patrons sponsorship provides preferred seats to ticketed shows and updates about the season throughout the year.

/foundation/patrons-of-the-arts/

The Rural Community College Alliance (RCCA) are advocates for the nation's rural community colleges. The RCCA helps its member institutions serve the 89.3 million people who reside in rural America. There are 600 publicly controlled rural community and tribal college that provide access to general education for transfer, as well as techncial, vocational and occupations programs.

Joel and Leigh were joined by members of the RCCA board, that include Dr. Leah Barrett of Northeast Community College in Nebraska, Dr. Jon Bauer, 91ԭƬ in Missouri and Dr. Ron Slinger of Miles Community College in Montana.

The college presidents share their impressions and opinions of the value and importance of the nation's community colleges.

More information about RCCA can be found at

Leigh and Joel are joined by Justina Wilhelm, the president of Iḷisaġvik College. Iḷisaġvik College is located in the North Slope Borough of Alaska, America's northermost municipality.

Justina took 2 planes and nearly 24 hours to arrive in Union, Missouri for the Rural Community College Alliance national conference, held on the 91ԭƬ campus in September 2025.

She provides a unique perspective of the community college, located on the northern tip of Alaska - 340 miles from Russia.

There are similarities between her college and U.S. mainland community colleges, but also differences given the location.

Find out more about Iḷisaġvik College:

91ԭƬ is part of a consortium with three Missouri community colleges for the MoSEPWorks apprenticeship program, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's ABA2 apprenticeship program.

The program focus of the consortium is teacher education, health care and manufacturing. Students can start out in a pre-apprenticeship and transition into an apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships are structured, paid training programs that combine on-the-job experience with classroom instruction to develop high-level skills for a specific trade or profession,

Learn more at /blog/ecc-launches-education-apprenticeship-to-strengthen-local-workforce/.

Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) programs in Missouri are offering more than the GED and English Language Acquisition courses. In an effort to meet the workforce needs and stay relevant, the programs are providing students with Integrated Education and Training programs, or IET's.

A student will take coursework in an IET and the GED to provide them with job skills needed to enter the workforce concurrently with the completion of GED/High School Equivalency test.

Examples of IETs include:

• Certified Nurse Assistant
• Basic Construction Technology
• Substitute Teaching Certificate
• Paraprofessional

The episode guests include AEL directors from 91ԭƬ, St. Charles Community College, and Crowder College. The director of the DESE Adult Education and Literacy programs, Megan Wadley, provides the statewide perspective of the importance of the inclusion of the job skills programs.

The AEL-IET strategic plan has additional detail:

Brian Millner, the President and CEO of the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA), joins the podcast to discuss how the association works to showcase the importance and strengths of Missouri's 12 community colleges.

Learn about about MCCA at:

A group of Missouri community colleges work together in a consortium to provide health care programs to fill the need for health care professionals in rural Missouri.

The includes five Missouri community colleges - 91ԭƬ, Three Rivers College, North Central Missouri College, State Fair Community College and Moberly Area Community College and Mineral Area College.

The MHPC contributes to increased accessibilty to high demand health care programs in rural Missouri through the sharing of course curriculum, lab space and leveraging financial resources.

The programs offered in the consortium include:

• Occupational Therapy
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Respiratory Care

Mineral Area College offers only the Medical Laboratory Technician program.

Episode guest contacts:

Nancy Mitchell, 91ԭƬ - Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu

The number of adult learners (24 years and older) at the nation's community colleges has been declining for several years. Attracting adult learners back is a strategic plan of 91ԭƬ and many other community colleges.

At the time of the September 2025 recording, Elizabeth Cox Brand was the Director of Student Success Center at the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA). She presented during the Rural Communtiy College Alliance national conference held on the 91ԭƬ campus in September 2025.

She shared with Joel and Leigh the challenges and opportunities facing Oregon community colleges regarding the recruitement of adult learners and the resources available to them.

Find our more about OCCA at:

Dr. Parvadha (Parvi) Acosta, 91ԭƬ's Associate Project of Biology/STEM division chair, discusses the changes in food over time and some of its positive and negative impacts on our health.

Parvi isn't a medical doctor, and looks at the intake and development of food over time from a biological point of view.

For example - a tomato looks much different than it did 80-100 years ago.

DYK - Broccoli isn't found in nature, as it was developed through centuries of selective breeding.

If you think this topic doesn't apply to you, since you eat only meat and potatoes, consider this:

"What you eat, eats plants."

The state of Missouri passed a bill in May 2025 to simplify and strengthen the transfer pathways from the state's community colleges to a public 4-year university.

The new legislation establishes a 60-credit hour, transferable lower-division course block for five high demand programs:

• General Business
• General Psychology
• Elementary Education
• General Biology or Biological Sciences
• Nursing

Dr. Robyn Walter, Chief Academic Officer of 91ԭƬ, discusses the positive aspects of the new legislation and the benefits for students and their families.

New 91ԭƬ degree

91ԭƬ is also offering a new degree pathway starting in the fall of 2025. An Associate Degree of Science in Biology that provides major level Chemistry and Biology coursework.

Biology - Science, Engineering & Math: 91ԭƬ webpage.

Investing in 91ԭƬ is an investment in your community.

Proposition 91ԭƬ 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.

91ԭƬ is a vital asset to students and the area's communities. Hear from three 91ԭƬ alums who credit 91ԭƬ in helping them with their successes, who are local business and community leaders and serve on the 91ԭƬ 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 91ԭƬ in the early 2000s and the owner of area Jimmy John's restaurants.

Discover more about Proposition 91ԭƬ at www.eastcentral.edu/propositionecc

See the yearly economic impact of 91ԭƬ on the area: www.eastcentral.edu/impact

Leigh and Joel hear the story of 27-year-old Kayla Jaspering of Union, who completed her high school education in the 91ԭƬ 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 91ԭƬ 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. 91ԭƬ 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 91ԭƬ 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.

Check out this article for more about the trip.

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.

91ԭƬ is part of the Metallica Scholars program and receives support and funding to promote and provide student scholarships for 91ԭƬ’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 91ԭƬ’s Metallica Scholars program and Metallica’s “All Within My Hands”, visit www.eastcentral.edu/Metallica or

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 91ԭƬ.

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 91ԭƬ, joins Leigh and Joel to discuss "Proposition 91ԭƬ."

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 91ԭƬ tax levy.

Dr. Bauer details how the debt service levy transfer to the operating levy will positively impact the 91ԭƬ Union campus by modernizing the campus buildings and enhancing safety and security measures.

More information about the levy transfer is available at: Proposition 91ԭƬ: What is it? - 91ԭƬ

Comments can be sent to 91ԭƬInsiders@eastcentral.edu

Joel Doepker and Leigh Kolb discuss the early college programs at 91ԭƬ that include the Early College Academy (ECA). ECA students start attending 91ԭƬ courses on the 91ԭƬ 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, 91ԭƬ Director of Early College and 91ԭƬ 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 - 91ԭƬ

Contact us at 91ԭƬInsiders@eastcentral.edu with any comments or questions.

Joel Doepker and Leigh Kolb discuss the history of 91ԭƬ 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 91ԭƬ. Current 91ԭƬ president Dr. Jon Bauer started at 91ԭƬ in 1995 and became president in 2012.

Find out more about the history of 91ԭƬ at /about-ecc/ecc-history/.

Please send comments and suggestions to 91ԭƬInsiders@eastcentral.edu

Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations and Leigh Kolb, Associate Professor of English will discuss all things 91ԭƬ (Mo.). Higher education trends and topics that effect the east central Missouri region and the nation.