North Central Missouri College alumni spoke at a scholarship reception on October 12th about the impact of the college.
Jayne Meservey graduated in 1995 from NCMC. She started her career at NCMC in 2014 as a library assistant and transferred to the Tutoring Center in 2018. She is now the Tutoring Center director.
Meservey said her family did not have a lot of money when she graduated from high school. She managed some retail stores, but she grew to dislike working nights and weekends.
Her parents were about 50 when they started college, so she thought she could handle it in her mid-20s.
Meservey said the Tutoring Center, Student Support Services, and Library are part of the Bosley Learning Commons. The people who work there get to know students one on one, usually more so than instructors.
Meservey’s children have received NCMC scholarships.
Adam Rice graduated from NCMC in 2018 and went on to the Missouri University of Science and Technology to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering. He presented a TED Talk titled “Addicted to Failure” and works as an engineering challenger for a global industrial lubricants manufacturer. He received the Allen Moore III and Anne B. Moore Scholarship when he was at NCMC.
Rice was unable to attend yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) scholarship reception, and he submitted a video to be played. However, there were technical difficulties, and the sound did not play.
Emcee Tammie Wiebers summarized Rice’s video. She said he loved NCMC and was thankful for the scholarship he received. He has moved on, but he will not forget NCMC’s importance.
Ashley Sterkis of Albany graduated early from Albany High School in December 2021 and started taking nursing prerequisite classes at NCMC in January. She received the Cross Allied Health Science Scholarship and Lloyd and Margaret Ketcham Scholarship.
Sterkis started the nursing program in August. Nursing Instructor Korynn Skipper told students to remember their why while they went through the nursing program.
Sterkis is a first-generation college student. She worked at a restaurant in high school to save money, but scholarships help her pay for essentials.
Abner Neill of Princeton is a pastor and a non-traditional student working on an Associate in Arts Degree. He plans to transfer to the Luther Rice College and Seminary to complete his Bachelor’s Degree and pursue a Master’s of Divinity through the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He received the Betty Frances and Nadine Hall Scholarship.
Neill said he had made three other attempts at college at other institutions. He is now following in the footsteps of four of his five children in attending NCMC.
Neill was unsure of himself and felt out of place when starting at NCMC, but the people at the school made a big difference. He had a routine during his first semester to get through the day.
Neill said if scholarships had not been available, his family would have had to decide who would go to college. The funds helped him pursue his dreams.
Hannah Gryder of Bethany is a non-traditional student working toward her Associate’s Degree in Applied Science and Medical Lab Technician. She received the Lloyd and Margaret Ketcham Scholarship.
Gryder said her mother was her hero. Her mother went to NCMC to start her nursing career, went on to Mercy in Des Moines, and graduated with an Associate of Science in Nursing/Registered Nursing Degree. Her mother overcame obstacles like cancer.
Gryder knew from a young age that she wanted to go into the medical field.
Gryder was accepted into the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, which helped her with transportation funds to travel to school. Her Pell Grant covered most of her tuition, and she was “honored” to receive a scholarship.
Her professors were helpful, especially English Instructor Amy Guthrie, Speech Instructor Tammie Wiebers, and Science Instructor Annette Pool.
Development Director Alicia Endicott reported more than $250,000 in scholarships were awarded this academic year to more than 275 students. Most of the awards were $1,000.
Emcee Tammie Wiebers noted there are more than 50 endowed investments that allow students to receive financial assistance through scholarships at NCMC.
