The Ozarka College Foundation is pleased to announce a charitable contribution in the amount of $15,000 from First Community Bank, a gift to support the Technical Center Capital Campaign in Ash Flat.    

"We believe Ozarka College is the greatest asset we have in Ash Flat to further education our students, " said Fred Holzhauer, Vice President of First Community Bank. "We have supported the College for a long time, and we plan to continue that support with this gift toward expanding technical education programs. "

This contribution will pay to furnish and equip an advanced technology classroom in the Center. The space will offer a 21st Century learning experience, access to the latest digital classroom technologies and an appropriate complement to the advanced laboratory experiences received throughout the Center.

"This substantial commitment to technical education provided by our friends at First Community Bank will have a powerful impact on future generations of Ozarka students, " said Dr. Richard Dawe, president of Ozarka College. "We are grateful for their generosity and proud of the First Community Bank commitment to our College and the communities we serve. "

The technical center will open for the fall semester in August 2020 for new students and programs.   Ozarka will offer Automotive and Diesel Technology programs this fall with additional offerings driven by community and local economic needs to be available in subsequent semesters.   The Center will house advanced technical education for college students in preparation for today's workforce as well as enable area high school students an accelerated pathway into high-demand career fields.    

First Community Bank's gift comes after Ozarka's recent designation as a regional Secondary Technical Center by the Career Education and Workforce Development Board.   The College may now offer secondary technical training to area high school students.   Secondary technical centers are designed to provide career and technical education programs too costly for the local high schools to offer.

The commitment from First Community Bank is a large contribution toward Ozarka College Foundation's first major fundraising campaign of the decade, an effort to raise capital to furnish and equip the new technical center in Ash Flat.   If you are interested in supporting these new technical education opportunities, there are multiple giving opportunities available. For more information, contact Dr. Josh Wilson with the Ozarka College Foundation at (870) 368-2060.

**PHOTO: (L-R) Dr. Richard Dawe, President of Ozarka College, Fred Holzhauer, Vice President/Branch Manager First Community Bank, Josh Kunkel, Assistant Vice President of Commercial Lending First Community Bank, Dr. Josh Wilson, Vice President of Advancement Ozarka College.